CHANNA!!! in the backyard!!!!

[sandtiger]

I'll find the article I referenced this evening. As for what part of the U.S. the channa are in, it makes no difference. Native species are native species everywhere. Although the ecology may be different, you are making a broad statement hyping up that "Snakeheads will destroy native populations" without any proof.

It does make a difference. The species native to a river in Virginia are not the same species native to a marsh in Florida or wherever. The climate is different, the wildlife is different, the habitat is different and thus the impact is different. It's not a broad statement to say "Snakeheads destroy native populations". Snakeheads need to eat, they eat other fish and in doing so they destroy native species.

Please provide me an article with actual PROOF that this has occurred (based on actual case study) as opposed to an article talking about what "Could happen" if you would please.

Again, it HAS to have occured. They need to eat and what they eat is native species. Their impact may not be as large as some would have lead on, I agree that the media is reposable for that but they still have an impact and still should be eliminated from North American waters. Now, I am not aware of any studies done on their impact. I think people are more likely trying to kill them off as of now then actually study them.

No offense but there is no need to attempt to "educate" me or "teach" me if you will. I am well aware of what species are/were native to FL and I know which have been introduced.

Then why would you say something like this?...
"Snakeheads do not "Decimate" other populations of fish, native or otherwise. I live in the state to prove it.You can go to C14 Canal in Miami where they are heavily concentrated and still pull LMB, Peacock, Jag, etc... all day. "

I'm sorry to say but that sounds like a remark I would expect from someone who needs to be taught a few things about ecology and the natural world. I'm sorry but the fact you can catch cichla and jaguar cichlids in Florida does not ease my mind on this issue. I don't care about the fishing success of non-native cichlids and don't consider that success an indication of a locations health. I care about the more than one dozen species of fish in Florida who are endangered or rare.

I completely understand the IMPACT that invasive species can cause and have never argued that fact. What I am presenting to you is to PLEASE not hype this up with subjective Rhetoric and speculation. I never stated that snakehead "belong here". Please read my post again. I said that they are not decimating native populations as predicted.

I'm not hyping anything up. I'm simply stateing that snakheads don't belong here. You're blowing it off like it's no big deal, it is a big deal. Perhaps not as big a deal as the media would ahve one believe but it's an issue that needs attension. Snakeheads in North America is nothing to be celebrated and I was mearly pointing that out, not just to you but the forum as a whole.

Making statements like,"As a fellow fishkeeper, you should know better" is asking for a fight.

My responce was given due to your "...or the people buying into the media hype who should be experienced enough to know better" and I know that was a rip at me so please don't try to turn this around and paint me as the bad guy here.

 

[Samps]

It does make a difference. The species native to a river in Virginia are not the same species native to a marsh in Florida or wherever. The climate is different, the wildlife is different, the habitat is different and thus the impact is different. It's not a broad statement to say "Snakeheads destroy native populations". Snakeheads need to eat, they eat other fish and in doing so they destroy native species.



Again, it HAS to have occured. They need to eat and what they eat is native species. Their impact may not be as large as some would have lead on, I agree that the media is reposable for that but they still have an impact and still should be eliminated from North American waters. Now, I am not aware of any studies done on their impact. I think people are more likely trying to kill them off as of now then actually study them.



Then why would you say something like this?...
"Snakeheads do not "Decimate" other populations of fish, native or otherwise. I live in the state to prove it.You can go to C14 Canal in Miami where they are heavily concentrated and still pull LMB, Peacock, Jag, etc... all day. "

I'm sorry to say but that sounds like a remark I would expect from someone who needs to be taught a few things about ecology and the natural world. I'm sorry but the fact you can catch cichla and jaguar cichlids in Florida does not ease my mind on this issue. I don't care about the fishing success of non-native cichlids and don't consider that success an indication of a locations health. I care about the more than one dozen species of fish in Florida who are endangered or rare.



I'm not hyping anything up. I'm simply stateing that snakheads don't belong here. You're blowing it off like it's no big deal, it is a big deal. Perhaps not as big a deal as the media would ahve one believe but it's an issue that needs attension. Snakeheads in North America is nothing to be celebrated and I was mearly pointing that out, not just to you but the forum as a whole.



My responce was given due to your "...or the people buying into the media hype who should be experienced enough to know better" and I know that was a rip at me so please don't try to turn this around and paint me as the bad guy here.

Let's end this quickly, shall we?

I did not specifically mention you. Noone is trying to "flip" anything around so stop trying to banter with me like I'm your wife/gf by accusing me of making you the bad guy. I'm a member here, as are you and we are both entitled to our opinions.

It seems that MY opinion is that, while snakeheads DO NOT belong in N. America, they are ALREADY HERE so stating that they do not belong here over and over again and then over exaggerating their existence and impact is a waste of time.

My opinion is also, AS OF YET, a snakehead population has not "decimated" a native population of any species. You have no facts to refute it yet, I'm still catching bass where snakeheads thrive.

You certainly ARE hyping things up if you are making BLANKET STATEMENTS without any P-R-O-O-F. That's how "HYPE" starts my friend...

If you're goal was to teach me how to argue without ACTUAL PROOF, you've certainly done that and I thank you. It is my hope that people will pay attention to the snakehead movement by using calculated control methods as opposed to running around warning everyone of Impending Doom without any factual data.

I have always respected your opinions in previous posts (and still do) but I am going to have to disagree with your opinion here AND the way in which you presented it to myself and others.

My last post on this topic. Thanks for the discussion.

Samps

 

[WyldFya]

Lets all play nice. Snakeheads do not belong in NA waters. They are not natural, and will throw the balance off. To what extreme has yet to be seen.

 

[DiXoN]

and i am closing this now.
thanks
dixon

 

[stotty]

How cool is that all round yours for the next MFK fishing day then .

I know every one gets so up set about the band fish thing but Zander were illegally introduced into our water systems and were going to wipe out every thing well the signal crayfish is doing a better job than them.


At the end of the day any non native species will have an impact they have a balance of predators to prey even native water conditions can keep them in check. As soon as you give then an inexhaustible supply of food or take the predators out the equation you could technically end up with an ecological disaster. But never the less what we are trying to say here is cool catch.