It’s the start of Invasive Species Week 2024. As an industry that imports a large range of non-native flora and fauna we know how important it is for our trade to play our part in making sure that pond and aquarium inhabitants do not stray to potentially cause harm to native wildlife.
We have some top tips to help make sure non-native pet fish and plants don’t migrate into the UK countryside and become established.
We would also urge all businesses check out your biosecurity measures.
Use our handy risk assessment tool and then dive into our Biosecurity guide for ideas on how to improve what you do.
Here’s a round-up of some of the advice OATA has released recently on aquatic plants. Let’s make sure the only thing that spreads is the message! You can check out the full list of banned aquatic plants here.
It’s also worth checking out the Be Plant Wise campaign and there are plenty of free resources for retailers to display for customers. Find them here.
And do share information about Turtle Tally and Amphibian & Reptile Conservation’s Alien Encounters – both log non-native amphibians and reptile sightings
