Ethical Fish ReproductionEthical Fish Reproduction

Dr. Craig KasperDr. Craig Kasper

Additional materials courtesy of Dr. Jeff Hill (TAL)Additional materials courtesy of Dr. Jeff Hill (TAL)

Lecture SummaryLecture Summary

• Animal treatmentAnimal treatment

• Non-nativesNon-natives

• Government OrganizationsGovernment Organizations

Do fish have feelings?Do fish have feelings?

• Some folks say “yes”, while others “no.”Some folks say “yes”, while others “no.”

• NGO’s want you to believe it.NGO’s want you to believe it.

• Scientific research is not clear!Scientific research is not clear!

Protect Yourself and Your Protect Yourself and Your OrganizationOrganization

• Have a fish handling protocol in place and Have a fish handling protocol in place and review it annually. review it annually.

• Also known as guidelines for Good Also known as guidelines for Good Laboratory Practices (GLP guidelines).Laboratory Practices (GLP guidelines).

• Don’t let random folks into your facility or Don’t let random folks into your facility or take place in daily operations.take place in daily operations.

Protect Yourself and Your Protect Yourself and Your OrganizationOrganization

• Have a fish handling protocol in place and review Have a fish handling protocol in place and review it annually. it annually.

• If you are hard-core, then you can get GLP If you are hard-core, then you can get GLP certification!certification!

• Also known as guidelines for Good Laboratory Also known as guidelines for Good Laboratory Practices. (Difficult)Practices. (Difficult)

• Don’t let random folks into your facility or take Don’t let random folks into your facility or take place in daily operations.place in daily operations.

Non-native SpeciesNon-native Species

• What are they?What are they?

• What good are they?What good are they?

• What bad are they?What bad are they?

• What can I do?What can I do?

Non-nativeNon-native refers to organisms which are refers to organisms which are foreign or not native, which have been foreign or not native, which have been introduced to an area. introduced to an area.

Also known as: Also known as: Alien, Exotic, NonindigenousAlien, Exotic, Nonindigenous

What does it mean?What does it mean?

Exotic: different from the nativeExotic: different from the native

OrangesOrangesTomatoesTomatoesDogsDogsCottonCottonDandelionsDandelions

Benefits of non-nativesBenefits of non-natives

• FoodFood• Beauty Beauty • PetsPets• SportfishingSportfishing• Control of pestsControl of pests• Other usesOther uses

(Meet a need a native has not been found to fill)(Meet a need a native has not been found to fill)

Non-natives in Florida agricultureNon-natives in Florida agriculture• Oranges and other citrus fruitOranges and other citrus fruit• TomatoesTomatoes• Sugar caneSugar cane• Cattle and dairy cowsCattle and dairy cows• Green peppersGreen peppers• ChickensChickens• Tropical fishTropical fish

HistoryHistory• Native Americans traded among Native Americans traded among

themselves bringing some organisms to themselves bringing some organisms to Florida (corn, beans and squash from Florida (corn, beans and squash from Central America)Central America)

• When European settlers left for the New When European settlers left for the New World, they brought along the plants World, they brought along the plants and animals of their homeland. They and animals of their homeland. They also brought disease.also brought disease.

What would your life be like What would your life be like without non-natives?without non-natives?

No No milk milk on your breakfast cereal, but on your breakfast cereal, but that’s OK, you probably couldn’t get that’s OK, you probably couldn’t get cereal anyhow. You can’t have cereal anyhow. You can’t have orange juice, either.orange juice, either.

Imagine your life without…Imagine your life without…

• PizzaPizza• Ice creamIce cream• Peanut butterPeanut butter• Sugar or honey to sweeten your foodSugar or honey to sweeten your food• Cotton clothingCotton clothing• Leather football, baseball or soccer ballsLeather football, baseball or soccer balls• Cats or dogs (Okay, cats can go.)Cats or dogs (Okay, cats can go.)

Can non-natives be bad?Can non-natives be bad?

Invasive organismsInvasive organisms are species that are are species that are non-native and cause, or are likely to non-native and cause, or are likely to cause, economic or environmental harm cause, economic or environmental harm or harm human health.or harm human health.

These can be plants, animals and These can be plants, animals and other organisms such as microbes.other organisms such as microbes.

Yes…Yes…

What’s so bad about invasives?What’s so bad about invasives?

• Can alter habitatCan alter habitat• Can reduce native diversityCan reduce native diversity• Can exclude or cause disease in Can exclude or cause disease in

natives or beneficial non-nativesnatives or beneficial non-natives• Can hybridize with nativesCan hybridize with natives• Can be harmful to humansCan be harmful to humans

1.1. West Nile VirusWest Nile Virus2.2. CowsCows3.3. Brazilian PepperBrazilian Pepper4.4. Commercial Commercial

CitrusCitrus5.5. Citrus CankerCitrus Canker6.6. MelaleucaMelaleuca7.7. VegetablesVegetables8.8. HydrillaHydrilla9.9. Nursery plantsNursery plants10.10.Water-hyacinthWater-hyacinth

Florida’s Non-native SpeciesFlorida’s Non-native SpeciesNon-nativesNon-natives Non-native invasivesNon-native invasives

US Non-native Fish SpeciesUS Non-native Fish Species

Too many to list!!!Too many to list!!!http://http://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/SpeciesList.asp?Group=Fishes

Unfortunately, most of these can and do survive quite well in FL.Unfortunately, most of these can and do survive quite well in FL.

http://http://floridafisheries.com/Fishes/non-native.html

Others:Others:

sea lamprey sea lamprey

alewife alewife

zebra and quagga mussels zebra and quagga mussels

spiny and fishook water fleas spiny and fishook water fleas

round gobyround goby

See handouts!!See handouts!!

How do they do it?How do they do it?

What makes an invasive species successful?What makes an invasive species successful?

1. Invasives are 1. Invasives are productiveproductive::• grow quickly, produce lots of offspring (eggs, seeds, grow quickly, produce lots of offspring (eggs, seeds,

spawn multiple timesspawn multiple times2. Invasives are 2. Invasives are readily dispersedreadily dispersed by: by:• Wind, water, wildlife, humansWind, water, wildlife, humans3. Invasives 3. Invasives lack natural controlslack natural controls::• Predators, insects, diseasePredators, insects, disease4. Invasives are 4. Invasives are habitat generalistshabitat generalists::• can tolerate range of temperaturescan tolerate range of temperatures• can live in variety of habitatscan live in variety of habitats• have a broad diethave a broad diet5. Invasives 5. Invasives outcompete nativesoutcompete natives::• shade native plantsshade native plants• consume nutrients or food of nativesconsume nutrients or food of natives

How did invasives get here?How did invasives get here?

• hitchhikers (boating, ballast, cargo)hitchhikers (boating, ballast, cargo)

• moving animals moving animals • aquariumsaquariums• petspets

Humans are the primary means of introductionHumans are the primary means of introduction

Control and ManagementControl and Management

• Physical ControlPhysical Control• Chemical ControlChemical Control• Biological ControlBiological Control• Ecological ControlEcological Control• CommercializationCommercialization

What Can I Do to Help?What Can I Do to Help?• Don’t bring home unfamiliar plants or animalsDon’t bring home unfamiliar plants or animals• NeverNever free pets into the wild free pets into the wild

– Birds, fish, snails, iguanas, or monkeysBirds, fish, snails, iguanas, or monkeys– Don’t dump aquariums into waterwaysDon’t dump aquariums into waterways– Give unwanted pets awayGive unwanted pets away

• On the waterOn the water– Clean off your boat and aquatic equipmentClean off your boat and aquatic equipment– Throw back any fish you won’t eat when fishingThrow back any fish you won’t eat when fishing

• Use native plants or well researched non-natives Use native plants or well researched non-natives whenever possiblewhenever possible

Who Cares?Who Cares?• Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

(APHIS)(APHIS)

• Animal Lovers Against Animal Cruelty (ALAAC)Animal Lovers Against Animal Cruelty (ALAAC)

• People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)(PETA)

• GreenpeaceGreenpeace

The LawThe Law

Unlawful release of exotic species in Florida Unlawful release of exotic species in Florida is punishable by a $1,000 fine and up to is punishable by a $1,000 fine and up to one year in jail.one year in jail.

Don’t even tell ‘em about physical abuse Don’t even tell ‘em about physical abuse during your typical daily operations.during your typical daily operations.

• Know the pathways of introduction and do Know the pathways of introduction and do your part to stop accidental release into wildyour part to stop accidental release into wild

• Be aware of laws related to non-native Be aware of laws related to non-native speciesspecies

• Join a community group that restores Join a community group that restores habitat and removes invasiveshabitat and removes invasives

• Look at up-to-date information on new Look at up-to-date information on new invasives and exoticsinvasives and exotics

• Teach others about the benefits and risks of Teach others about the benefits and risks of non-native speciesnon-native species