Tweet
As many of you may be aware, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department has been instructed by the Texas legislature (through HB 3391) to change the way exotic aquatic plants are regulated in Texas, moving from a “prohibited list” to an “approved list” of species that can be legally sold and possessed. Under the definition of “plant” that’s being used, algae are included.
In order for an exotic aquatic plant to be included on the approved list, a risk assessment must be conducted to evaluate the species potential for becoming invasive should they be placed into the public waters of the state. We especially want to include those species that are popular in the aquarium industry and are being sold today. Thus far, the names of only a few marine species have been received (see below). One genera and a popular marine aquarium species that’s obviously missing is Chaetomorpha. Of the 101 species of Chaetomorpha, 3 species are known to be found within Texas coastal waters – C. brachygona, C. gracilis and Chaetomorpha linum, and are therefore legal to posses.
If anyone is aware of any other species of Chaetomorpha (or any other marine plant not listed below) that is being sold in Texas we would certainly like to know so that we can conduct the risk assessment and try to get the species incorporated onto the approved list. Please forward the names of any of these species to me (freshwater plants too if you see any obvious ones missing from that list) and I'll make sure they get reviewed quickly. I will report back to this forum the results of the risk assessment for these species submitted. Thanks for any help you may be able to provide.
Current list of exotic aquatic marine plants on the approved list:
- Caulerpa ashmendii
- C. paspaloides
- Cymopolia barbata
- Dictyota divaricata
- Entromorpha compressa
- Gracilaria mammilaris
- Gymnogongrus griffithsiae
- Halimeda opuntia
- Jania rubens
- Penicillus lamourouxii
- Sargassum pteropleuron
More information and current lists of approved, ineligible, and pending species can be found at
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/species/exotic/aquatic_plants/.
Lance Robinson
Regional Director
Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
Coastal Fisheries Division
Dickinson Marine Laboratory
281-534-0101
Lance.robinson@tpwd.state.tx.us
In order for an exotic aquatic plant to be included on the approved list, a risk assessment must be conducted to evaluate the species potential for becoming invasive should they be placed into the public waters of the state. We especially want to include those species that are popular in the aquarium industry and are being sold today. Thus far, the names of only a few marine species have been received (see below). One genera and a popular marine aquarium species that’s obviously missing is Chaetomorpha. Of the 101 species of Chaetomorpha, 3 species are known to be found within Texas coastal waters – C. brachygona, C. gracilis and Chaetomorpha linum, and are therefore legal to posses.
If anyone is aware of any other species of Chaetomorpha (or any other marine plant not listed below) that is being sold in Texas we would certainly like to know so that we can conduct the risk assessment and try to get the species incorporated onto the approved list. Please forward the names of any of these species to me (freshwater plants too if you see any obvious ones missing from that list) and I'll make sure they get reviewed quickly. I will report back to this forum the results of the risk assessment for these species submitted. Thanks for any help you may be able to provide.
Current list of exotic aquatic marine plants on the approved list:
- Caulerpa ashmendii
- C. paspaloides
- Cymopolia barbata
- Dictyota divaricata
- Entromorpha compressa
- Gracilaria mammilaris
- Gymnogongrus griffithsiae
- Halimeda opuntia
- Jania rubens
- Penicillus lamourouxii
- Sargassum pteropleuron
More information and current lists of approved, ineligible, and pending species can be found at
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/species/exotic/aquatic_plants/.
Lance Robinson
Regional Director
Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
Coastal Fisheries Division
Dickinson Marine Laboratory
281-534-0101
Lance.robinson@tpwd.state.tx.us