Fed: Study to keep ornamental fish out of nation's lakes

AAP General News (Australia)
12-01-2003
Fed: Study to keep ornamental fish out of nation's lakes

Australia's love affair with ornamental fish has prompted a joint state-federal study
into ways of keeping them out of the nation's waterways.

Federal Fisheries Minister IAN MACDONALD says the study will look at ways of reducing
the chances of fish escaping from their home tanks.

Senator MACDONALD says a national ornamental fish policy working group has been set
up to look at the way exotic fish species are traded, and to agree on a list of what fish
can be traded between states.

He says history has shown how well ornamental fish can adapt to the wild.

He says it would only take one person to foolishly put a fish which is carrying disease
into a system like the River Murray and it could lead to an environmental disaster.

The federal government will put $60,000 into the study, to be matched by the state governments.

AAP RTV sw/sb/rh/gjr

KEYWORD: FISH (CANBERRA)

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