The Ornamental Aquatic Trade Association (OATA) has launched a new poster for aquatic retailers to highlight the dangers of non-native pond plants.
The poster which tells fishkeepers "Keep your pond plants in the garden" explains why it's not a good idea to dump unwanted pond plants and gives advice on how pondkeepers can recycle them into compost instead.
A number of invasive pond plants are causing some damage to the British aquatic environment and OATA has suggested that its members no longer stock some species.
Top of the list are the New Zealand Water stonecrop, Crassula helmsii, which is usually sold in the trade under its old name, Tillaea recurva, and the Floating pennywort, Hydrocotyle ranunculoides. (The native H. vulgaris, of course, isn't a problem.) However, OATA also wants dealers to stop selling another very popular and widely sold species.
Says OATA: "We strongly recommend that members either find an alternative to, or stop selling, Parrots feather, Myriophyllum aquaticum." It says that this species has become a pest in the southwest of England and is reportedly spreading further north.
To obtain copies of the poster or for more information contact the OATA office on 0870 0434013 or email [email protected]