News
Dire plea to save Lanka’s fish from invasive foreign monsters
Large and carnivorous monster fish imported under the aquarium trade are infesting Sri Lanka’s natural water bodies.
This is a cause for serious concern, say the Environmental Action Committee of the Young Zoologists’ Association (YZA).
Addressing a media conference on Wednesday in Colombo YZA Aquatic Life Study Unit’s Chief Advisor Hasantha Wijethunga said the danger posed by the aquarium pet trade was a lesser known environmental issue in Sri Lanka.
He said imported aquarium fish species were either wilfully or accidentally dispersed into the water bodies.
“Sri Lanka has around 101 local fish species of which 63 are indigenous. Fifty percent of these indigenous species are threatened with extinction, according to the 2012 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The main threat is from imported fish species,” he said.
Records disclose that 15 imported species are found in the natural environment. Thirteen of these species are fish and the other two are the apple snail and red-eared slider, it is learnt.
Mr. Wijethunga disclosed that the IUCN had declared 100 fish species as “dangerous and invasive” and among them are guppy, marble catfish and tank cleaner, all three found in the country’s natural aquatic environment.
Tank cleaners are bottom feeders and lurk in the depths of the water and are a threat to the indigenous fish species which also feed at that level.
Male tank cleaners dig holes on the banks causing erosion. This is while guppy introduced a few years ago to destroy mosquito larvae are also imported for the pet trade. They eat up the eggs of the local fish and frogs, he said. “They are also troublesome to small-scale fishermen, as their sharp fins damage the nets.”
Citing another example, Mr. Wijethunga said Mayan cichlid is another aggressive species imported through the pet trade. As the breeders could not secure the colour variety they wanted, the fish were released into local water bodies and are now found in large numbers in areas like Sri Jayewardenepura-Kotte.
At the news conference, the YZA panel, which included Senior Advisor and Environmental Lawyer Jagath Gunawardana and Flora Study Unit Chief Advisor Dilup Chandranimal, pointed out that in the absence of proper legal regulations or mechanisms for the import of such invasive species, even the red-bellied Piranha was being sold locally.
There are plans to import electric cat fish and electric eel, snake-head species which are big and could pose a threat to local fish, they added.
Meanwhile, the YZA Mammals’ Study Unit Chief Advisor Pubudu Weerarathna focused on the threats being faced in Yala’s Palatupana area, where land is being allocated for safari parks and tourist hotels.
Palatupana close to the buffer zone of the Yala National Park is popular for migratory birds, elephants, leopards and bears, he said, adding that it is also an important turtle breeding site where leatherbacks lay their eggs. Constructions linked to tourism and activities such as beach parties, BBQs and cycling events are creating issues for these animals.
“It is the responsibility of the Central Environmental Authority and the Department of Wildlife Conservation to conduct a valid environmental assessment as the Tourism Development and Wildlife Ministry seems to be having a conflict of interest,” he added.