Philippines to fight invading species

PHILIPPINES: Like some bad science-fiction movie, Philippine fishermen are encountering strange alien creatures: tough, speckled fish with sharp spines that tear and rip their nets.

These suckermouth catfish from South America are just one of a growing number of foreign species that are spreading in local waterways and forests, threatening to edge out the country's indigenous plants and animals.

The catfish, locally known as "janitor fish", were originally introduced locally for aquariums but careless handling and weak controls allowed them to escape into the wild - just like scores of other animals and plants.

These foreign species may look like cute turtles or lovely flowers but Government wildlife experts warn that they are displacing native plants and animals while causing massive harm to the farming and fishing industries.

"The ecological threat of invasive species is so great, they could transform the landscape, wipe out native species and destroy the diversity of the ecosystem," said Government wildlife specialist Anson Tagtag. In the case of the suckermouth catfish, it has multiplied faster than local species while competing with them for food and building nests in mud banks, dirtying the waters.

Filipinos generally find janitor fish unpalatable so those that are caught by fishermen go to waste. MANILA, Wednesday, AFP