Ornamental fish – regulation and management

Ornamental fish make great pets in ponds and aquariums, but can also pose a threat to Australia’s aquatic biodiversity. Many ornamental fish are not native to Australia and if released into the environment can impact on aquatic biodiversity.
In November 2006, Australia’s Natural Resource Management Ministerial Council endorsed “A Strategic Approach to the Management of Ornamental Fish in Australia” (the Strategy) that was developed by a national working group, including representation from state and territory jurisdictions.
The Strategy highlights the need for a consistent, national approach to the regulation and management of the ornamental fish sector. Fisheries Victoria is working on implementing aspects of the Strategy and contributes to a national working group called the Ornamental Fish Management Implementation Group (OFMIG) (external link).

Reviewing potentially noxious ornamental species

Recently, a national technical group of scientists and industry representatives (established by the OFMIG) started a review of the risks of a number of ornamental fish species establishing in waters in Victoria, and in other Australian states and territories, and the potential environmental impacts if this happened.
The species chosen for this review were those that have been identified as potentially present within Australia, but are not found on the Commonwealth Government’s list of species permitted for live import (also referred to as the Live Import List (external link)).

The review process will be staged to ensure there is adequate consultation and consideration of the risks around each species. The species considered in the first round of the review are listed below or can be opened in the ornamental species PDF document (PDF 25KB).

It is proposed that these species be added to Victoria’s noxious aquatic species list following consultation with the community. Fisheries Victoria encourages anyone with an interest to have their say. Stakeholders can provide written submissions to Fisheries Victoria by mail or email via the following contact details:

Mail to:
Luke Cromie
Fisheries Victoria
GPO Box 4440
Melbourne, Vic 3001

Email to:
Luke.Cromie@dpi.vic.gov.au

All comments must be received by 26 June 2009. Comments received after this time may not be able to be considered.

Species proposed to be added to Victoria’s noxious aquatic species list
More information, including photographs of these species, can be obtained from www.fishbase.org (external link).

	Family	Species	Common name
1.	Acipenseridae	Acipenser baerii baerii	Siberian sturgeon
2.	Acipenseridae	Acipenser baerii baicalensis	Baikal sturgeon
3.	Acipenseridae	Acipenser brevirostrum	Shortnose sturgeon
4.	Acipenseridae	Acipenser dabryanus	Yangtze sturgeon
5.	Acipenseridae	Acipenser fulvescens	Lake sturgeon
6.	Acipenseridae	Acipenser gueldenstaedtii	Russian sturgeon
7.	Acipenseridae	Acipenser medirostris	Green sturgeon
8.	Acipenseridae	Acipenser mikadoi	Sakhalin sturgeon
9.	Acipenseridae	Acipenser multiscutatus	Japanese sturgeon
10.	Acipenseridae	Acipenser naccarii	Adriatic sturgeon
11.	Acipenseridae	Acipenser nudiventris	Fringebarbel sturgeon
12.	Acipenseridae	Acipenser oxyrinchus destotoi	Gulf sturgeon
13.	Acipenseridae	Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus	Atlantic sturgeon
14.	Acipenseridae	Acipenser persicus	Persian sturgeon
15.	Acipenseridae	Acipenser ruthenus	Sterlet
16.	Acipenseridae	Acipenser schrenckii	Amur sturgeon
17.	Acipenseridae	Acipenser sinensis	Chinese sturgeon
18.	Acipenseridae	Acipenser stellatus	Starry sturgeon
19.	Acipenseridae	Acipenser sturio	European sturgeon
20.	Acipenseridae	Acipenser transmontanus	White sturgeon
21.	Poeciliidae	Alfaro cultratus	Knife-edged livebearer
22.	Poeciliidae	Alfaro huberi	-
23.	Eleotridae	Allomogurnda nesolepis	Yellowbelly gudgeon
24.	Arapaimidae	Arapaima gigas	Arapaima
25.	Chacidae	Chaca bankanensis	Angler catfish
26.	Chacidae	Chaca burmensis	Burmensis frogmouth catfish
27.	Notopteridae	Chitala blanci	Indochina featherback
28.	Notopteridae	Chitala ornata	-
29.	Ctenoluciidae	Ctenolucius hujeta	Gar characin
30.	Eleotridae	Dormitator latifrons	Pacific fat sleeper
31.	Eleotridae	Dormitator maculatus	Fat sleeper
32.	Polypteridae	Erpetoichthys calabaricus	Reedfish
33.	Eleotridae	Gobiomorphus gobioides	Giant bully
34.	Eleotridae	Gobiomorphus huttoni	Redfin bully
35.	Eleotridae	Gobiomorus dormitor	Bigmouth sleeper
36.	Eleotridae	Gobiomorus maculatus	Pacific sleeper
37.	Acipenseridae	Huso huso	Beluga
38.	Eleotridae	Hypseleotris cyprinoides	Tropical carp-gudgeon
39.	Eleotridae	Hypseleotris tohizonae	-
40.	Ictaluridae	Ictalurus punctatus	Channel catfish
41.	Pimelodidae	Leiarius spp	Painted catfish
42.	Lepidosirenidae	Lepidosiren paradoxa	South American lungfish
43.	Eleotridae	Oxyeleotris heterodon	Sentani gudgeon
44.	Eleotridae	Oxyeleotris siamensis	-
45.	Eleotridae	Oxyeleotris urophthalmoides	-
46.	Eleotridae	Oxyeleotris urophthalmus	-
47.	Pangasiidae	Pangasianodon hypophthalmus	Sutchi catfish
48.	Pangasiidae	Pangasius conchophilus	-
49.	Pangasiidae	Pangasius elongatus	-
50.	Pangasiidae	Pangasius gigas	Mekong giant catfish
51.	Pangasiidae	Pangasius krempfi	-
52.	Pangasiidae	Pangasius kunyit	-
53.	Pangasiidae	Pangasius larnaudii	Spot pangasius
54.	Pangasiidae	Pangasius macronema	-
55.	Pangasiidae	Pangasius nasutus	-
56.	Pangasiidae	Pangasius nieuwenhuisii	-
57.	Pangasiidae	Pangasius pangasius	Yellowtailed catfish
58.	Potamotrygonidae	Paratrygon aiereba	Discus ray
59.	Pimelodidae	Perrunichthys perruno	Leopard catfish
60.	Protopteridae	Protopterus aethiopicus	Marbled lungfish
61.	Protopteridae	Protopterus amphibius	Gilled lungfish
62.	Protopteridae	Protopterus dolloi	Slender lungfish
63.	Schilbeidae	Schilbe intermedius	Silver catfish
64.	Schilbeidae	Schilbe marmoratus	Shoulderspot catfish