>Groups evolve yunno. No one has said ANGFA shouldn't be fishkeeping
>orientated and it isn't likely to ever not be. Keeping fish and having an
>environmental conscience are not mutually exclusive. My whole reason for
>pushing this issue is I think ANGFA can only benefit by demonstrating that
>it has an environmental conscience and is not just a group of people who
>go out and rape and pillage habitats just so they can keep a few fish at
>home. Sure, some members will always do this but at least the club could
>take a stand against such activity and demonstate that it is a responsible
>organisation that gives a shit about what it enjoys. I am concerned that
>ANGFA hasn't done more to educate it's members about the risks involved
>with it's activities. Every club should make it's members aware of the
>risks and responsibilities involved in their activities. The only way to
>overcome this risks is by education. Hence why I am pushing for a policy
>statment on that issue. ANGFA has an interest in the continued existance
>of the fishes that started the group. By that definition I'd argue that
>is has always been conservation orientated. You just don't like the word
>conservation. Most of this whole discussion is largely semantics based
>around the word conservation. Would you disagree with what I have
>outlined above Adrian?
Yes I would but I think it is more important for ANGFA to get back to basics
and advise people how to keep, breed and care for their fishes properly then
they wont have to go out plundering the natural environments all the time.
When was the last time you read a fishkeeping article in Fishes of Sahul. As
for what I think of Conservationists - I don't believe that there is a TRUE
Conservationist anywhere, most just pay lip service to the ideals of
conservationism or are radicals looking for a flag to fly while others jump
on the bandwagon because it has become fashionably to belong to a
conservation group.
Adrian.
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Adrian R. Tappin
"Home of the Rainbowfish"
http://www.ecn.net.au/~atappin/home.htm
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