Illegal animals in Hawaii
- Thread starter blackcoral
- Start date
Everyone,
The question of why do they allow fishes, but not inverts is a good one. I do not have the complete story, but it goes back to yaers ago when regulations began. Not all fishes are allowed, but most reef fishes are. There were two rerasons some fishes were excluded on the import list. 1) a particular group could have a greater destructive capability such as sharks or scorpin fishes, and 2) people at the public meetings during the time of restrictions did not ask for a particular group to be put on the list.
Now, if you simply ask for a permit, you can bring in any of the allowed families. Has this help with people being responsilble. Of course not. There have been many sitings of non native fishes around Hawaii. There are at leats 3 species of fishes (that I know of) that have been intentionally introduced such as (C argus, L. fulvus, and L. kasmira). The reason was people like to fish for them (years ago). Now they are considered trash fish or known for cigratera poisoning. They are also causing havoc on local species such as Opakapaka (pink snapper) and others. There have been sitings of lemonpeel angles, non native damsels, and also another species of angel fish (I can't remember which species) all in the area of Waikiki.
This is just counting the marine species. Hawaii's stream communties are permanently destroyed due to intentional aquarium releases.
Now, should we ignore it because things just happen. Well, I tell you what, if there was something we could do now about the rat or mongoose or cat problems, we sure would do it. So, why don't we take care of the introduced corals (the mushrooms I spoke of earlier) while we still can. It may seem like it is not much, but you have to stop and think about the amount of endemism Hawaii has. And, marine invertebrates play an important role in Hawaii's unique ecosystem.
For anybody interested here in Hawaii, there will be a presntation at the HAwaii Kai public library next Saturday of introduced species in Hawaii. It is very alarming to actually hear how many species have been introduced to our state. E-mail me for details.
Aloha
Tony
The question of why do they allow fishes, but not inverts is a good one. I do not have the complete story, but it goes back to yaers ago when regulations began. Not all fishes are allowed, but most reef fishes are. There were two rerasons some fishes were excluded on the import list. 1) a particular group could have a greater destructive capability such as sharks or scorpin fishes, and 2) people at the public meetings during the time of restrictions did not ask for a particular group to be put on the list.
Now, if you simply ask for a permit, you can bring in any of the allowed families. Has this help with people being responsilble. Of course not. There have been many sitings of non native fishes around Hawaii. There are at leats 3 species of fishes (that I know of) that have been intentionally introduced such as (C argus, L. fulvus, and L. kasmira). The reason was people like to fish for them (years ago). Now they are considered trash fish or known for cigratera poisoning. They are also causing havoc on local species such as Opakapaka (pink snapper) and others. There have been sitings of lemonpeel angles, non native damsels, and also another species of angel fish (I can't remember which species) all in the area of Waikiki.
This is just counting the marine species. Hawaii's stream communties are permanently destroyed due to intentional aquarium releases.
Now, should we ignore it because things just happen. Well, I tell you what, if there was something we could do now about the rat or mongoose or cat problems, we sure would do it. So, why don't we take care of the introduced corals (the mushrooms I spoke of earlier) while we still can. It may seem like it is not much, but you have to stop and think about the amount of endemism Hawaii has. And, marine invertebrates play an important role in Hawaii's unique ecosystem.
For anybody interested here in Hawaii, there will be a presntation at the HAwaii Kai public library next Saturday of introduced species in Hawaii. It is very alarming to actually hear how many species have been introduced to our state. E-mail me for details.
Aloha
Tony
- Location
- Virginia
Hey Tony, I'd be interested in attending.... now I just need to get to Hawaii from Chicago.... anyone want to donate their miles to me? Please let us know about the presentation, I'd be interested in hearing how many introduced species are there in Hawaii. And, like all of the Hawaiians on this thread have said (I'll trade having inverts for living in Hawaii any day), why don't they ban fish? Fish can be as destructive as anything else, as you've said your streams demonstrate. There are countless introductions all over the world that are evidence of this, and a seemingly harmless fish can have a devastating effect on an ecosystem. For example, there is a goby (I believe it is a brackish or saltwater goby that has adapted to freshwater) that was introduced through ballast tanks on large ships into canals on the Mississippi River (I think) that is decimating local populations by eating their eggs and frye. This goby is pretty small, only a couple of inches maximum I think, but it is killing off populations of very large fish by removing their young and their ability to repopulate. In Hawaii, it could happen as well. We should all be concerned about the environment and what is introduced into it, no matter where that environment is or what is introduced.
Hello,
To begin it is hard to understand why they allow fishes and do not allow inverts. Both can destroy the hawaiian marine habitat. The permit to the Waikiki Aquarium comes from, I believe, a reputation and respect for their serious work. Besides, it's an "UH's business".
I used to not understand why they do not allow local people to have local stuff in their tanks. Well, if you think a little, if they open for that, others (not only hobbyists) will take advance to make their money. It could make the situation of our reefs worse than never!! Ah, but that's small man... Not small! The truism destroy already a lot around here!! I'm don't like the idea to tell everyone that reefkeeping would be ok even for the locals. There are pretty irresponsible locals and I've been trying to teach a lot of people on the beaches doing really bad stuff to animals. Most of the time I get the funny face telling me ok, ok.. And still doing whatever they were doing in front of me. Killing animals and giving bread (trash!) to the ocean.
Do you have a reef? Study and keep your animals very well, but do not tell others to have one, please.
Aloooooha,
Grandis.
To begin it is hard to understand why they allow fishes and do not allow inverts. Both can destroy the hawaiian marine habitat. The permit to the Waikiki Aquarium comes from, I believe, a reputation and respect for their serious work. Besides, it's an "UH's business".
I used to not understand why they do not allow local people to have local stuff in their tanks. Well, if you think a little, if they open for that, others (not only hobbyists) will take advance to make their money. It could make the situation of our reefs worse than never!! Ah, but that's small man... Not small! The truism destroy already a lot around here!! I'm don't like the idea to tell everyone that reefkeeping would be ok even for the locals. There are pretty irresponsible locals and I've been trying to teach a lot of people on the beaches doing really bad stuff to animals. Most of the time I get the funny face telling me ok, ok.. And still doing whatever they were doing in front of me. Killing animals and giving bread (trash!) to the ocean.
Do you have a reef? Study and keep your animals very well, but do not tell others to have one, please.
Aloooooha,
Grandis.
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