An Invasive Species Has Entered Maryland 's Waters And Threaten The Balance Of The Aquatic Ecosystem

One of the most commonly shared beliefs about aquaculture is that it has potential to amplify and transfer disease/parasites to wild fish populations, but strict management practices and guidelines have been utilized and supplemented to ensure that US farming operations mitigate current and potential environmental risks associated with aquaculture (NOAA, 2015). Among these practices are regular diver-led inspections to investigate the integrity of nets and net infrastructure, surveillance cameras and even public webcam feeds that monitor the fish farms and in particular monitor efficient use of feed, regular health inspections in efforts to have a head start on disease prevention and detection, and “comprehensive sanitary and biosecurity programs to prevent the introduction and/or spread of pests or diseases from one farm site/cage to another or into the environment.” (NOAA, 2015). Additionally, movements are being made to stop the spreading of disease and to limit oceanic pollution by containing salmon in solid tanks rather than in netting. “In Washington State, Domsea Farms has launched a land-based, freshwater system to produce coho salmon.” (David Suzuki Foundation, n.d.) This method is not only environmentally sound, but it opens up aquacultural boundaries. By containing fish in these large tanks, there is potential for salmon aquaculture to

Iconic Cape Cod Massachusetts is named after the Atlantic Cod. For centuries, this fish has provided food and trade for New Englanders. In this time, there have been several instances of overfishing by humans from the aboriginal era to colonial times but none so drastic as the present conditions of cod fisheries (Jackson, Kirby, Berger, and Bjorndal, 2001). Overfishing is a human induced occurrence where humans are fishing more than a body of water can sustain. In other words, humans are catching more adult fish preventing the existing population from growing to replenish the fish that were caught (Overfishing: A Global Disaster, n.d.). Worldwide, over 80% of the fish stocks are “fully- to over-exploited, depleted, or in a state of collapse” (Overfishing: A Global Disaster, n.d.). The results of this careless behavior has reduced the biodiversity in the Gulf of Maine and landed the Atlantic Cod on the endangered species list as being “vulnerable” (Cod, n.d.). In the neighboring region of Newfoundland, Canada, communities are already feeling the effects of overfishing. In 1992, at the beginning of the fishing season in the Grand Bank region, there were suddenly no more cod. The local economies collapsed and to this day, the region has not quite recovered (Brennan and Withgott, 2005).

There are many different efforts in place to slow the population growth of the Burmese python. Due to the overwhelming amount of the non-native pythons in the Everglades (which is expanding to the Florida Keys and beyond) there has been a ban on Burmese pythons and 3 other constrictor snakes. On January 17, 2012 the Federal Wildlife service declared a ban on overseas imports of the snakes as well as interstate imports. That means the snakes are now illegal to bring into the United States as well as just transporting over state lines (BIG snakes, 2012). Although there is now a ban in place some feel that it is already too late to save the Florida Everglades. According to Steven A. Williams, former director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) warns that invasive species are "the number one environmental threat to the United States."(BIG snakes, 2012) The federal government has spent billions of dollars trying to slow or stop the threat of invasive species.

The Burmese python (Python bivittatus) is one of the largest snakes in the world, measuring up to 5.74 meters long and weighing up to 182.8 kilograms. The species is native to southeast Asia and in its native habitat, consumes a wide array of prey including many different mammal, amphibian, lizard, snake, bird, and fish species (Snow et al. 2007). In southern Florida, pythons have established themselves across thousands of square kilometers including all of Everglades National Park (Boback et al. 2016). Research points to multiple instances of pet release to be the cause of their introduction to the Everglades as a foreign species (Snow et al. 2007). Python populations have significantly increased in both abundance and geographic range in the Everglades since their introduction, preying on a wide variety of native mammals and birds, posing a serious problem as an invasive species and apex predator (Dorcas et al. 2012).

Also according to the Florida’s python hunt newspaper, “Many pets turned loose by their owners when they become too big- threatening the Florida Everglades,”. If people keep letting their snakes go into the Everglades they will overpopulate and spread all over. This leads to the mass spreading as mentioned in paragraph 3. People release these snakes because they never researched how big they are and will get, so they get surprised when the snake gets to be too big, and they can’t take care of it. People could just donate the snake to a zoo or animal sanctuary, which would take good care of them. People also need to do their research before getting an animal first

Now days times have changed. You can no longer enjoy the things you once could. It has become dangerous to waterski or to even enjoy a boat ride down the river due to the Asian carp. These fish are startled easily by boats, and small watercraft. They can jump ten to twelve feet out of the water causing damage to boats and injuring humans. I have heard of people getting cuts from the fins, black eyes, concussions, broken noses and jaws, and even knocked unconscious from this species of fish. Not only are these Asian Carp causing physical damage, they are wreaking havoc on the ecological system. The main concern from the Asian Carp is the dangerous effects that it is bringing to our ecosystem. As an avid fisherman, this is of great concern to me. This will not only affect me as a fisherman, but also possibly hunters, bird watchers, boaters, even jet skiers and water skiers are

Studies have repeatedly shown that as oxygen concentrations decrease, the abundance and diversity of fish decrease (Breitburg). Fish kills, in which large numbers of dead and dying fish float to the surface or wash onto shore, are probably the most dramatic and publicly visible manifestation of hypoxia and nutrient over-enrichment of coastal waters(Breitburg). In addition to mass mortalities that are easily observed, high mortality of fish lacking a swim bladder can occur leaving little or no visible evidence of fish at the surface or littering beaches (Breitburg). With no fish, shrimp, or crabs the Louisiana fishing market takes a huge hit that the economy feels in a major way. The gulf accounts for almost one-fifth of the countries fishing landings, which total to be three billion dollars (Petrolia). Fishing is not only a major part of Louisiana’s economy but also its culture. Without wildlife in our waters microorganism are given more opportunity to grow leading to bacteria infected waters. These bacteria infected waters could cause major health risks for those who come in contact with

In studying the problem of hydrilla Florida waterways, it was apparent that management of this invasive species must take an interdisciplinary approach. The economic indicators with the possibility of lost revenue, water usage, and habitat biodiversity drive the need for control. According to Corn, at the federal level there is a need for comprehensive legislature to address invasive species. The current process in reporting an invasive species problem can run into time constraints working through the many agencies to achieve funding. A rapid response is desired to quickly remove the plant before it spreads beyond the ability to control. It is believed that hydrilla is so wide spread today that control can only be achieved through managing feasible levels of it within the limits of funding. Two new integrating approaches are proposed to aid in the goal of reaching sustainable

2007). During the 1970s, anglers in northern Wisconsin used rusty crayfish when fishing in lakes (Byron and Wilson 2001). Additionally, the rusty crayfish has spread due to its use in controlling macrophyte populations in lakes as well as being a popular aquarium pet (Hein et al. 2007). Furthermore, the higher the level of human use of a lake, the more likely the lake is to be invaded by the rusty crayfish (Puth and Allen 2005). Although the exact reasons vary, the transport of the rusty crayfish is entirely dependent on humans as a

Now that you know that the Eastern Shore of Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay is the perfect home for birds, forest creatures, shellfish, bug and insects, and a countless number of species of marine life, is your idea of a place where the animals kingdom thrives different? As Mahatma Gandhi said, “The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” Well, the Eastern Shore of Maryland is an essential land of habitat for so many of the creatures that live in our country, and it greatly contributes to the work that our country does to make Earth and safe and happy place for animals to live. Most people think the only animals Maryland is good for is the blue crab. Well, clearly, they should come here and see for themselves that we offer so much more nature to

The Chesapeake Bay Watershed is considered of national high importance due to its 64,000 square miles and 17.4 million people inhabitants. However, this has not been sufficient to improve the health of the ecosystem over the last 25 years. The primary reasons for this lack of improvement are the lack of knowledge and information of the people living on the watershed, the multistate composition of the watershed and the broad range of activities that the watershed supports.

In Canada, the Grand Banks habitat is in “environmental degradation” (Connor and Taitano) due to bottom trawlers tearing up the sea floor displacing and destroying the vegetation at the seafloor and therefore disrupting the habitat of the small fish the cod prey upon (Connor and Taitano). Bottom trawls also disrupt the “breeding patterns of the cod.. Damaging fertilized eggs.. And greatly reducing the amount of young born” (Connor and Taitano). In the United States, the Gulf of Maine provides evidence of a loss of the young and old cod due to predation (Connor). Farming atlantic cod, like many fisheries are doing to replenish the atlantic salmon populations, have resulted in a breakout of the disease Yersiniosis (Connor and Taitano).The disease affects the fish’s intestinal tract before spreading throughout its body. The mortality rate with this disease is low, about 5%, however the illness prevents the affected cod from being sold at a market due to health violations (Connor and

When fish like salmon are farmed, often the fish are still kept in the ocean; however, they live inside of nets so that they are still contained. There are many ethical arguments based around these net systems because these nets pose threats to wild salmon. Captive salmon can escape from the nets, which allows them to breed with wild salmon. This can disrupt the natural gene pool of wild salmon. Farmed salmon have been shown to outgrow wild salmon when introduced into the wild, and typically have higher mortality rates, which would be poor traits to be introduced into the wild gene pool, (Hindar, et al., 2006). Unfortunately, with the invasive farmed salmon being introduced to wild populations from escapees of net systems, the recovery of the original wild salmon is unlikely, even if decades went by without more intrusive farmed salmon being present, (Hindar, et al., 2006). Another problem is that the nets do not contain wastes from the captive salmon inside, wastes such as uneaten feed, and feces from the fish are dispersed into the open waters of the ocean. Wild salmon can contract infections and parasites from captive farmed salmon in nets. A study indicated that these parasites, such as sea lice, and infections lead to high mortality rates in wild salmon passing near

The biodiversity effects of non-native invasive species have been described as “immense, insidious and usually irreversible” (Veitch and Clout, 2002). There is significant evidence proving that invasive species can cause severe economic, environmental and ecological damage (Mack et al., 2000). A lot of time and research has been devoted to dividing the world into regions with distinctive habitats and species. Numerous pathways, mostly anthropogenic, are breaking down these realms and facilitating the ecological and biological invasion of non-native species.

Invasive species are organisms that are not native to an ecosystem and cause harm to it. These organisms are capable of bringing about a great deal of damage to the ecosystems they are foreign to. This can range from disrupting the growth of the environment it has taken over to completely decimating other species. The introduction of invasive species to new environments often involves humans. The way that invasive species are introduced to a new environment varies greatly. Invasive species may be introduced by something as simple as humans accidentally tracking species into a new environment from the bottom of their shoes, or something bigger like destroying an ecosystem to clear the land, forcing the species that lived there to flee to a new ecosystem that can be disrupted by the presence of a new species.