Re: [RML] Banning all PNG fish

peter.unmack at ASU.Edu
Wed, 10 Sep 1997 16:16:53 -0700 (MST)

On Thu, 11 Sep 1997, Bruce Hansen wrote:

> Do they send the "fish police " around to inspect the aquaria of all SA
> citizens that are known or rumoured to have had a fish tank within living
> memory?

They have done this to several stores and prosecuted them for prohibited
species.

> It would be interesting to know how truly effective this legislation has
> been.

I really don't know, I'm sure though it has decreased the numbers of
those prohibited species relative to before the ban.

> Just because an activity
> is declared officially unacceptable doesn't automatically stop it from
> occurring. e.g. Roy's reference to "pot".

But would you like to be caught with pot?

> I still contend that even after 10 years (perhaps because they have been
> lovingly maintained for those 10 years) the choice between "bouncing" and
> "liberating" will not automatically result in "surrender".
> Of course in SA there are not a lot of suitable natural habitats available
> to the "liberationists" :)

If the authorities suspect wrong doing you won't have the chance of
liberating them, they will just conviscate them on the spot. I do
understand what you are saying though. I don't have any answers, just
issues to raise.

Hooroo

Peter Unmack