[SPasse]

Nanook01,

Thanks for that input.

I posted the word document unaltered, as it was sent to me.

I corrected the copy on my WEB site.

Regards,

Scott


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The definition of an expert is a washed-up drip under pressure.
You can see my reeftank at http://www.homestead.com/spasse/

[SPasse]

Hi All,

I was just contacted by Dr. Timothy A. Hovanec who asked me to distribute the following “PetAlert” from the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC), regarding the impending CA legislation.

Go to my WEB site: http://www.homestead.com/spasse/ and click on the CA Caulerpa Ban Button.

Regards,

Scott

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The definition of an expert is a washed-up drip under pressure.
You can see my reeftank at http://www.homestead.com/spasse/

[olgakurt]

Here is a link to a '99 brief to Congress which outlines the invasive exotic species issue.
http://www.cnie.org/nle/biodv-26.html

I know that this is posted in several places on the net but at the request of SPASSE, I have also placed a copy of the "PetAlert" document on Reefland.
http://www.reefland.com/CAALERT.htm

[SPasse]

^^^^^

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The definition of an expert is a washed-up drip under pressure.
You can see my reeftank at http://www.homestead.com/spasse/

[SPasse]

Hi All,

Our current Secretary of The Interior, Gale Norton more sympathetic to pet industry/hobby that the former secretary, Bruce Babbitt.

I intend to write and E-mail her with my concerns about the pending Caulerpa ban in California, and my broader concerns about any possible pending federal ban on this and other “non-native species”

Here is her address and E-mail:

Gale A. Norton
U.S. Department of the Interior
1849 C. Street N.W.
Washington, DC 20240
(202) 208-3100
gale_norton@ios.doi.gov

Regards,

Scott

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The definition of an expert is a washed-up drip under pressure.
You can see my reeftank at http://www.homestead.com/spasse/

[Bamm Bamm]

I've been lurking on this thread for days..I emailed one of the reps and all I got back was that prewritten email response such as other member of our board and reefs.org also got..If this bill passes this is gonna be a huge horrible thing for our hobby..I've just been reading all these threads on this and all the links on these in utter amazemament of the possibilities..I see both sides of the story on this..Mostly because i live in california very close to the Delta, where the waterways are completely jammed packed of different species of plants and algae life that are not indigenous to our area...So I can see why tey are worried about caulerpa on the same token of course this one hits home even more because of my love ad passion for this hobby i would hate to see somethign like this come aboput and dramtacially increase the price and extent of which we have to go to have enjoyment in our hobby..Everyone if you haven't emailed your congreesman or woman email them email everyone spasse and everyone have left addresses for we cannot let this happen to our hobby and especially our way of life in The Home reefs that is!!!!Dan

[SPasse]

Hi All

What is your take on the article: http://www.aquarium-design.com/reef/caulerpa.html as too the actual impact of the Caulerpa Taxifolia outbreak?

If this article is correct, even the caulerpa taxifolia ban is pointless.

Regards,

Scott

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The definition of an expert is a washed-up drip under pressure.
You can see my reeftank at http://www.homestead.com/spasse/

[waterboy]

What is your take on the article: http://www.aquarium-design.com/reef/caulerpa.html as too the actual impact of the Caulerpa Taxifolia outbreak?

Wow, politicians are shady, shady people. By this article, looks like the only reason Taxifolia takes over certain areas is because nothing else can, due to the pollution. And it cleans it up. The article also makes it sound like the reason Taxifolia is being hyped up is so certain scientists can get grant money. Pretty shady, folks.

[olgakurt]

Scott, all,
As someone who has worked with estuarine restoration, seagrass recovery, eutrophication and water quality. I'll throw out a different interpretation of the information presented in the previous link for debate. It should be noted that my interpretation is based only on my experience and not the references mentioned in the article. I do not have time to dig them up right now.

Basically, seagrass suffers from nutrient pollution due to the effects of reduced light availability; either from direct shading from macros,reduced lighting due to epiphytic algae growth or from increased phytoplankton. Increased suspended solids due to urbanization also reduces light penetration. Rainfall cycles also play a big role in seagrass health/cycles.

There are certain varieties of seagrass that are more effective colonizers than others and if water quality is improved those species will colonize certain areas. I would not be willing to go out on a limb to say if the caulerpa wasn't there that some species of seagrass wouldn't have been there either.

Generally nuisance algal blooms tend to spark new environmental regulations/practices which help mediate the bloom and promote further seagrass expansion. In recent years many US estuaries have made decent gains in seagrass recovery related to improved stormwater management and wastewater treatment and disposal practices. I did not have time to dig up the references, but 8 years is sufficient time for improved environmental practices to improve water quality and be responsible for seagrass expansion (e.g. Sarasota Bay experienced a 20% gain in the 10 years we had seagrass aerial photogrpahy for). It would be difficult to draw any correlaries without detailed nutrient load/water quality data analysis in the areas considered. In some areas there is no direct correlation of water quality to seagrass health but there is one with nutrient loads to seagrass biomass.

With regards to increased diversity. It has been known for some time that edge effects increase species diversity. Again without knowing the specifics of the sample sites and water quality, it would be difficult to make conclusions with this regard. Lower salinities due to urbanization may increase diveristy of lower saline species and juveniles, the areas of infestation near pollutant sources may also be in areas receiving increased discharge. Another consideration would be is the increased diversity due to desired species.

just some words for thought.

btw, I support a limited ban of caulerpa.









[This message has been edited by olgakurt (edited 05-08-2001).]

[FishKid]

if they ban the hobby, its rioting time!!! "grab yer bat billy!" [img]/ubb/smile.gif[/img] i say we beat up all those scientists, and make 'em say that caulerpa is good! [img]/ubb/tongue.gif[/img]

thats my solution to everything [img]/ubb/rolleyes.gif[/img]
mark

[jameso]

Scott:

My take on Tom Frakes' article: He is saying, "It's not all that bad, don't worry about it."

Obviously, he hasn't spent a significant part of his life in California, and if he has, he hasn't had his mind open.

Whether this specific algae is a problem or not, Californians are hypersensitive about invasive species.

All that lawmakers have to do is label Caulerpa as an invasive species and baddabing, it will be banned. It will be done.

I enjoyed reading Jorge's take on this on another board. If it's fine w/ you all to ban the "mutated" C. taxifolia, why isn't it fine to ban all of them? If the C. tax can mutate and live in cold water, what's to stop the other species? Personally, I bet they can and will survive in cold water. I planted some C. peltata in Mission Bay and it's doing great...[img]/ubb/smile.gif[/img] (Joking!)

Cheers
James

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[ranaman]

I thought Mr. Frakes made his point that some species that occur in the Gulf of California that are claimed to be invasive, why aren't they found in CA waters. For that matter why isn't C.taxifolia spreading up the east coast of the USA. This species is native to Florida waters. Most species are invasive if introduced without their diseases, parasities, and herbivores or predators. The killer algae problem is a very good canidate for "classical" biological control, something that reduces the pest to a background level.
The Frakes contention that the problem in the Med is not as bad as it seems reminds me of the kingsnake study. A population of florida kingsnakes was based by a canal overgrown with water lettuce. The whole producitivty was based on the water lettuce mat. When the weed was killed with herbicide and more native plants moved in the system collapsed. So sometimes native species can use the resources created by an exotic. Just remember both sides may hype their position for arguments sake. I tend to agree more with Mr. Frakes.

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"The octopus notices the little cowries."

[MaryHM]

Here is an update on the situation:

The bill was voted on by the Assembly on May 7. It passed unanimously, 78 to 0. THIS IS NOT GOOD!!! I spoke with Dave Weaver (Assemblyman Harman's staff aid who is handling this bill) today and he stated that Mr. Harman's office has been receiving phone calls from concerned hobbyists across the nation!! THIS IS GOOD! We need to keep up the pressure. The bill will now go into Senate Committee for discussion. I am going to try to go to Sacramento and testify in front of the Senate Committee on behalf of the industry/hobby. I am only going to go and fight for this if you guys think it's important. You can show me that you think it is important by signing the petition! If I get at least 250 signatures, I will go testify. PLEASE HELP ME HELP THE INDUSTRY/HOBBY! Mr. Weaver said that it will be about a month before the Senate will be ready to vote on it, so I'm setting a deadline of May 31 to receive all of the petitions. If the Senate passes it, we have lost- and no more Caulerpa will be imported. My fax machine has been ringing a lot today with people sending in their petitions!! In fact, I've received more petitions today than I have all week! Momentum is growing! GREAT WORK GUYS!! Continue to keep phoning and writing- we are getting through to them!!

Go to www.reefsource.com for more information



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EDUCATION IS THE KEY TO A SUSTAINABLE INDUSTRY
www.reefsource.com

[landescaper]

Guys, ask yourself this:
1) Where has C. tax F2 been found in the wild?
2) How much LR, plants, etc from those areas is exported to the states?
3) What are the odds it came from a state side aquarist?

The hobby is the scapegoat.

The other Jorge [img]/ubb/wink.gif[/img]