Exotic species concerns

[Richard_Curry at nps.gov]

Billy and everyone else:

I applaud the action take by Billy and his staff and agree that we need to
keep an eye out for marine exotics and remove them when found.  Like the
Sanctuary, the release of non-natives, or anything else for that matter, is
not allowed in a National Park Service area.  Although we know it is
happening, we have no idea just how many aquarist are releasing rather than
destroying their fish when, for what ever reason, they breakdown their
aquaria.  Unfortunately, exotics in the marine environment have not
received the level of interest and support that they have in terrestrial
environments and we, as managers and stewards of the Florida reef system
need to work at changing that.  Even something as "trivial" as releasing
ballast water can have a devastating consequence on our reefs.

Richard Curry
Science Coordinator
Biscayne National Park


~~~~~~~
For directions on subscribing and unsubscribing to coral-list or the
digests, please visit www.coral.noaa.gov, click on Popular on the
menu bar, then click on Coral-List Listserver.