[Coral-List] Florida situation RE: contingency plan RE: lionfishin an aquarium

[Delbeek, Charles]

I would suggest you reach out to the aquarium societies who also frequent these stores to help spread the word. FMAS (FL Marine Aquarium Society) is the largest and oldest in the state located in Hawaii. Also contact PJAC and voice your concerns since they are the administrative arm of the industry. Finally, your state fish and game department or whoever the state agency is who's purview this falls under, should be made aware of the Habitattitude program, if they are not already. In Hawaii, it was a joint effort between state and federal agencies that got this out so that all pet stores exhibited Habitattitude posters and the Waikiki Aquariu, state owned, was designated as a drop off point along with the Humane Society.

J. Charles Delbeek, M.Sc.
Senior Biologist, Steinhart Aquarium
California Academy of Sciences
55 Music Concourse Dr.
San Francisco CA 94118

phone (415) 379-5303
fax (415) 379-5304
cdelbeek at calacademy.org<mailto:cdelbeek at calacademy.org>
www.calacademy.org

The world's only aquarium-planetarium-rainforest-living museum.

From: Sarah Frias-Torres [mailto:sfrias_torres at hotmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, October 13, 2010 11:51 AM
To: Delbeek, Charles; franck.gourdin.carspaw at guadeloupe-parcnational.fr; coral list
Cc: helene.souan.carspaw at guadeloupe-parcnational.fr; franck.mazeas at developpement-durable.gouv.fr
Subject: Florida situation RE: [Coral-List] contingency plan RE: lionfishin an aquarium

Charles,
thank you for sending the link.
Unfortunately, it is not in the radar of the folks in Florida (which seems to be the epicenter of the initial lionfish release). Go to any aquarium store with lionfish there, and they have no clue. Talk to any lionfish pet owner, and they have no clue.
Even greater lack of awareness within the Hispanic community in Florida.
We have to approach the science outreach component with a different strategy.
I don't think people at large are connecting the dots between "letting Nemo go back home" and the lionfish invasion.

Sarah Frias-Torres, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Scholar &
Schmidt Research Vessel Institute Postdoctoral Fellow
http://independent.academia.edu/SarahFriasTorres
Ocean Research & Conservation Association
1420 Seaway Drive, 2nd Floor
Fort Pierce, Florida 34949 USA
http://www.teamorca.org




> From: CDelbeek at calacademy.org
> To: sfrias_torres at hotmail.com; franck.gourdin.carspaw at guadeloupe-parcnational.fr; coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> CC: helene.souan.carspaw at guadeloupe-parcnational.fr; franck.mazeas at developpement-durable.gouv.fr
> Date: Wed, 13 Oct 2010 09:02:46 -0700
> Subject: RE: [Coral-List] contingency plan RE: lionfish in an aquarium
>
> > This could be a great public outreach opportunity, and a much needed one to avoid the "Finding Nemo Syndrome" .
>
> There is such a program in place in the US called Habitattitude, a joint effort between the Pet Joint Advisory Council (PJAC), USFWS and NOAA.
>
> http://www.habitattitude.net/
>
> The Waikiki Aquarium used to accept fish under this program and attempt to find new homes for them, and failing that they would be humanely euthanized.
>
>
> J. Charles Delbeek, M.Sc.
> Senior Biologist, Steinhart Aquarium
> California Academy of Sciences
> 55 Music Concourse Dr.
> San Francisco CA 94118
>
> phone (415) 379-5303
> fax (415) 379-5304
> cdelbeek at calacademy.org
> www.calacademy.org
>
> The world's only aquarium-planetarium-rainforest-living museum.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov [mailto:coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov] On Behalf Of Sarah Frias-Torres
> Sent: Tuesday, October 12, 2010 7:36 AM
> To: franck.gourdin.carspaw at guadeloupe-parcnational.fr; coral list
> Cc: helene.souan.carspaw at guadeloupe-parcnational.fr; franck.mazeas at developpement-durable.gouv.fr
> Subject: [Coral-List] contingency plan RE: lionfish in an aquarium
>
>
> Franck,Perhaps the Aquarium should also consider a contingency plan on what to do, should a hurricane arrive to Guadalupe.
> When hosting alien species, a "kill plan" must be in effect. If there is a hurricane warning for the island, then, the "kill plan" is activated.This means, sacrificing all the lionfish in the exhibit, in order to avoid potential escapees reaching the ocean as a result from potential hurricane damage.
> Aquarium hobbyist keeping lionfish as pets should also be informed about the need to set up a kill plan, whether due to hurricanes or when they can no longer (or are not willing to) take care of their pet lionfish. This could be a great public outreach opportunity, and a much needed one to avoid the "Finding Nemo Syndrome" .
> When I worked at Kennedy Space Center I had to develop a contingency kill plan for my experimental aquaria. It is cruelty-free and minimizes fish stress.
> Let me know if you want more details.
>
> Sarah Frias-Torres, Ph.D. Postdoctoral Scholar &Schmidt Research Vessel Institute Postdoctoral Fellowhttp://independent.academia.edu/SarahFriasTorresOcean Research & Conservation Association 1420 Seaway Drive, 2nd Floor Fort Pierce, Florida 34949 USA http://www.teamorca.org
>
>
>
> > Date: Mon, 11 Oct 2010 21:55:05 +0200
> > From: franck.gourdin.carspaw at guadeloupe-parcnational.fr
> > To: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> > CC: helene.souan.carspaw at guadeloupe-parcnational.fr; Franck.MAZEAS at developpement-durable.gouv.fr
> > Subject: [Coral-List] lionfish in an aquarium
> >
> > Dear All,
> >
> > Guadeloupe is going to put some lionfish(s) in the aquarium of Pointe A Pitre in order to sensitize and inform the public on this invasive threat.
> > The coordinator of the FWI for the lionfish would be interested in sharing some similar experiences in the Caribbean (contact?), and in particular to know first if the treatment by UV is sufficient to destroy any eggs or juvenile on the used water before throwing out in the environment??
> >
> > I thank you for your answers,
> >
> > Best regards,
> >
> > Franck GOURDIN
> > Programme Officer
> > Regional Activity Center for Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife
> > SPAW/RAC - UNEP
> > http://www.car-spaw-rac.org
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> > Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
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