In the past month, invasive crocodile eels have been found in communities, rivers and lakes in Beijing and other places. Where they come from, whether the citizens can raise them, and what to do if they don't, have also become the topic of people's attention. In the past few days, the reporter's investigation has found that there are still people in the Beijing pet market with the sign of "crocodile eel", and even the "relatives" of crocodile eels are being sold.
At present, the agricultural and rural departments in many places have begun to carry out a census of invasive alien species, including crocodile eels. The reporter's investigation found that in beijing's flower, bird, insect and fish market, in addition to crocodile eels, Brazilian turtles and other exotic species are still being sold. In the view of experts, these alien species also have a higher risk.
visit
Some merchants use "strange fish" as a gimmick
In the Shilihe Tianjiao Cultural City, three or five merchants sell "crocodile eels" with a body length of about ten centimeters to forty or fifty centimeters at prices ranging from 50 to 180 yuan, and the aquarium box is as small as three or four, and as many as seven or eight.
"Want alligator eels? See for yourself, the sharp mouth over there is. A merchant said that the size of the crocodile eel mainly depends on how big the fish tank is, and generally the family raises itself half a meter long.
In the flower, bird, fish and insect market near Yuquan Road, merchants selling crocodile eels are more cautious. When the reporter proposed to buy, a merchant looked at the reporter with a suspicious look.
"There's one over there, the one with the sharp mouth, 80 pieces." The merchant pointed to the only crocodile eels about twenty or thirty centimeters long in the aquarium.
"40 pieces a piece." Another merchant told reporters that his family had one left to sell the rest, and now it is sold cheaply.
"There are many people who have been raised, one hundred and eighty-one." Merchants say that people generally like it to be fierce, and easy to raise, crocodiles and eels eat everything, but if they want to grow fast, they have to feed small fish.
The reporter found in the investigation that since recently, the major e-commerce platforms have removed the crocodile eel, and the search keyword "crocodile eel" cannot be searched, but after changing the keyword to "crocodile eel", "gar eel", "sharp-billed crocodile" and other names, it is still possible to search for the sale information of such creatures. In this regard, Li Li, director of the Beijing Panther Wildlife Conservation Station, told reporters that the crocodile eel is an invasive organism from Central and North America. This fish is more ferocious, grows very large, and is very harmful to native fish species, so it is forbidden to release in wild rivers.
"The most released ones we see are crocodile eels, as well as Brazilian tortoises, bullfrogs, and alligator turtles." Li Li said that these creatures were originally introduced for ornamental purposes, and after adapting to the climate in the south, they multiplied in large numbers in the south. "Many invasive alien species and alien species, such as the Brazilian turtle, do not need to go through formalities, but they are not allowed to be released casually."
Li Li said that he hopes that the citizens will always be pensioned and sent to the end when they are raised, and when they really cannot take care of it, they should be received by the relevant departments, but like the protection station and many protection departments do not accept alien species. Article 81 of the Biosecurity Law mentions that where an alien species is released or discarded without approval, the relevant departments of the people's governments at the county level or above shall catch or retrieve the released or discarded alien species within a time limit and shall be fined between 10,000 and 50,000 yuan.
survey
The "relatives" of the alligator eel are also dangerous
"Look, this is the alligator eel." In a flower, bird, insect and fish market near the subway Shilihe Station, a parent is pointing to the fish in the water cabinet for his child, "Eating small fish is particularly strong, you raise well, grow very fast." In a row of drainage cabinet lattices behind the store's transparent glass, there are four strangely shaped fish with a length of about 30 centimeters and spots on their bodies. At first glance, their mouths and body shapes are almost the same as those of crocodile eels.
These fish in the cupboard are really "strange fish" crocodile eels? Merchants have denied it. "This is not an alligator eel, where can it be raised?" The merchant explained that the two light-colored, pointed-mouthed crocodiles in the cabinet were pointed crocodiles, and the other two flat-billed were Buddha crocodiles (Note: Florida gar eel). "Very good to raise, eat everything, if you want 85 yuan a piece."
The reporter visited the flower, bird, insect and fish market and found that more than one was selling "strange fish" similar to the crocodile eel. In another aquarium, the "strange fish" sold are longer, generally 30 to 40 centimeters in size, and several "strange fish" are about half a meter long. "Look, what's needed? These are all finches. According to the store, the price of these "strange fish" ranges from a few hundred yuan to thousands of yuan a piece, and there is no "online one" (crocodile eel) for sale.
Gu Dangen, an associate researcher at the Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences and an expert on the prevention and control of alien species in the national bulk freshwater fish industry technology system, repeatedly checked the pictures and videos of these "strange fish" with his friend Luo Tengda. He said that after identification, the "strange fish" sold in the market are not alligator eels, but some species under the gar eels.
"There are 7 species of finches. In addition to the alligator eel, there are other different species similar to it. The most common on the market are alligator eels and spotted gar. As the alligator gar receives widespread attention from society, only the eye-spotted gar and the Cuban gar eel are shown in pictures and videos. ”
Gu Dangen said that no matter which gar species, it is essentially an alien species with a higher risk, "the crocodile eel is already an invasive alien species because it grows larger and faster, and has established a natural population in some natural waters." ”
outflow
Reared to the "halfway" to release the pound
Crocodile eels, Brazilian tortoises, etc. once they enter the natural waters to form populations, they will become invasive alien species. So, how do these alien species flow into rivers, lakes, and even communities?
"This fish is very edible, carnivorous. This year you can afford to eat, and you grow very fast. Some citizens revealed that they had raised "crocodile eels" before, and when they bought them, they were 20 or 30 centimeters long, and then they quickly grew to more than half a meter long. As for how to deal with the "alligator eel" raised later, the customer did not answer.
At the flower, bird, insect and fish market across the road, many sellers are selling Brazilian turtles that have long been included in the List of Alien Species under National Key Management (First Batch). "You see, the row against the wall outside is full of Brazilian turtles. The first pot is 10 yuan a piece, the second pot is 15 yuan, the third pot is 20 yuan..."
Spotted gar, Florida gar, Cuban gar, Brazilian turtle, alligator turtle... The reporter learned that at present, the sale and purchase of these species is not explicitly prohibited, but it is stipulated that invasive alien species must not be illegally introduced, released or discarded in violation of national regulations. In addition to the more expensive price of individual gar species, some gar species and Brazilian turtles are very cheap, which also leads to consumers "halfway" feeding or "release" after purchase.
"If you want to release, choose the Brazilian turtle suitable, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 can be, you see what you pay attention to." 」 A merchant who sells Brazilian turtles said that in general, you can choose the large Brazilian turtle in his store to release, "a 300 yuan, you must let it live, small is relatively difficult to live." As for the release site, he said that some customers have been released in the moat not far away, "but I don't recommend putting it here." As soon as the front foot was released, someone on the back foot fished up and continued to sell for money. ”
Li Li, director of the Beijing Panther Wildlife Conservation Station, introduced that Brazilian turtles, crocodile turtles, American white moths, Fushou snails, bullfrogs, etc. are all exotic species. He said some of these alien species were originally introduced from abroad for ornamental purposes; Species such as bullfrogs and alligator turtles have been used for food; American white moth, Fushou snail, etc. may be mixed in with transport products, wood, aquatic products, etc. to the mainland; Such as Brazilian turtles, crocodile turtles, etc. due to too much breeding on farms, after the price is cheap, many people buy to release. "I didn't want to raise it, and I didn't want to kill, so I released it." Before 2017, some people 'released' Brazilian turtles and crocodile turtles, all of which were bought for tens of kilograms and hundreds of kilograms. A cart of four lattices, each containing a different species of turtle. Li Li said that the harm caused by such "release" is often very serious.
risk
Grasping the supervision at the source needs to be stricter
No matter which kind of "strange fish" gar is essentially an exotic species. Including Brazilian turtles, crocodile turtles, etc., some of these alien species have become invasive alien species. Once they flow into natural water bodies, the risks they pose will be enormous.
"Florida Garuda, $500 a piece; Cuban garnet, 1800 yuan a piece. "According to the owner of an aquarium in the aforementioned market, it is enough to feed the eels with small fish and shrimp. He did not answer as to whether the eels were purchased elsewhere or bred on their own. At the Brazilian turtle sales stall across the road from the market, some merchants bluntly said that these Brazilian turtles were bred by themselves.
The rate and number of alien species reproduce is often staggering. Gu Dangen, an associate researcher at the Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, said that crocodile eels can breed after 3 to 5 years old, and can breed once or twice a year thereafter, each time laying tens of thousands of eggs.
"Although the eye-spotted eel, Florida gar eel, Cuban gar eel, etc. are not part of the same species as the alligator gar and have certain differences, their overall reproductive cycle and characteristics are not very different." Because of this, the eye-spotted eel, Florida gar eel, Cuban gar eel, etc. are highly dangerous, and once they flow into natural waters to form populations, they can easily become invasive alien species, posing a threat to water biodiversity and water quality.
The Measures for the Management of Invasive Alien Species, which came into effect on August 1 this year, stipulate the prevention, monitoring and early warning, treatment and restoration of invasive alien species at the source. The "Work Plan for Further Strengthening the Prevention and Control of Alien Species Invasion" also makes it clear that "the examination and approval of the introduction of alien species shall be strictly enforced in accordance with the law, and the control of post-introduction use shall be strengthened, and no unit or individual shall introduce, release or discard alien species without approval." ”
Gu Dangen believes that the current control of the introduction of alien species has been very strict, but it needs to be further regulated at the breeding stage.
"Some do not rule out that small workshops and individual enterprises reproduce sporadically, and may be bred with other qualifications." The law enforcement management chain of alien species also involves the participation of multiple departments, "the competent department of alien species is the agricultural and rural department, the sales trade is the management department of the industrial and commercial market, and the natural waters, parks and lakes are managed by the municipal garden or water conservancy department." It is proposed that a strong and efficient coordination mechanism be formed in the future. ”
In addition to standardizing breeding and management, Li Li, director of the Beijing Panther Wildlife Conservation Station, also advised the public not to blindly follow the trend of purchasing exotic species, and it is best not to raise or feed them.
"Before buying, think about its various problems and breeding conditions and so on. Once you've chosen, you're responsible. Li Li said that no matter what kind of alien species, consumers must understand the laws and regulations of the mainland, whether the alien species are legal to the mainland, what harms may be there, and so on.
In addition, if it involves wild animals with "three haves" and more than "three haves", it is also necessary to have legal procedures, such as quarantine certificates, epidemic prevention certificates, transportation certificates, breeding certificates, etc., before they can be raised.
He suggested that the public need to improve the knowledge of wildlife protection and alien species, cautiously purchase alien species, and when they really do not want to raise them, they should also dock with relevant units in time and deal with them scientifically and reasonably, and cannot be easily "released".