Fishing Forum

TOKYO-In an unusual twist to the string of recent high profile and serious threats to U.S. fisheries from exotic, invasive species, two North American gamefish are staging their own invasion of the Far East.

In the moat surrounding Japan's imperial palace, non-native black bass and bluegills are threatening native species, prompting the Japanese Environment Ministry to drain sections of the moat to kill the exotics.

"We just cannot stand there watching our indigenous fish, such as gobies, being eaten up by such strong foreign species," said ministry spokeswoman Sae Sato.

The decline of native Japanese fish species has been a growing concern in Japan since fish from North America were introduced decades ago. Particularly worrisome species are robut black bass and ravenous bluegills, which tend to feed on local fish.
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Hi there DrownedDesertRat,

I had an opprotunity to write a book on the sportfish of Japan (in Japanese only) while I was still in Japan. There are many species of fish in Japan that are not native. During WWII the Hakuson and other fish were brought in from Siberia for food sources. Tilapia from Africa clean the alge from some of the hot spring spas. Fish from Argentina. Bass were introduced from Shasta Lake in the 1890's, Brown Trout were...... well you get the idea.

Some prefectures pay a bounty for every black bass you bring into the areas fish coop!

Yes, there are many small strains of trout, char and salmon that are in danger from the foregin invasion. Japan has over a hundred subspecies of Trout/Salmon/Char in their waters!! Japan fished out!! HA!

The powers that be don't want to see Joe Bass fisherman in his float tube flinging a buzzbait for bass in the imperial moat/residence. (A major tourist attraction) I wonder why? ha ha ha

JapanRon
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LOL, if I tried to fish them out of the moat, what would happen to me? I mean, I'd be doing them a favor by catchin' them bass and bluegills.
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Hi there Drowned DesertRat,

You'd have about 500 imperal guard surrounding you with helicopters, inflatables with divers, police with bull horns and over 1,000 members of the press trying to get their scoop.

You might make ten thousand bucks from interviews before being deported. ha ha

Truth is, I was just crazy enough to fish some of the side waters (under the freeway overpass and in the garden) with skyscrapers on all sides of me near some of the major hotels. At that time, they didn't know what to do with me and didn't even approach. ha ha

JapanRon
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