A Community and Forum For Aquaponic Gardeners

Breaking the law...?

Has any one else noticed this......?

I've seen this ad at Craig's list a few times. They are encouraging people to stock ponds with tilapia.

Is it just me.....or does that sound like they are telling people to break the law ? They never mention 'not letting them escape'...or being carried off by eagles, ect.

Live Tilapia for Aquaponics Aquaculture Great for stocking ponds - $1 (Saint Augustine)

Date: 2010-09-29, 1:17PM EDT
Reply to: sale-ahjg7-1979960809@craigslist.org ^{[Errors when replying to ads?]}

Live Tilapia for sale $1.00 per fish 25 fish minimum discounts for 200 or more fish at .75 cents each. Call for discounts on larger quantities. These are blue strain Tilapia mixed sex great for stocking ponds to reduce algae and also a great source of food they will be market size in 6 months or less. Please call 904-377-5945 if interested.

My friend, called someone else near Orlando, that had an ad on Craig's list. He was just curious how much the guy was charging for his 'pure blues' (as he called them) Turns out, he too, had them in a pond outside ....?

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by TCLynx on September 30, 2010 at 6:43am

Blue tilapia are a "gray" area in the law in Many Florida Counties because they already escaped in such abundance that the authorities seem to have given up trying to restrict them. You can go out to most ponds and canals in Florida and net blue tilapia. There is a population of blue tialpia that have been surviving in Tampa bay as well (Salt Water.)

So while I think it is irresponsible of them to advertise them for natural pond stocking and not ask people to try and keep them from escaping, the truth is, they are already naturalized through out much of Florida which is why most counties no longer bother to restrict them.

Permalink Reply by zero power on September 30, 2010 at 7:17pm

blue talipia is allowed... pure with documentataion... any other type you must have a restrict lic.. big fine for just selling them live with out a licence

Permalink Reply by Cooking Cajun on May 11, 2011 at 7:50am

re: pure blue tilapia. I've read over the certification forms to apply for using restricted fish. If one wanted to grow blue tilapia AP style and indoors, what documentation would someone need? Are there breeders selling pure blue tilapia for AP? If I understand correctly, would I have to register my AP pond in Florida no matter what I grow, even native species? Thanks

C.C. (NW Florida, Zone 8b)

zero power said:

blue talipia is allowed... pure with documentataion... any other type you must have a restrict lic.. big fine for just selling them live with out a licence

Permalink Reply by TCLynx on May 11, 2011 at 9:13am

What is your AP system meant for? If it is purely for personal use/consumption then personally I would not want to invite the government onto my property to inspect it to get the aquaculture permit. However, if you intend to sell the fish or do anything commercial with the fish, then you better go through the process of getting the aquaculture permit. It has less to do with the kind of fish actually, and more to do with your intentions. Even if you were just doing say native bluegill commercially, then you should get the aquaculture permit but if you are just gonna have an aquaponics system for personal food production then go with some type of fish that isn't restricted.

Now if you are talking about a large natural body of water, there might be restrictions about stocking it with any fish without getting a permit. But if you are talking about something like a fish tank or a lined or plastic ornamental pond that you are using for a private use and you will use native or "allowed species", don't go confusing the officials trying to get permits. Most of them have no idea what aquaponics is and they don't know what to do with backyard projects either.

There are fish farms in Florida where you can get bluegill, bass and catfish for private pond stocking (or AP system stocking) you don't need a license to buy them, there are also places to get blue tilapia for stocking your AP system. As long as you are not going commercial, I wouldn't bother with the Aquaculture permit.