This post was talking broadly about all aquarium imports.
> << Why not make the industry self supporting in Australia
> with most fish being bred commercailly within Oz? Obviously this also
> has problems of its own. Additional material to bolster genetic stocks
> could be brought in from time to time with more stringent quaranteen
> control (since there would also be a much lower volume of fish). It
> would create a bit more industry and employment for a few folks. Fish
> may be a little more expensive but potentially at the saving of the
> Australian environment.>>
> Ever since I have been President of ANGFA(N) this has been the policy of
> the committee not only for PNG species but for Australian ones also. We are
> against cast-netting drying waterholes causing major damage to the
> specimens caught thus, and then flogging the survivors of a chain of stress
> and cruelty onto the market where the poor slob that buys it further
> perpetuates the process. No wonder they often say "We tried some of those
> wild-caught fish from Darwin that were on special and lost all our other
> fish that we had for 2 years. We are never going to keep native fish
> again."
Which is a good thing to a degree. In my opinion, some careful
harvesting of wild populations does not consitute any great threat.
However, the welfare of the fish also has to be a high priority.
> << Obviously some fish cannot be bred in captivity
> and these may need to be continued to be imported.>>
>
> I'm not sure what species you have in mind here Peter.
Clown loaches, perhaps difficult stuff like neons, cardinals, etc.
> We made a submission to the NT Government re this exact problem last year
> and of course they chose to support a continuing wild-caught fishery for
> aquarium purposes. over an aquaculture approach. Perhaps when I migrate to
> the NT and find me a rich widow with a smidgen of Aboriginal ancestry and a
> successful land claim i could design a successful system :-).
My personal opinion is that the NT is the wrong place to start farming
fish. It should be done in places where cyclones are not an issue, and
where the fish when they escape can not survive. I know this will sound
stupid to some as obviously I'm suggesting farming tropical fish in a non
tropical climate which greatly increases the direct cost of raising
fish. However, that is the safest place to do it. Unfortunately I don't
ever see that coming into reality as people are too financially short
sighted. Obviously, if native fish were being raised next to their
native stream that would not be such an issue, but as soon as you bring a
rainbow from the next river system in you are done for.
Peter Unmack