Due to its geographical situation and isolation Australia has distinct fish fauna, including many endemic species. From the 18th century, early colonisers began introducing a number of exotic species including mammals, plant, birds and fish. The introduction of such fish has led to serious ecological damage, most notable being the effect of common carp in the Murray-Darling Basin. Introduced carp now dominate the freshwater systems of southern Australia. While the damaging impact of carp is well recognised, little in the way of control measures have been employed to control their spread. Their ability to colonise almost any body of water, even those previously considered to be beyond their physical tolerances, is now well established. Control of exotic fish species is being undertaken by various government departments, though many problems are faced.
Introduced trout species dominate the upland reaches of rivers in southeast Australia, and may have negative effects on upland native fish like the mountain galaxias species, Macquarie perch and the unfortunately named trout cod, but due to their popularity as sport fish, lack of historical records, and loss of angling memories, their damaging effects are not widely understood.
All recently established exotic fish in Australia stem from the illegal release of aquarium fish species. With the continued and largely uncontrolled importation of many high-risk fish species for the aquarium industry, Australia continues to be at risk of further invasions of exotic fish.
List of introduced fish
edit- American flagfish, Jordanella floridae[1]
- Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar[2]
- Brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis[2]
- Brown trout, Salmo trutta[2]
- Chinook Salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha[2]
- Common carp, Cyprinus carpio[3]
- Convict cichlid, Archocentrus nigrofasciatus[4][5]
- Domingo mosquitofish, Gambusia dominicensis[6]
- Eastern mosquitofish, Gambusia holbrooki[7]
- Goldfish, Carassius auratus[8]
- Guppy, Poecilia reticulata[6]
- Jack Dempsey, Cichlasoma octofasciatum[9]
- Mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis
- Mozambique mouthbrooder, Oreochromis mossambicus[10]
- One-spot live bearer, Phalloceros caudimaculatus[6]
- Platy, Xiphophorus maculatus[6]
- Rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss[2]
- Redfin perch, Perca fluviatilis[11]
- Roach, Rutilis rutilis[12]
- Rosy barb, Puntius conchonius[13]
- Sailfin molly, Poecilia latipinna[6]
- Speckled mosquitofish, Phalloceros caudimaculatus[14]
- Spotted tilapia, Tilapia mariae[10]
- Swordtail, Xiphophorus helleri[6]
- Tench, Tinca tinca[15]
- Weather loach, Misgurnus anguillicaudatus[16]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Allen, Gerald R. (1989). Freshwater Fishes of Australia. T.F.H. Publications Inc. p. 214. ISBN 0-86622-936-1.
- ^ a b c d e "Overview of the Impacts of Introduced Salmonids on Australian Native Fauna". Archived from the original on 13 September 2007. Retrieved 3 July 2007.
- ^ "Save the Murray". Archived from the original on 31 July 2007. Retrieved 3 July 2007.
- ^ Koehn, JD; MacKenzie, RF (2004). "Priority management actions for alien freshwater fish species in Australia" (PDF). New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research. 38 (3): 457–472. Bibcode:2004NZJMF..38..457K. doi:10.1080/00288330.2004.9517253.
- ^ "The convict cichlid Amatitlania nigrofasciata (Cichlidae): first record of this non-native species in Western Australian waterbodies | Western Australian Museum". Western Australian Museum. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f "Australian Society for Fish Biology". Archived from the original on 8 April 2007. Retrieved 3 July 2007.
- ^ "Eastern Gambusia". Retrieved 3 July 2007.
- ^ "Goldfish". Archived from the original on 22 August 2006. Retrieved 3 July 2007.
- ^ "Jack Dempsey pest fish out for the count". Retrieved 3 July 2007.
- ^ a b "Tilapia". Archived from the original on 28 May 2007. Retrieved 3 July 2007.
- ^ "Redfin perch". Retrieved 3 July 2007.
- ^ "Roach". Archived from the original on 23 May 2009. Retrieved 3 July 2007.
- ^ "Rosy barb". Archived from the original on 29 August 2007. Retrieved 3 July 2007.
- ^ "Speckled mosquitofish". Archived from the original on 4 June 2007. Retrieved 3 July 2007.
- ^ "Tench". Archived from the original on 29 August 2007. Retrieved 3 July 2007.
- ^ "Chinese weatherfish or weatherloach". Archived from the original on 29 August 2007. Retrieved 3 July 2007.