Date post: | 22-Jan-2018 |
Category: |
Environment |
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Survey Objectives• Determine level and type of interactions with
aquariums
• Assess attitude and practice in disposal of unwanted aquatic species
• Evaluate level of awareness of invasive species
What do BC aquarists do with unwanted aquatic organisms?
These are proper disposal
methods of unwanted non-
native aquatic species
58%
66%
22%
41%
return to vendor
euthanize
bring to a rescue organization
dispose in trash
% surveyed
What do BC aquarists do with unwanted aquatic organisms?
While aquariums and zoos are good choices for donation of unwanted species, schools and fish hobbyists are associated with behaviour that could lead to the spread of invasive aquatic organisms. (Bobeldyk, Rüegg, & Lamberti, 2015; Gertzen, Familiar, & Leung, 2008; Gartner et al., 2011)
% surveyed
Ensure that whomever receives the aquatic organism is aware of proper disposal methods for non-native aquatic species.
What do BC aquarists do with unwanted aquatic organisms?
Did you know?Diseased fish can have microscopic parasites
that spread in the water to infect other aquatic
organisms.Earle & Hintz, 2014
Click on the logo to find out more
about why pets should never be
released in the wild.
% surveyed
Invasive aquatic species have caused losses of up to
$5.7 billion USD.(Lovell, Stone, & Fernandez, 2006)
An average of 15 new aquatic invasive species
become established in Canada every decade
(Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 2003)
Click on the image to see this pamphlet
Did you know?
Survey participants were asked to provide their definition of invasive species and scored on the following criteria:
Invasive species are non-native
Invasive species propogate quickly and displace native species
Invasive species negatively impact ecosystems
Invasive species have negative economic or other social/health impacts
(Verbrugge, Leuven, van Valkenburg, & van den Born, 2014)
How was awareness of invasive species assessed?
Some examples of survey responses
Species not native to our area
A non-native species living and reproducing in a given ecosystem.
Non-native species that have been introduced that is causing a detrimental effect on the local native ecosystem.
Non-native species that are released or brought into another environment that can propagate, threatening our native species, causing ecological harm and possibly spreading disease.
Survey participants were also asked to identify an invasive species in BC. Here are the top 4 species named.
How was awareness of invasive species assessed?
1. Northern snakehead
3. American bullfrog
4. Common carp
2. Red eared slider turtle
Did survey participants get it right? Click on the images to find out more.
How did survey participants score on their awareness of
invasive species?
Survey participants scored themselves higher than their evaluated score, based on their definition of invasive species and ability to correctly identify an invasive species in BC.
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
4.0
4.5
Evaluated Awareness Self-assessed Awareness
What do you think?
What should be done to help aquarists properly dispose of unwanted species?
Please share your thoughts in the comments section below
Should labelling of potentially invasive aquatic species be mandatory for pet stores and other aquatic retailers?
Should the government go even further and ban the sale of all potentially invasive aquatic species?
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank Invasive Species Council of BC and its partners at the BC Ministry of Environment in providing their expertise during the survey design process and the following organizations for their support in promoting the 2015 BC Aquarium Enthusiasts Survey:
• BCAquaria Fish Forum, BC, Canada• The Canada Koi Club of BC• The Canadian Association of Aquarium Clubs• The Greater Victoria Aquaria Society• The Vancouver Aquatic Hobbyist Society• Vancouver Area Killie club
References
Bobeldyk, A., Rüegg, J., & Lamberti, G. (2015). Freshwater hotspots of biological invasion are a function of species-pathway interactions. Hydrobiologia, 746(1), 363-373.
Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada. (2003). A Canadian Action Plan to Address the Threat of Aquatic Invasive Species.
Earle, G., & Hintz, W. (2014). New Approaches for Controlling Saprolegnia parasitica, the Causal Agent of a Devastating Fish Disease. Tropical Life Sciences Research, 25(2), 101-109
Gartner, H., Herborg, L. M., Root, S., Brimsmead, J., Jacoby, C., Siemens, T., . . . Chan, S. (2011). Live organisms used in the classroom as a potential vector of species introductions in British Columbia. Canadian Manuscript Report of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 2973.
Gertzen, E., Familiar, O., & Leung, B. (2008). Quantifying invasion pathways: fish introductions from the aquarium trade. Canadian Journal of Fisheries & Aquatic Sciences, 65(7), 1265-1273.
Invasive Species Council of British Columbia. (2016). Retrieved from http://bcinvasives.ca/
Lovell, S. J., Stone, S. F., & Fernandez, L. (2006). The economic impacts of aquatic invasive species: A review of the literature. Agricultural and Resource Economics Review, 35(1), 195-208.
Lum, E. (2015). Survey of British Columbia aquarium enthusiasts with regard to invasive species awareness and disposal of unwanted aquatic species. (Masters' Project), Miami University, Ohio.
Province of BC. (2015). September 30, Invaders! Invasive Species in BC. [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4Ds8aFh8hM
Verbrugge, L. N. H., Leuven, R. S. E. W., van Valkenburg, J. L. C. H., & van den Born, R. J. G. (2014). Evaluating stakeholder awareness and involvement in risk prevention of aquatic invasive plant species by a national code of conduct. Aquatic Invasions, 9(3), 369-381.