I think this is a healthy veiw. It seems to me that present day humans
measure everything by the past two hundred years or much less. Like many of
our weather phenomana, averages are based on either 20 or 30 years. Also
flawed in my opinion is the use of "blocks of time" as in months to measure
events. Its much the same way how the false lines of geography of man are
used to detemine many species abuandance on the state level. When was the
last time any animal or plant followed the straight line bounderies we have
created ( the good old joke of deer crossing signs)? Rivers , Mountains ,
Lakes, Oceans yes, but not some line we divised somehow.
> Still, it would be a crying shame to see, say, bluenose shiners go
> extinct in my lifetime. That's my emotional side.
I agree with that. Here's a funny antidote. When I was a kid, I used to sit
in the garage and look at my two tanks ( I couldn't keep my messy fish in
the house then, I think I was 8 years old). One held green sunfish ( or
maybe a green and warmouth- my feild guides were pretty lame then), and the
other bowfin. I would think, I should see if I can keep these species going
to insure they are around. I don't know where this thought came from. Really
though, a five gallon tank is not what would work , and neither would one
pair ( if they were a pair even), although if that is all there was, just
maybe. That said I would like to see all sides come together and use all the
methods at our disposal to "manage" our resources. I always get the feeling
that some think there is only one way, and those that differ are totally
wrong. That is the foundation of my statements. Somtimes this deep seated
belief of mine bubbles up too much and bends what I say, in ways that
probably appear quite silly. By that I mean I might sound as if I think "my
ways" are the only way, which nothing could be further from the truth. I
think a multi pronged approach is the best method. No matter what, any one
way can fail, and hopefully another picks up the slack for this. May the
welaka ( and cyanellus/gulosus and calva) swim as long as we live anyways
=).
Ray
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