NANFA-L-- FW: grouper question

Nick Zarlinga (njz-in-clevelandmetroparks.com)
Thu, 6 Jan 2005 12:48:05 -0500

here is the response from a collegea-in-mall of the americas.

Nick Zarlinga
Aquarium Biologist
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
216.661.6500 ext 4485

><)> -----Original Message-----
><)> From: Craig Atkins [catkins-in-minnesotaaquarium.com]
><)> Sent: Thursday, January 06, 2005 9:54 AM
><)> To: Nicholas J Zarlinga
><)> Subject: RE: grouper question
><)>
><)>
><)> Nick,
><)> Very interesting read....and it's all news to me
><)> and the Curator too! I guess I should pay more
><)> attention to our animals and displays each morning
><)> when I'm walking through. I can also tell you
><)> (not that I probably have to) that the salt
><)> occuring in natural waters as runoff from the
><)> roads is total crap. Good chuckle, hope all is
><)> well. Craig.
><)>
><)> Craig Atkins
><)> Sr. Director of Husbandry, Life Support and
><)> Interpretive Programs
><)> Underwater Adventures Aquarium
><)> 120 East Broadway
><)> Bloomington, MN 55425 USA
><)> phone: 952.853.0605
><)> e-mail: catkins-in-minnesotaaquarium.com
><)>
><)>
><)> -----Original Message-----
><)> From: Nick Zarlinga [njz-in-clevelandmetroparks.com]
><)> Sent: Wednesday, January 05, 2005 6:47 AM
><)> To: Craig Atkins
><)> Subject: grouper question
><)>
><)>
><)> Craig, this article appeared on a native fish list
><)> that I am on. I am sure
><)> that it is fictitious, but it mentions you guys as
><)> holding this grouper that
><)> was caught near you. I'm sure that there is
><)> nothing to this, correct?
><)>
><)> Nick Zarlinga
><)> Aquarium Biologist
><)> Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
><)> 216.661.6500 ext 4485
><)>
><)>
><)>
><)>
><)>
><)> Grouper Caught in Wisconsin
><)>
><)> Seems the onslaught of exotic fish being found in Wisconsin
><)> is just starting. A grouper was caught in the Mississippi
><)> River near Trempeleau, a small town south of Minneapolis
><)> Minnesota. The fish was living amongst rocks in a
><)> back water.
><)> Caught be a fisherman trying to catch some panfish
><)> for supper.
><)> The fisherman said " I couldn't believe it, first
><)> I thought I
><)> had a bass on, but when I got it on shore it was just weird
><)> looking." The fisherman worried it was an
><)> endangered species
><)> kept it alive. It is on display-in-the Aquarium in the mall
><)> of America in Minneapolis. An agent for the DNR said " We
><)> thought we should display this fish so that if anymore are
><)> caught, they are kept and hopefully killed".
><)>
><)> An environmentalist for the Sierra Club said that " This is
><)> probably a result of global warming, and changing
><)> eco systems,
><)> the salt content has to be off the charts in these northern
><)> states that salt their roads heavily in winter".
><)>
><)> Government agencies are working-in-a fevered pitch to ban
><)> groupers from the aquarium trade, and is looking
><)> into rotenone
><)> use on coastal waters to stop this fish from
><)> migrating up the
><)> Mississippi River. Other sources place the blame
><)> squarely on
><)> unscrupulous aquarists, but, admittedly this
><)> specie has not been
><)> seen before in the aquarium trade. A spokesman for
><)> Florida Fish
><)> Traders said " This is a new species for sure, I
><)> have seen the
><)> picture and we have never dealt with this fish".
><)> We probably
><)> deal with twenty species of groupers from all over
><)> the world".
><)> "This one is similar to one species we sell, but I
><)> doubt anyone
><)> would toss an 80 dollar fish in the river".
><)>
><)> The environmentalist from the Sierra Club added that rich
><)> Republicans would do such a thing.
><)>
><)>
><)>
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