News Release - Committee to address tilapia in NQ

[QLD_Fisheries]

http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/news/NewsReleases/16559.html

The information contained in this document is distributed by the Queensland Government for information purposes only. All reasonable steps have been made to ensure the information is accurate at the time of publication. For more information visit the DPI&F Fishweb site at http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/fishweb

[megafish71]

The Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries (DPI&F) will form a regional consultative committee to address the issue of tilapia in north Queensland.

The group, which will consist of representatives from DPI&F, the Burdekin Shire Council, stocking groups and other government agencies, will specifically look at developing a management plan for tilapia in the Burdekin River.

DPI&F principal scientist Peter Jackson said while tilapia had been found in a tributary of the Burdekin River there was no evidence to suggest that it had moved into the major waterway.

Dr Jackson said the committee would look at ways of controlling and containing the fish and trying to prevent it from spreading further.

“Once tilapia become established in a waterway, it is almost impossible to eradicate them,” he said.

“This committee will look at ways to contain the tilapia and prevent them from entering the Burdekin because if they do, it will be an uphill battle to control them.”

Dr Jackson said DPI&F would continue its monitoring program to gather more information on the distribution of tilapia in the area.

However, he called on the community to assist in helping to prevent the spread of the pest fish.

“The reality is that despite all our best efforts some people still translocate tilapia which is the major cause of infestations,” he said.

“Tilapia can have a severe impact on the environment. They threaten native fish populations and the environment and are able to dominate waterways due to their highly efficient reproductive strategies, simple food requirements and flexible habitat preferences.

“DPI&F takes noxious fish very seriously and fines of up to $75,000 apply for being in possession of them.”

[Graham_N_Roberts]

Quote ... “The reality is that despite all our best efforts some people still translocate tilapia which is the major cause of infestations,” he said.

??? Just goes to show ya ..... there are some bl - - dy #4%*!@^ idiots around.

Surely no sane person can gain satisfaction from letting a pet fish go in a stream. Gould it be some fools are using them for bait? The mind boggles.

[Benny]

??? ???
If anyone out there translocates tilapia, there is proof of evolution!!. The dumb-ass's must be less then monkey intelligence!!!.

I also must say, although they have up to $75 000 fines for such an action, how many times have your catches been INSPECTED!. Is the policing on similar lines as the legislation???.

Cheers

Disgruntled fisheries biologist

[Fitzy]

I'll say that the reality of DPI&F actually being able to do ANYTHING about tilapia is virtually nil. There's a pittance of money given to Noxious fish control in their budget. Certainly not enough to enable staff to actully be able to stage some form of control/erradication of current infestations.

THe only other options that I can see are:
-Public education to try to stop ppl spreading them further. (so far ineffective)
-Angler pressure. In reality nothing more than a warm & fuzzy feel good thing as this adds virtually no pressure to such a prolific breeding species.
-Stocking of predator fish species eg barra, bass, sooties etc (depending upon location). This is the only current measure of attacking their numbers where they currently exist. However this is unlikely to ever remove them 100% from a waterway. But an effective part of an over all strategy.

Our only hope of a silver bullet may well rest with a biological, chemical or genetic control method or a combination. However with everyone too scared to utter these words nowadays for fear of getting the greenies off side, we're not likely to see anything along these lines.

Not criticising DPI&F officers/researchers here, but what the hell is actually being done to combat current populations?

fitzy..

[Fitzy]

Re Use of native predator fish to control noxious fish.

At the almost completed Ipswich Community Fish Hatchery there are 2 grow-out ponds ( industrial size above-ground pools), these were errected with the help of a community youth training scheme. When finished one of the kids released 3 cichlids into one of the ponds while the other had nothing in it.

100 firetail gudgeons were later released into each pond to control mosquitoes.

Within a couple of months the tank with the imports in it (tank 1) saw a population of cichlids in the thousands with 5 distinct generation sizes with very low numbers of gudgeons. These tilapia look alikes were living on mossies, gudgeons, algae & leaves that fell into the pond.

No food was ever put into either tank.

In tank 2 the water quality was twice as good with high numbers of gudgeons, again living on nothing but leaves, algae & mossie larvae.

1 single solitary barramundi fingerling was put into tank 1 in August. In december the numbers of cichlids is now vastly reduced, the gudgeon population is approximately the same & that single solitary barra is about 6000% bigger. He's living entirely on cichlids it would appear.

Not a total erradication, but a very effective control method.

Pity we're soon going to have to kill the lot. Has been a good little experiment however.

Cheers,

fitzy..