Re: [RML] Banning all PNG fish

Bruce Hansen (bhansen at ozemail.com.au)
Thu, 11 Sep 1997 22:45:39 +1000

> From: rhondawi at sprynet.com
> To: rainbowfish at pcug.org.au
> Subject: Re: [RML] Banning all PNG fish
> Date: Thursday, 11 September 1997 14:33
>
> Don't get the wrong idea I hate big government, look at the great things
> ours is up too. More USDA employees than farmers, now we're paying
hospitals
> to not train doctors, mostly because the AMA is the largest political
> contributor (yes bigger than even tobacco), and they sure don't want a
glut
> of doctors. Then they might have to compete and not make as much. Hey we
> wouldn't actually want medical care costs to go down would we. (No
offence
> intended to the Doc :)
>
No offence taken - we have the opposite problem over here Rhonda. Most Gp's
over here are working just as hard and seeing as many patients per day as
ever but making 20,000 to 30,000 dollars per year less :-(
I have to pay a guy $50 per hour to take my place while I am away and I
will be lucky if he earns half that - probably wont even earn enough to pay
staff wages and running expenses.

> You have to look at both sides instead of just giving a knee jerk
response.
> My guess is that after the Australians took a look at what's happened to
the
> waters of the rest of the world, like ours, they decided to try to save
> theirs from the same fate. Instead of just saying hey it's not our fault,

> perhaps it would be more practical to actually find out what the actual
risk
> of contamination by hobbyists is and work to find a possible equitable
> solution.

Even ANCA, the principal Commonwealth environmental body here was honest
enough not to blame all the feral populations of exotic fishes here on
aquarists.

> One that would allow those that are responsible enough to keep
> fish to do so and one that will still protect waters from even more
> contamination. Just because a body of water already has the scourge of
> Gambusia doesn't mean it should be stocked with Talapia and mollies too.
>
I couldn't agree more - just Tilapia :-) Then American Largemouth Bass to
eat the Tilapia then Nile perch to eat the Bass, then Arapaima to eat the
Perch etc etc ;-)

Cheers

Bruce