RE: NANFA-- exotics

Crail, Todd (tcrail_at_northshores.com)
Sun, 15 Sep 2002 23:22:26 -0400

I completely agree that it was pure PR. However, I think that this will only *increase* the value of the commodity at stake. Think of all the people who want to keep snakeheads because they're bad-arsed fish. Almost daily people would come into my shop 1) asking for feeders or 2) asking for snakeheads because "they're bad and I want one for my 20 gallon". Make them illegal and gee... The unscrupulous shop keeper has the perfect reason to get outrageous markups for aquiring such fish. And now the aquarist has a whole other line of "why this fish makes me so cool" to give to their friends.

And should someone decide to take issue with me that "Well it doesn't just stop there! All fish may be banned for keeping." which seems to be a common call to arms... I don't have *any* problem with a comprehensive ban on exotics, if that's what it takes to stop the introductions. Heck, I'd even go as far as saying I'm okay with a ban on aquaria, *if* that's what it took (Note: I'd hate to see it happen... I'm just saying, I'll accept it *** IF THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES *** ).

I agree with Moon and Wally's points on how invasive the DNR can be. Perhaps you should write your legislators about it?

But don't leave it to my opinion... I'm just the guy who lives in fear of getting a visit from the "Weed Police" because I'm converting most of my exotic turf grass over to native prairie plants, and we have a pretty strict "weed" law here... So much for milkweed, pokeweed, joe pye weed, thimbleweed... ;)

Todd
-----Original Message-----
From: Christopher Scharpf
Sent: Sun 9/15/2002 10:49 PM
To: nanfa_at_aquaria.net
Cc:
Subject: Re: NANFA-- exotics


> Look around and see all the exotic fish released by the state in the name of
> better fishing or what ever.

Exactly. Anglers bring in money to the state. And since fee-paying anglers
outnumber non-fee-paying fishkeepers, threats to gamefish populations will
always be treated more seriously than threats to nongamefish populations.
Perhaps the only way for fishkeepers (or nature lovers) to get more
political clout is to be taxed or charged for the "right" to keep a fish in
an aquarium, or to see a fish in the wild. Maybe fishkeepers should have to
apply for licenses the way dog owners do. Maybe a license to keep a
snakehead would cost more. Perhaps that would dissuade non-serious snakehead
keepers from acquiring the fish in the first place. (I'm not recommending
any of this; I'm just coming up with scenarios that might level the playing
field for fishkeepers.)

Anyway, let's be realistic. We all know that the SC ban on snakeheads is
more a PR effort than an all-out witch hunt on snakehead owners. The SC DNR
-- nor any DNR, for that matter -- does not have the funds and manpower to
knock on every door with a snakehead detector. The best the ban can do is to
minimize the likelihood that snakeheads get into the state's waterways. If
you have a snakehead in your basement, and you are a responsible fish
keeper, then you can keep it. Who's to know? But maybe, just maybe, the ban
will encourage some non-serious snakehead keeper to turn in his or her
channid rather than let it go in pygmy sunfish or greenhead shiner habitat
when it outgrows the 55 gallon.

No one's mentioned that the most conservative of states -- Texas -- already
has a snakehead ban.

Listen, I feel sorry for serious snakehead enthusiasts. But if snakeheads
are as serious a risk as the experts say they are, then the ban is a good
idea. Maybe the SC DNR can institute a bowfin-for-a-snakehead swap program!

Chris Scharpf
Baltimore
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/"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