It sounds like there might soon be a new species of black bass. Recently, biologists in Florida discovered what looks to be a new species of black bass. They collected the bass in 2007 as part of a broader study. It has since undergone genetic testing, which reveled DNA that did not match any know black bass species.
Again, just like the Guadalupe Bass and many other smaller, local species of black bass, the Choctaw Bass is threatened by introduced species of Bass (in this case, the Spotted Bass.) When are we gonna learn that bringing a new species into an area is just not a good idea!
Here are a couple links to more articles regarding the Choctaw Bass:
Scientist Recognize New Bass Species in Florida Waters
Florida Scientists Discover New Bass Species
This now puts the list of recognized black bass species at 12 (or 9 depending on how you count)
Norther Largemouth Bass
Florida Largemouth Bass
Smallmouth Bass
Neosho Smallmouth Bass (Still debated)
Spotted Bass
Alabama Spotted Bass
Shoal Bass
Redeye Bass
Bartam's Bass (Still debated)
Guadalupe Bass
Suwanee Bass
Choctaw Bass (Not fully classified yet)
There is also might be another species of Smallmouth...
I am sure that there are more species and subspecies that are yet to be classified. This is more reason to quit socking non-native fish!
Pat,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post ...
I appreciate all that the various agencies, biologists, etc. do to enhance our fisheries, cultivate them, and work to ensure that future generations will be able to enjoy that which we too often take for granted.
But, I have always had similar concerns tugging at me from that little spot in the brain wondering what are the consequences of various actions including the introduction of non-native species of sport fish into our waters??? Sure ... its great to be able to go to my local lake and have a shot at catching a smallmouth. And there are numerous other examples ... but what are we sacrificing in the long run?
I don't know ... but my concern is ... those "in the know and making the decisions" don't really know either!!
And my thought is, if you don't know what the results will be, then don't do it. Yes, it is fun to catch a smallmouth, but something is less fun about catching them in waters where they aren't supposed to swim. Just like it is fun to catch a rainbow trout, but at the expense of all the local cutthroats?
ReplyDeleteYou are right, the state agencies, like Texas Parks and Wildlife here in Texas, do a lot of good. And without them, our fisheries would be nothing like they are today. I just wish that they would slow down sometimes.
You're preaching to the choir here! I just don't understand why we spend so much time and $ in stocking these non-natives and then wonder why the natives are having such a hard time, AND THEN spend extra $$$ to bring back the natives from the brink! I'll be PCSing to CO in a couple months and from what I have researched, they are even more messed up than my native TX! Supposed to be a great trout state, but they have decimated most of the native trout species in favor of the "tourist" trout. NOT TO MENTION the smallmouth in Yampa situation. They state that they want to "restrict the smallmouth, sunfish, channel cats and pike it that river and see what's actually native to bring back the endangered small pikeminnow and other minnow and darter species. I'm cool with that, until I hear that the same people are considering stocking cutbows and other designer "tourist trout! Eastern CO use to be a pretty good fishery for warmwater AND coldwater species. An arid place, but still plenty of life. The state DNR going lab crazy, the rivers being dammed and historical drought (whether caused by man or nature) has turned Eastern CO into a desert where there is little water to fish and the fisheries that are there look more like Frankenstien than Rocky Mountain High.
ReplyDelete