NANFA Georgia and Friends,
The fishes of Georgia need your help. Contact your state House Representative and tell them to VOTE NO on SB 360. This bill re-defines three species of Tilapia as legal and suitable for stocking private ponds. And as we all know, this is just asking them to get released into the wild, where who knows what havoc they might wreck on our natural environment and our native fishes.
Check here to find your state house representative… click on “write your lawmaker” and fill in your zip code to find your Georgia state house representative… and tell them to VOTE NO on SB 360.
You can also check here to see the text of the bill. It is not much, and I don’t have further details, but it certainly does not sound like a good deal for the fishes of Georgia. I think it is safe to assume that this is about fish farming of tilapia, and while I like the idea of sustainable fish farming, we do not need another invasive species here in Georgia. Some people will say that the tilapia are not cold adapted and will die in the winters. But this is not necessarily the case, as many of our river systems are spring fed and maintain water temperatures even in the coldest of winters (and this has not been the coldest of winters has it?).
It would be best to write something individual and not just copy a letter, but something like…
Dear Representative X,
I am very concerned about Georgia SB 360 and urge you to VOTE NO. This bill will allow the release of invasive fishes (tilapia) into Georgia ponds. These fish have been accidently introduced in other states in the southeast and represent a serious risk to our native fishes. They are hardy enough to survive our winters in some locations and will almost certainly have a negative impact on our native species and the enjoyment that sportsmen have in the pursuit of panfish.
Georgia Native Fishes Need Your Urgent Help
Started by
Michael Wolfe
, Feb 25 2012 10:35 AM
5 replies to this topic
#2
Guest_mywan_*
Guest_mywan_*
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- Guests
Posted 26 February 2012 - 09:40 AM
Reading the bill it appears to be legally labeling a non-indigenous fish as indigenous for the purpose of fish farming. Though they would not be allowed to be used as bait. These are specific fish indigenous to central and southern Africa.
#3
Guest_UncleWillie_*
Guest_UncleWillie_*
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- Guests
Posted 26 February 2012 - 10:56 AM
Well, it considers them domestic fish.
This has been a pretty big debate the last few years. Several local, privately owned fisheries/pond consultants that are hellbent on getting Tilapia legalized in GA. They are wanting to stock them not only as forage for bass, but also as an easy solution to clearing ponds of unwanted vegetation / scum. I know a few folks in SC that raise Tilapia for private pond stocking on a small scale and they make good money off of this, but the legalization of this species is begging for eventual escapement in to streams/reservoirs. I am not going to comment much further because I have a few mixed feelings about this, but here is some reading for those interested.
Here is a former UGA grad student's thesis: If yall don't want to get into the nitty-gritty, I suggest reading the abstracts for each chapter, and then scrolling down to page 70 - 75.
http://athenaeum.lib....pdf?sequence=1
This has been a pretty big debate the last few years. Several local, privately owned fisheries/pond consultants that are hellbent on getting Tilapia legalized in GA. They are wanting to stock them not only as forage for bass, but also as an easy solution to clearing ponds of unwanted vegetation / scum. I know a few folks in SC that raise Tilapia for private pond stocking on a small scale and they make good money off of this, but the legalization of this species is begging for eventual escapement in to streams/reservoirs. I am not going to comment much further because I have a few mixed feelings about this, but here is some reading for those interested.
Here is a former UGA grad student's thesis: If yall don't want to get into the nitty-gritty, I suggest reading the abstracts for each chapter, and then scrolling down to page 70 - 75.
http://athenaeum.lib....pdf?sequence=1
#4
Michael Wolfe
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- Board of Directors
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- North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage
Posted 26 February 2012 - 01:03 PM
OK... I read it... And I am still very concerned that we will end up with tilapia all over the state In places where they do not belong. I just cannot see the benefit. Cannot see what we are issuing out on that we think we need to add something to the environment.
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin
#6
Michael Wolfe
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- Board of Directors
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- North Georgia, Oconee River Drainage
Posted 23 March 2012 - 07:30 PM
Not sure if we had an impact on this, but at least we let our voice be heard and there was a positive outcome... so we can take credit for it anyway...!!!
Tilapia die in House!
http://www.macon.com...l#storylink=cpy
Tilapia die in House!
http://www.macon.com...l#storylink=cpy
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. - Benjamin Franklin
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