Neptune Speaks - Hardcover

Wintner, Robert

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1620872943 ISBN 13: 9781620872949

Publisher: Skyhorse, 2012

8.5x11 hardcover. About 500 glossy photos on 285 pages. Includes a DVD inside the back cover--Neptune Speaks, the movie, with video and narrative of the same reefs featured in the stills.Neptune Speaks is packed with full-color photographs of tropical fish on every page, but this book is more than just a beautiful guide. It's a call to defend the creatures of the sea that are under attack by fierce predators--humans. The popularity of keeping tropical fish in home and office aquariums, and the overfishing of waters around the world to satisfy the demands of diners looking for ever-more exotic fare have put these amazing species in danger of disappearing entirely.

Neptune Speaks delves into the perils of trafficking in wildlife for the pet trade. Why are colorful reef fish still taken in Hawaii with no limit on the catch, no limit on the number of catchers, and no constraint on rare, endemic or vanishing species? The author, known most commonly as Snorkel Bob, will explore and explain all the factors that perpetuate the destruction of fish and their habitats, while his photographs demonstrate the beauty and grace of the creatures we need to get serious about protecting.

"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.

From the Author:

If you love color, innocence and dramatic engagement with a political overlay that appears to be turning for the good, you will love Neptune Speaks. Those of you with degrees can apply them here, among 3 narratives: 1 follows the fish, reef to reef, region to region, accounting for status, gains and losses. 2 is the narrative, as it were, under the images, with the captions flowing methodically, and 3 is the narrative of the fish themselves. Those of you without degrees can just read it. Neptune Speaks is fun, adventurous and revealing. Did you know the President of Palau felled the aquarium trade in his country on 1 stroke (!)? Or that certain fish actually carry messages? Neptune Speaks, the movie, is included. It's a DVD uh, er, uh, in a paper sleeve inadvertently glued inside the BACK cover. 45 minutes of solid reef cruising, also with narrative from Snorkel Bob, himself, and longtime snorkel buddy Matt Roving.

From the Back Cover:

One aquarium trade reporter complained of no balanced dialogue on a ban in Hawaii. An aquarium magazine said I, Snorkel Bob'm to blame. Said I, Snorkel Bob: "Balanced dialogue? On one side you have 99.7% of the people of Hawaii. Let's call that side a very big, shaggy dog. On the other side you have a handful of collectors--we'll call them the fleas on the shaggy dog's ass. You're suggesting that a big shaggy dog engage the fleas on his ass to determine just how much longer and how much blood those fleas will be allowed to suck. The problem is: no self-respecting dog will engage the fleas on his ass in any kind of dialogue. That dog will scratch his ass to get rid of the fleas."
I thought the imagery vivid and effective, providing a good laugh for all parties. Can you feel the razor wit and rapier insight? But again, tsk tsk--they thought I'd called them blood-sucking parasites. Maybe they are sensitive. I hope so.
With apologies and contrition I have pledged to avoid the dog/flea illustration in the future with sincere hope that the aquarium collectors and resellers will jump off. -Snorkel Bob, Himself

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.