RE: NANFA-- RE: anglers vs aquarists

Crail, Todd (tcrail_at_northshores.com)
Mon, 16 Sep 2002 14:24:16 -0400

Hi Allen,

Yes, you *should*. :)

However, I think he was getting at the fact that the vast majority of
aquarists in *any* state pay only the mark ups the local fish shops require to
purchase an animal and that stays with the LFS. There are some built in cost
if the animals were flown in overseas that the USFW charges to check the boxes
(although this number is ridiculously low imho).. So in essence, any fish
purchased at a shop is *not* funding any regulating body, and is only
generating sales tax. In addition, none of the excise taxes that are added
(*in addition* to sales tax) to fishing equipment, hunting equipment, and
camping equipment are added to aquarium fish.... And all that revenue is in
addition to the fees that are paid for licensing.

All of these are revenues that surround "sport", of which, the aquarium hobby
has not, to this point, volunteered to generate those types of revenues to
help regulate itself. There are some organizations working to do this with
marine ornamentals, but it has not yet been put into the works yet. If you'd
like to see a little about that go to: http://www.aquariumcouncil.org as one
example. The AMDA and IMF would be two other organizations that I don't have
time to look up their websites right now...

If the aquarium industry were more willing to cough up some cash to pay for
qualified inspectors from USFW, they may have a stake in catching the
attention of any governing body (I know Mr. Fullerton is going to have a field
day with this one heeheehee :). However, if the price for say, Cichlasoma
meeki rose from $3.99 to a $4.99 price to dish off some of the money to any
body willing to help regulate, study, and certify exotic animals safe for keep
in an aquarium per locale... Oh man I'd hate to hear the whining then heh.

And... Unfortunately... In Florida... You can pay a once a year $15 fee and go
catch as many C. meeki as you want.

And C. meeki don't eat Bass and Crappie and Trout for very long in the wild.
In fact, I'd argue they might make good bait for the sport natives in an
angling sense if they were common to a particular body of water. So... No one
with any real power is listening.

Todd

-----Original Message-----
From: Allen Boatman
Sent: Monday, September 16, 2002 1:14 PM
To: nanfa_at_aquaria.net
Subject: NANFA-- RE: anglers vs aquarists

Chris,
I dont know about in your state, but here in Florida, we have to pay for
a freshwater fishing license even if we are collecting non-gamefish, or
baitfish. Since we are law abiding citizens, and pay for our right to
collect, we should also, with that, have a right to publicly voice our
opinions to the State or local management districts.

Allen Boat Boatman
/-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
/"Unless stated otherwise, comments made on this list do not necessarily
/ reflect the beliefs or goals of the North American Native Fishes
/ Association"
/ This is the discussion list of the North American Native Fishes Association
/ nanfa_at_aquaria.net. To subscribe, unsubscribe, or get help, send the word
/ subscribe, unsubscribe, or help in the body (not subject) of an email to
/ nanfa-request_at_aquaria.net. For a digest version, send the command to
/ nanfa-digest-request_at_aquaria.net instead.
/ For more information about NANFA, visit our web page, http://www.nanfa.org