432 



Non-ihiihi' Spfiifx — Our Liviiit: Rcsoidves 



results and these estimates is most influenced 

 hy our intent to include all reported nonindige- 

 nous fish that have been found within the 

 United States since 1800, regardless of their 

 cuiTent status. 



Game and associated forage fish are the 

 most widely distributed nonindigenous fish. 

 These include the salmonids (salmon and trout), 

 ictalurids (catfish), centrarchids (hass and sun- 

 fish), percids (walleye and sauger), and 

 cyprinids (minnows). The two most widely dis- 

 tributed nonindigenous fish species are goldfish 

 {Carassiiis auratus) and common carp 

 {Cxprinus carpio). Both have been reported or 

 collected from all states except Alaska (Table). 

 Goldfish introductions are the result of the 

 release of bait and aquarium fish and forage fish 

 stocking for game fish. Widespread distribution 

 of common caip is primarily due to the stocking 

 program of the U.S. Fish Commission in the 

 late I800"s and early 1900"s and later use of 

 juvenile carp as bait. 



Reported Occurrences 



All 50 states have reponed nonindigenous 

 fish from their open waters (Fig. 1 ). When con- 

 sidering total diversity of nonindigenous fish 

 species, the top five states are California (114), 

 Texas (96), Florida (96), North Carolina (83), 

 and Nevada (82). In fact, of the total 404 

 species, 312 (77%) are reported as occuiring or 

 having been found within the 1 1 states crossing 

 or below the 35th parallel (e.g., Hawaii. 

 California, Arizona. New Mexico, Texas. 

 Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana. Alabama. 

 Georgia, and Florida). Although Hawaii was 

 historically without any native freshwater fish, 

 it now has 52 nonindigenous freshwater fish 

 species. 



Table. Nonindigenous fish introduced into 10 or more 

 states, l.sr)()-iW4. 



Fig 1. The number of nonindigenous fish species reported by state. 1800-1994. Some species 

 may not be established or have been eradicated. 



Trends 



The first fish translocation effort began in 

 the early 1870"s with an attempt to introduce 

 several eastern species to the west coast and to 

 stock Chinook salmon in the East. Fish that were 

 introduced to the West included eels, brook and 

 lake trout, lake whitefish. noilheiTi pike, striped 



