Crayfish, weevils and fungi are being released into the environment in order to tackle invasive species across Britain.
What? Which idiot is doing this? Didn't they learn what a bad idea it is?
Scientists working for the government have been breeding species in labs to set them loose into the wild to take on Japanese knotweed, signal crayfish and Himalayan balsam, and other species that choke out native plants and wildlife.
I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised, then, it dseems whrn you are a scientist who works for the government, the paycheck is everything...
They are doing this, in part, to meet tough targets set by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in its recently announced environmental improvement plan. Ministers have directed the Animal and Plant Health Agency (Apha) to reduce the establishment of invasive species by 50% by 2030.
And they immediately said: 'Cool! Let's import and release some more!' That's the calibre of 'scientist' we are talking about here.
The biosecurity minister and Labour peer Sue Hayman said: “With a changing climate we are constantly assessing for new risks and threats, including from invasive plants and animals, as well as managing the impacts of species already in this country. Invasive non-native species cost Britain’s economy nearly £2bn a year, and our environmental improvement plan sets out plans to reduce their establishment to protect native wildlife and farmers’ livelihoods.”
The idea that this wretched government cares about farmer's livelihoods is the most insane thing about this news item!
I've long maintained that the increase in canal breaches is caused by the invasive Signal Crayfish. Just like the one in Shropshire last week. The Signal Crayfish can dig burrows up to 2m long into the bank. On a river that just causes the bank to collapse a bit. On a canal on a 30ft high embankment, that's a recipe for disaster. Considering the canals lasted 200 years, including long periods of neglect and stayed pretty stable, the increase in major breaches (two this year) can only be attributable to a new phenomenon like a newly introduced burrowing creature.
ReplyDeleteThere was an old lady who swallowed a fly...
ReplyDeleteCane toads, grey squirrels, rabbits, rats. B, b, but diversity good.
ReplyDeleteReading The first line I assumed that this would be about Head Millibrain's cunning plan to get us, not him of course, convert to a more eco-friendly diet.
ReplyDeleteWhat a novel idea, introducing large amounts of alien life and releasing it into the UK environment to 'choke out' the native issues. What could possibly go wrong?
ReplyDeleteBut that's enough about immigration . . . . . .