Re: NANFA-- position on educational collecting (was Carillio in the news)

Robert Carillio (darterman_at_hotmail.com)
Tue, 28 Aug 2001 16:52:13 -0400

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Real quick... because I have to leave... I just want to comment on finding a
new name other than collecting. I always thought this term opened a can of
worms with DNR folf, and animal rights activists. How about "Harvesting"...
"picking"... "selecting"...."gathering" These words, however would
probably demand a specific explanation, and somehow it all goes back to
collecting! HA! :-) Suggestions????...

>From: "Jay DeLong" <thirdwind_at_att.net>
>Reply-To: nanfa_at_aquaria.net
>To: <nanfa_at_aquaria.net>
>Subject: NANFA-- position on educational collecting (was Carillio in the
>news)
>Date: Tue, 28 Aug 2001 11:05:51 -0700
>
> > Do you think that perhaps to clear up the misconceptions about
> > collecting, that NANFA as a group should formulate some type of
> > letter about the positive impact it can actually have,
>
>Yes. And call it "educational" collecting. Or do away with the
>"collecting" part alltogether if you can think of a better term. That's a
>stupid term, don't you think? And it has a negative connotation because of
>the illegal activities that have gone on under that same name. And avoid
>saying that anyone has a "right" to collect or that it's an individual
>freedom or something selfish like that.
>
>
> > and just outline the idea that
> > this is something that is not affecting natives as opposed to other
> > affects???
>
>I'd deal with the positive effects of legal educational collecting and
>avoid
>discussion on comparing its impact to habitat destruction. Why even allow
>for guilt by association? Instead, deal with how developing an
>understanding and appreciation of living organisms and their ecosystems
>could lead to inventing better methods of land development and resource
>use.
>
>
> > I mean even if all collecting would stop, these fishes still
> > have the major threats to their habitats, like the poorly planned
> > developement that was mentioned. no habitat means no fish
>
>There is so little collecting going on anywhere anyway. NA natives will
>never catch on as aquarium fishes, except for killifishes and livebearers
>(some of which HAVE suffered from over-collecting). Biologists and
>administrators and others who name collecting as a universal threat are
>coming from their own biases or ignorance. A carefully worded position
>from
>NANFA may be of some help.
>
>
> > maybe we should have collected some to avoid the extinctions
> > caused from such activities...
>
>I wouldn't go this route. That leads to the wacky perception that the fish
>species are the problem and if they're removed-- no problem! I would
>instead include a recognition of the importance of conserving natural
>ecosystems instead of using a single-species approach-- how fish species
>are
>merely a part of complex and poorly understood natural ecosystems, and how
>gaining a better appreciation of them could lead to a better appreciation
>and understanding of the environment in which they've evolved.
>
>--
>Jay DeLong
>Olympia, WA
>"If the biota, in the course of aeons, has built something we like but do
>not understand, then who but a fool would discard seemingly useless parts?
>To keep every cog and wheel is the first precaution of intelligent
>tinkering."
>~ Aldo Leopold (1953)
>
>
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/ 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
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/ For more information about NANFA, visit our web page, http://www.nanfa.org
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