In a message dated 5/14/01 3:12:49 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
whimbrel at home.com writes:
> The law may have the final say, but I want to know what's
> What are the long-term consequences of
> taking them out of the wild for personal aquariums, and
> should advocates of native fishes be encouraging this practice?
>
What's best for wild fish is to leave them alone and proactively protect
their habitats. As to consequences of collection, in my opinion if the
habitat is preserved, the fish will take care of repopulating themselves, and
normal collection for home aquaria will be harmless to the population. I've
long felt that the migratory bird act prevents people from keeping native
birds in cages. but there is plenty of production out there. Species will
populate all available habitat if you leave a breeding stock. AS to
encouraging or discouraging, this gets into different philosophies like that
of your forest service friend. If his hobby was tropical fish he'd think
differently. Ask him how many wild plants he's dug up to put in his own yard.
Robert J. Goldstein, Ph.D.
Robert J. Goldstein & Associates, Inc.
Environmental Consultants
8480 Garvey Drive
Raleigh, NC 27616 USA
tel (919) 872-1174
fax (919) 872-9214
URL www.rjgaCarolina.com
e-mail rgoldstein at rjgaCarolina.com
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In a message dated 5/14/01 3:12:49 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
whimbrel at home.com writes:
The law may have the final say, but I want to know what's
What are the long-term consequences of
best for wild fish.taking them out of the wild for personal aquariums, and
should advocates of native fishes be encouraging this practice?
What's best for wild fish is to leave them alone and proactively protect
their habitats. As to consequences of collection, in my opinion if the
habitat is preserved, the fish will take care of repopulating themselves, and
normal collection for home aquaria will be harmless to the population. I've
long felt that the migratory bird act prevents people from keeping native
birds in cages. but there is plenty of production out there. Species will
populate all available habitat if you leave a breeding stock. AS to
encouraging or discouraging, this gets into different philosophies like that
of your forest service friend. If his hobby was tropical fish he'd think
differently. Ask him how many wild plants he's dug up to put in his own yard.
Robert J. Goldstein, Ph.D.
Robert J. Goldstein & Associates, Inc.
Environmental Consultants
8480 Garvey Drive
Raleigh, NC 27616 USA
tel (919) 872-1174
fax (919) 872-9214
URL www.rjgaCarolina.com
e-mail rgoldstein at rjgaCarolina.com
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