The impact of popular film on the conservation of iconic species anemonefishes in the aquarium trade

The movie Finding Nemo and its sequel Finding Dory have put coral reef fish and specifically anemonefish in the spotlight. But how have these movies impacted the trade of anemonefish? Furthermore, what is the economic importance and impact of the ornamental fish trade more generally? This chapter explores these questions and reaches the conclusion that even if the vast majority of anemonefishes (especially Amphiprion ocellaris and Amphiprion percula) are raised in captivity, wild harvesting still impacts populations, which should be taken into consideration in conservation management plans. We also discuss existing anemonefish restoration projects and how these iconic species can be used to educate the general public on the importance of protecting coral reefs and marine environments more broadly.