1) Dams are a major cause of fish declines in North America and we should look
more closely at dam decommissioning.
2) The Endangered Species Act is an ineffective piece of legislation that
tramples the rights of private landowners and encourages more unnecessary
government regulation that places the rights of animals over those of people.
3) Aquarists are unfairly maligned when it comes to exotic fish introductions
since stocking programs promulgated by government agencies, not aqurists, are
the #1 cause of exotic fish introductions.
4) George W. Bush's environmental record as governor of Texas -- specifically,
his abandonment of the Texas Natural Heritage Program and specific acts of
legislation which went against the Arkansas river shiner -- causes me great
concern as to how he's going to handle environmental matters as President of
the U.S.
5) The Pacific salmon crisis is glaring proof that states cannot be trusted to
police themselves and draft, let alone enforce, effective legislation that will
protect salmon for future generations. Therefore, I support the federal
government's intervention in this crisis.
6) It's unfair that aquarists are not allowed access to endangered species. We
should be able to collect them, breed them, and maintain them in aquaria to keep
them from going extinct.
7) It's important that we set aside more land as national parks and monuments in
order to protect fragile ecosystems, preserve "wildness," and save our
biodiversity.
8) I think it's wrong that so much of the money that anglers pay in fishing and
boating licenses is going towards nongame fish restoration.
9) Man is a product of evolution and therefore everything that man does,
including causing the extinction of lower lifeforms, is part of evolution and
theefore natural, so we are wasting our time and money trying to stop it.
10) Fishes and other aquatic organisms are going extinct in this country faster
than they are in tropical ecosystems. Yet here we are, pissing and moaning the
loss of LFSs at the expense of PetSmarts. C'mon people! Get a grip!
Thanks.
Christopher Scharpf
Baltimore
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