Nemo fish plundered

Small colourful fish are disappearing from the reefs of Vanuatu because of surging demand for tropical aquarium fish prompted by the movie Finding Nemo, Australian radio has reported.

Tourism and diving operators in the Pacific island state say the reefs are being overexploited.

Peter Whitelaw, spokesman for a group of concerned tourism companies, told the ABC that "vast" quantities of fish were being taken.

"We are more or less the underwater watchdogs, we are the ones who can see what's going on," he said.

Finding Nemo features a small orange fish called Nemo who is captured, taken to Australia and then rescued by his father.