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RE: Goldfish and alien species

On 19 Mar 2002 at 4:03, Gardenwriters@topica.com wrote:

> A virus known to be able to jump species has been identified as the 
> cause. A ranavirus found in north America is the main culprit. This 
> appears to have arrived in Britain from goldfish farmed in the US and
> brought to Britain to put in garden ponds.

This virus has indeed been claimed to have been spread by goldfish. Although this is a possibility, as far as I am aware the research 
to prove this definitively has yet to take place. 

Exotics are an issue that affects everyone. If some of the more extreme ecologists have their way, gardeners will only be able to 
purchase native plants for their garden and all 'exotic' plants will be outlawed.

Gardeners do need to be educated to dispose of excess plants and fish with great care so as to minimise the risk of spreading 
unwanted species in the wild. That education needs to extend to the nurserymen and garden centres too.

There is some increase in interest in wild meadow gardening and wildlife ponds but it is alarming to still come across articles which 
list invasive exotic plants amongst those recommended for such projects.

On the issue of fish, the use of 'feeder' goldfish as live-bait by North American anglers is much more likely to result in their spread in 
the wild than sensitive stocking in enclosed ornamental ponds.

The massive increase in funding for work on alien species has resulted in a corresponding growth in interest by regulatory bodies, 
keen to control their spread. Unless horticultural and aquatic businesses take a proactive role in defining what is or isn't invasive, we 
could find rather more species controlled than is strictly necessary - which would be a loss to us all.

I'm keen to see other points of view in this thread.

Email from James Allison 

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