My idea for invasive species..

[scipper77]

Would it be possible to sterilize these fish as a means of population control?

As we all know there are many invasive species that are changing the fishing landscape across the country. Around here gobies are the primary problem. Many fisherman kill them by the hundreds each year but it doesn't really put a dent in there population.

I think that if there is a way to sterilize them and put them back in the water, the sterile fish would be competing with the regular guys for resources. Furthermore if the sterilization was done surgically and there was a high mortality rate, nobody will care. Even the DEC endorses killing these invasive fish.

I think as years pass and more sterile fish are produced it could lead to a significant reduction in the population. Of course this sort of plan will never get rid of any species but I've yet to see a plan that will.

 

[ajgraz]

Re: My idea for invasive species..

My guess is the only way to successfully mass sterilize a particular species would be to target the a particular species by targeting drug development and/or genetic modification of a virus and releasing it into the water, something to affect reproductive or nervous system.

I'm sure nothing could go wrong with that!

 

[scipper77]

Re: My idea for invasive species..

I'm thinking more along the lines of small incision, snip something, return to water. I obviously don't know enough about fish biology to know if this is feasable. Thats why I'm throwing the idea out publicly, here on iboats. I just want some feedback on the whole concept.

My idea really is just to help make the invasive species population a little bit more bearable. I thing sterilizing them would have more of an impact than killing them.

 

[robert graham]

Re: My idea for invasive species..

Fish vasectomies!...now there's an idea!

 

[dingbat]

Re: My idea for invasive species..

All you need to do is find something that gives them a commerical value. They will be wiped out entirely in the next 5-7 years.

 

[Ozdog]

Re: My idea for invasive species..

All you need to do is find something that gives them a commerical value. They will be wiped out entirely in the next 5-7 years.

That would be best, the asain carp thing is troublesome with a moderate value they could be targeted by comercial fisherman and if not fished out at least controlled.

They control Lampreys by some type chemical.

 

[Silk]

Re: My idea for invasive species..

Well, I suppose if you are going to get them out of the water to sterilize you might as well turn them into dog food or fertilizer at that point.

I agree, if a commercial use can be made out of them, they will be thinnned out next to nothing in no time flat. I heard there were some projects starting up to do just that.

At least for carp, zebra mussels and milfoil are a whole nuther matter

 

[rndn]

Re: My idea for invasive species..

Why don't we just genitically make all of the female gobies ugly.

 

[Silk]

Re: My idea for invasive species..

Why don't we just genitically make all of the female gobies ugly.

Because the males will just drink them pretty

 

[Silk]

Re: My idea for invasive species..

d'oh!! dbl post

 

[sasto]

Re: My idea for invasive species..

 

[rolmops]

Re: My idea for invasive species..

Years ago in Israel there was a problem with an invasive species in the national drinking water carrier. Sterilized(radiated) black bass was released in the reservoirs and in short order the problem was eaten up.The bass which was introduced in several seizes ate each other and they went away too.So yes it can be done. These past few years we have had monster brown trout and very big and fat bass in Lake Ontario and every time we open the stomach of either brown trout or bass they are always full of gobies.
Now if we could sterilize the Lampreys,that would be a blessing.

 

[SwampThing]

Re: My idea for invasive species..

The Gobi's eat the Zebra mussels with much success at reducing the population. A lot of the other fish eat them too. In turn the Gobi's have become a huge food source for the fish of the Great Lakes. The Muskie's, Walleye's, and Bass have been growing to great sizes and their numbers have been exploding for 10 plus years now on Lake St. Clair. 50 pound Muskies are becoming the norm around here and most of the time you catch them by accident when targeting other fish. I've had them rip bass off my line or chomp them in half at the surface.

The Gobi's really aren't detrimental to the environment as other invasive species have and will be. They are a nuisance sometimes when fishing, but they make a great bait and everything in the lake likes to eat them. They've actually been here a lot longer than people realize. I remember catching them as a kid in Northern Michigan 30 years ago.

I agree they need to commercial fish the Asian Carp with nets. There are A LOT of things they could do with them for profit. Dog food, fertilizer, or my favorite - send them back to Asia as food. They love them over there. I'm surprised no one has come forward and tried to set up a large scale commercial enterprise along the Mississippi for profit concerning these fish.

Once these fish make it into the Great Lakes it is going to be nothing short of a colossal disaster.

 

[reel clownz]

Re: My idea for invasive species..

As for the gobies every time i catch one i kill it. IF everyone does that it has to help somewhat. Anyways the asian carp i have an idea. Im looking for some people that want to go to the illinois river with some aluminum ball bats. As the fish jump out of the water......HOME RUN!!!! Man would that be fun. I bet i could make a show on tv with a bunch of hill billys smackin the crap out of some asian carp!!!

 

[mommicked]

Re: My idea for invasive species..

I would think they would make fantastic fertilizer as they are filter feeders and must absorb lots of nutrients from the rivers.more than non filter feeders anyway.Organic everything seems to be very popular nowdays.Im sure there'd be a market for it.

 

[1980Galaxy]

Re: My idea for invasive species..

As for the gobies every time i catch one i kill it. IF everyone does that it has to help somewhat. Anyways the asian carp i have an idea. Im looking for some people that want to go to the illinois river with some aluminum ball bats. As the fish jump out of the water......HOME RUN!!!! Man would that be fun. I bet i could make a show on tv with a bunch of hill billys smackin the crap out of some asian carp!!!

your too late, they already do that. i remember seeing some show on tv that somewhere they have a tournament that gets all the rednecks together and whoever brings in the most carp wins. they basically just drive around with nets hanging off the side of the boat catching them when they jump.

 

[Xandre]

Re: My idea for invasive species..

As for the gobies every time i catch one i kill it. IF everyone does that it has to help somewhat. Anyways the asian carp i have an idea. Im looking for some people that want to go to the illinois river with some aluminum ball bats. As the fish jump out of the water......HOME RUN!!!! Man would that be fun. I bet i could make a show on tv with a bunch of hill billys smackin the crap out of some asian carp!!!

I don't think killing the Gobies every time you catch one is going to do anything to their population. Here in Lake Ontario every fisherman could kill 50 every time they went out and it still probably wouldn't help.

Every time I Scuba dive in the lake the bottom is littered with Gobies. Seriously they blanket the bottom by 100,000's. If the water clarity is clear you can see SOME of them from a boat but you will never believe how many of those guys are down there unless you grab a mask and snorkel and go look.

There is one place I always anchor/hangout/dive at I have named Goby Gully! Haha!

 

[Fishing Dude too]

Re: My idea for invasive species..

Think that all areas of the Mississippi needs to have a total fish kill off. This would wipe all fish outbut no more asian carp.

 

[JB]

Re: My idea for invasive species..

Hmmmmm. How about a commercial fertilizer based on gobies and asian carp? It would create jobs, too!

If that works we can expand into bleep and bleep.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: My idea for invasive species..

If they'll bring back the old bounty system for invasives/vermin/pests there will be quite a few people that will figure out a way to capitalize on it and reduce these populations to near zilch... remember what happened to the Buffalo/Bison?