BM :
Food for thought.
What do you think?
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Prohibited Fishes and Aquatic Fauna
Electric Catfish African Tigerfish Airbreathing Catfish Parasitic Catfish
Electric Eel Lampreys Piranha Snakeheads
Tilapias Trahiras Airsac Catfish Green Sunfish
Australian Crayfish Zebra Mussel Mitten Crab Statutes (PDF)
To protect and conserve Florida's natural aquatic resources and help ensure public safety, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) prohibits (see list above) or restricts (see Restricted fishes) certain non-native fishes and aquatic fauna. Moreover, no person shall allow or permit any freshwater aquatic organism not native to the state to remain in the waters of any pond which is not maintained or operated for the production of such non-native species.
The FWC uses well-defined criteria to determine where a species should appear on the list. The most current list is available by checking the statutes (See 68A-23.008). Species that were included on the list as of July 2003 are described on this page. In general, prohibited non-native aquatic species, listed in red in the link box above, may not be imported, sold, possessed or transported in Florida. Very limited exceptions are made by permit for viewing at large public aquaria or for research, provided Commission-approved maximum security requirements are met. No exceptions are made for certain prohibited species, such as piranha. Research permits for prohibited aquatic species are also very stringent.
Restricted non-native aquatic species, listed in brown in the link box above, may only be possessed under permit from the executive director. Prior to the issuance of such permit, the facilities where the restricted aquatic species are to be kept and waters where their use is intended may be inspected by Commission personnel to assure that adequate safeguards exist to prevent escape or accidental release into the waters of the state.
Note that much of the information on this page was taken from Fish base and "Living Fishes of the World," by Herald, or from the "Identification Guide to the Restricted and Prohibited Exotic Fishes," which was edited by Lt. Tom Quinn for FWC.
PROHIBITED SPECIES
GREEN SUNFISH
(Lepomis cyanellus)
Common Names - green sunfish, the hybrid is a (Georgia giant)
Description - A slender bodied bream with a maximum depth that is less than the distance from the snout to the origin of the dorsal (most sunfish are deeper bodied). Mouth relatively large, extending to the middle of the eye. Color is blue-green on back with mottled yellow green streaks. Gill cover is dark but has a light yellowish margin as does the edge of the fins.
Species - One
Range - From North America but do not naturally extend into Florida.
Habitat - Lakes and ponds.
Spawning Habits - Similar to other sunfish.
Feeding Habits - Similar to other sunfish
Age and Growth - To 12 inches and perhaps two pounds.
Potential Concerns - Known to rapidly colonize a water body but then to stunt and may also hybridize with other bream affecting the gene pool. L. cyanellus is prohibited.
Site listed below.
http://www.floridafisheries.com/Fishes/prohibited.html#greenies -------------------------------------------------
http://www.aquaticmanagement.com/history.htm Dad put several strains of these hybrids into commercial production and helped others do so. He was a prime resource for Ken Holiyoke's much advertised Georgia Giant. As a teenager, I was present on Holiyoke's farm in Alapaha, Georgia when Dad showed him how to produce them. This is a link to that site Georgia Giant Hybrid. However, the site makes exaggerated claims about the hybrid.
Byron T. Bezdek
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This may help in a year or two
The Ohio State University
South Center
Funded and funding projects:
New species or strain exploration for Ohio aquaculture industry – Determining the efficacy of culture of Georgia Giant bluegill in comparison with regular bluegill and hybrid bluegill. 09/2005 – 09/2007.
http://southcenters.osu.edu/aqua/researchs.htm
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