Recently found out I did 2 illegal things

[ericifish]

No wonder the environment is in such a downward spiral, just look at the terrible advice being given in this thread. You took a highly endangered animal from the wild, what do you do? You post it on here before you take it back...you may have just taken the last two from that river and ruined the population forever, especially since they seem to have paired in your eyes. This is why things are endangered in the first place, thought processes like "O, its just two. Who cares?" Do what your conscious tells you and if its wrong karma will get you back for it.

returning the fish at this point would do more harm then good. you don't know if you would be introducing the fish back into the wild with something that could wipe out the entire population.

 

[Death Pony]

I would contact Fish and Wildlife Services and let them know you found them in a new/former area. If they are silvery minnows, this is big news! Ask them if you can help with the breeding project since they seem to be a pair. If they are silvery minnows, you'll most likely get recognition for finding them in that area.

In the mean time, keep their water in the same parameters as they stream they were found in.

 

[fishy12]

If they breed u may be a hero!!!

 

[phillydog1958]

it's not a big deal unless ypou make it one . . . you sort of made it a big deal by posting it on a national website.

 

[knifegill]

These always amuse me.

 

[JK47]

you sort of made it a big deal by posting it on a national website.

WWW stand for World Wide Web, you must be thinking of the Nww.monsterfishkeepers.com, that's the nation wide MFK . I love it.

 

[spaulding]

I can't believe some of the terrible advice and just plain trolling posted here so far You are sitting on tremendously valuable information for the people trying to save this endangered species. I would ask that you not release them on your own until the identity can be confirmed by a recognized expert because you said you caught them in a location where they are believed extirpated. People working with the species need to know that they can be found there.

I don't know what the actual risk is of introducing aquarium-borne disease, but you probably shouldn't release them on your own until you do know.

There are several ways to protect yourself legally, since you really are trying to do the right thing here (and thank you for posting!). The best is to contact one of the people working with the minnows. If that proves difficult, I would think nearly any professor of biology at the local university would be interested and willing to help. A quick email asking to annonymously deliver the fish would be one way to go. Maybe mention that they could publish the finding of the species in a new location.

I would really expect that you'd be fine contacting the game warden and explaining the situation. Once they understand that you're trying to make it right, and you came to them rather than getting caught, I wouldn't expect a ticket.

exactly

 

[Lupin]

No wonder the environment is in such a downward spiral, just look at the terrible advice being given in this thread. You took a highly endangered animal from the wild, what do you do? You post it on here before you take it back...you may have just taken the last two from that river and ruined the population forever, especially since they seem to have paired in your eyes. This is why things are endangered in the first place, thought processes like "O, its just two. Who cares?" Do what your conscious tells you and if its wrong karma will get you back for it.

You're being unreasonable in your statement and making unjustifiable assumptions as if he is guilty of intentionally catching these fish, Uncwells. He admitted he didn't know they were endangered. How is everyone supposed to know that?

 

[fishbum]

It may not be possible not to know every species that is on the endangered list,but everyone should know not to remove wild species from the wild.

 

[Bderick67]

It may not be possible not to know every species that is on the endangered list,but everyone should know not to remove wild species from the wild.

What are you talking about? There are plenty of fish that are legal for catching and removing from the wild.