Aquarium Biologist
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
3900 Wildlife Way
Cleveland, OH 44109
216-661-6500 ext 4485
>)))): -----Original Message-----
>)))): From: owner-nanfa-l-in-nanfa.org
>)))): [owner-nanfa-l-in-nanfa.org] On Behalf Of Jase Roberts
>)))): Sent: Thursday, August 24, 2006 1:55 PM
>)))): To: nanfa-l-in-nanfa.org
>)))): Subject: Re: NANFA-L-- (Re-focus) Releasing native fish
>)))): back to the wild -- EVER acceptable?
>)))):
>)))):
>)))): Hi All,
>)))):
>)))): So to refocus a bit, here's the basic question(s):
>)))):
>)))): 1) We're all going to run into situations (think of a
>)))): move) where the only viable options are to release a
>)))): native fish back where it was collected, or to euthanize
>)))): it. If you're dealing with exceedingly common species
>)))): (think sunfish or perch) and don't live near other
>)))): native fish nuts, sending them to live with someone else
>)))): isn't practical (and may not be legal if they'd need to
>)))): cross state lines). I'm not an animal rights nut, but I
>)))): don't relish the thought of euthanizing a healthy fish
>)))): simply because I can't keep it.
>)))):
>)))): 2) Thus far (3 years into this hobby), I keep only
>)))): natives (no aquarium fish), and only from near my home.
>)))): I also don't buy live food, other than starter cultures
>)))): which I propagate myself from that point. The point is
>)))): that there's not a serious issue of mixing in
>)))): fish/equipment from the aquarium trade (where all sorts
>)))): of exotic diseases may lurk), or from widely separated
>)))): geographic areas.
>)))):
>)))): 3) As has been established through discussion, there is
>)))): a LOT of movement of fish and water between nearby
>)))): bodies of water anyway: A) Bait dealers capturing stock
>)))): from the wild (legal here with a $20 permit)and selling
>)))): to fishermen who transport it all over, B)
>)))): Recreational/fishing boats, livewells, and landing nets
>)))): being moved from lake to lake, C) Natural processes,
>)))): including connecting streams and movement of waterfowl
>)))): (especially fish-eating ones), D) Incompletely
>)))): sterilized collecting equipment, which comes in direct
>)))): contact with lots of fish, and E) Probably several other
>)))): vectors which I haven't thought of
>)))):
>)))): 4) Given the various vectors for disease transmission
>)))): given in "2)" above, is it likely that pathogens would
>)))): still be so localized as to exist in one body of water
>)))): but not another a few miles away?
>)))):
>)))): 5) And, finally, is catching native fish from a few
>)))): local bodies of water, keeping them communally for a
>)))): time (or imperfectly separated), then releasing them
>)))): locally somehow different enough from all the other
>)))): vectors in "2)", and significant enough in terms of
>)))): volume, that is presents a real risk? Sure, the risk of
>)))): disease transmission is non-zero, but is it far enough
>)))): from zero to warrant euthanizing healthy fish rather
>)))): than releasing?
>)))):
>)))): I'm trying to approach this with an open mind -- but as
>)))): Todd mentioned, I'm the kind of person who wants to
>)))): understand if the blanket declaration "Never release
>)))): native fish back to the wild" is really based on sound
>)))): science, and applies in all cases.
>)))):
>)))): Dave wrote, "So, I agree that we are a smaller part of
>)))): the problem than some others are. So, if a fellow only
>)))): murders one person a year, while a mobster murders many,
>)))): is the first person not guilty?" If there's a *real*
>)))): risk of spreading disease by carefully releasing fish, I
>)))): agree -- best not to do it. But are pathogens so local,
>)))): and is keeping/releasing local native fish significant
>)))): enough given all the other vectors in "2)", that the
>)))): risk is real?
>)))):
>)))): Thanks for the discussion,
>)))): Jase
>)))):
>)))): Crail, Todd wrote:
>)))): > Do what you feel is right, you guys are adults. If
>)))): you're doing
>)))): > that... it won't matter if someone else issues a
>)))): blanket statement
>)))): > about what you're doing. The blanket statement should
>)))): be compelling
>)))): > in it's own regard, if it's truth. If not... Well, it's not
>)))): > compelling ;)
>)))): --
>)))): Jase Roberts
>)))): Lewiston, Maine
>)))): on the Androscoggin River
>)))): /--------------------------------------------------------
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>)))):
>)))):
>)))):
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