Nonindigenous Fish

Nonindigenous Fish Distribution Information

Fish (Phylum Chordata, Subphylum Vertebrata) are found in all types of aquatic environments, from fresh to salt water. Common methods of introduction include intentional and accidental stocking, release of bait fish, release of unwanted aquarium fish, escape from aquaculture facilities, and discharge of ballast water. Potential impacts include competition with native species for food and habitat, reduction of natives by predation, transmission of diseases or parasites, and habitat alteration. One example is the inland silversides, Menidia beryllina, which was illegally introduced into Clear Lake, California, as a nutrient reservoir for bluegreen algae blooms and to reduce the Clear Lake gnat and chironomid midge populations. As a result of this introduction, the silversides have competitively displaced several native fish species, including the now extinct Clear Lake splittail.

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NEWS!

Snakeheads in the Potomac River (5/04)
Giant snakehead fish caught in Wisconsin (9/03)
Indo-Pacific Lionfish (Pterois volitans) off East Coast (2/02)
Snakehead (Channa maurulius) found in Florida (5/01)
Nonindigenous Fishes book ordering information (4/14/99)

Data Queries

Species Lists
(with links to species accounts and maps)

U. S. Distribution Maps

**Other Information**
Look up a citation from the species accounts AFS - Introduced Fish Section Management Implications of Co-occurring Native and Introduced Fishes (Workshop Proceedings) Metadata for USGS Nonindigenous Fishes database (This database)

Thinking of releasing your aquarium pet? ...Think again.

Information on the release of exotic fish

This page is maintained by the Center for Aquatic Resource Studies. The Center is part of the Biological Resources Division of the United States Geological Survey under the Department of the Interior

This page last updated on 26 May 2004
Comments to Pam Fuller

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