Kevin:

I sent this forward to the Nature Conservancy, of which I am a member.
I will let you know what I find out.

Andrew V.

Andrew Vik wrote:

> Andrew Vik
> 5101 W. Fair Oaks Ave., # 13
> Tampa, Fl., 33611
> (813) 827-6256
> [log in to unmask]
>
> Dear TNC:
>
> I am forwarding this message from the Conch-L list. It involves a perceived
> threat to the freshwater mollusk fauna of the entire Mississippi drainage. As I
> am sure that you are aware, North America has the most diverse freshwater
> mollusk fauna of any continent. You are probably also aware that many of our
> unique species of mussels and snails have already gone extinct and that many
> more are on the edge. I have read that the introduction of foreign species is
> one of the major causes of extinction.  This action seems very cavalier in light
> of
> these facts. Is there no national oversight on the release of foreign species?
>
> Kevin S. Cummings wrote:
>
> > The following message was received yesterday from a colleague of ours
> > (who's name will remain silent until he lets me know if it is ok to mention
> > it).  This is a very serious issue as the black carp is a voracious
> > predator of mollusks.  I would suggest that one of the surrounding states
> > or NGO's threatend a lawsuit on the state of Mississippi's butt to get them
> > to stop this kind of nonsense.  If anyone has any ideas on how to stop this
> > madness please let me know.
> >
> > Kevin
> >
> > "I have recently talked to Gene Robertson in the Department of Agriculture
> > and Commerce in the state of Mississippi about their proposal to bring in
> > black carp to control snails in catfish ponds (snails are intermediate
> > hosts of a grub that burrows into the flesh of catfish).  I called Gene
> > initially to find out the status of black carp in Mississippi as Leo Nico
> > and I are in the process of updating our Black Carp Risk Assessment for
> > publication.  Gene informed me that the Department of Agriculture and
> > Commerce and the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks were meeting
> > to discuss this issue with the catfish industry in Mississippi.  He
> > indicated that the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks in
> > Mississippi did have some problems with diploids but the state was going to
> > take a position to allow the importation of diploids.  I have also talked
> > with Dennis Riecke (fishery biologist) with Mississippi Department of
> > Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks (601/364-2205) who has confirmed that the
> > state is going to allow stocking of diploids in ponds to control snails.
> >
> > I have talked to Jeff about this and he indicated that he felt that the
> > Shell Exporters of America should be informed about this and he would
> > contact Lonnie Garner.  The Upper Mississippi and Lower Mississippi River
> > Conservation Committees should also be informed of Mississippi's intent to
> > allow stocking of diploids in catfish ponds.
> >
> > Based on our risk assessment, a policy of allowing diploids to be stocked
> > is a high risk proposition.
> >
> > Kevin S. Cummings
> > Illinois Natural History Survey
> > 607 E. Peabody Drive
> > Champaign, IL 61820
> > [log in to unmask]
> > http://www.inhs.uiuc.edu/cbd/collections/mollusk.html