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Re: NFC: Re: NANFA-- Too much awareness?
This is why we have the Breeder's Program in the NFC, which will
hopefully significantly advance our understanding of the life histories
of many of our native species, but will also provide domestically bred
offspring to native fish enthusiasts which can be sold to raise funds
for NFC conservation projects.
Not to throw cold water on anyone's paranoia parade, but there is
already a thriving trade in US natives. Check out the rosy-red feeder
minnows (xanthic fathead minnows), rainbow danios (red shiners) and
sailfin mollies (Poecilia latipinna) in your local pet store. Captured
from the wild? Nope - raised on farms, as collection of wild populations
of US natives is too variable for commercial use, which is why we don't
have hundreds of dealers exporting natives to Europe, where US fishes
are appreciated and fetch exhorbitant sums.
In order to avoid situations such as the one discussed below, I won't
share any of my top-secret online methods of finding hot collecting
locations for desirable species to be collected in accordance with the
NFC's scientific collecting permits for the NFC Breeder's Program and
authorized NFC research projects. Premiere potential collecting
locations I have come across for Carolina Pygmy Sunfish, Tangerine
Darters, Swampfish, Rainbow Shiners, etc., will not be disclosed to
unauthorized persons to protect existing populations.
>From owner-nfc at actwin_com Tue Jan 12 13:41:22 1999
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>Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1999 17:40:29 -0400
>To: nanfa at aquaria_net, NFC at actwin_com
>From: mbinkley at earthling_net (Mark Binkley)
>Subject: NFC: Re: NANFA-- Too much awareness?
>Sender: owner-nfc at actwin_com
>Reply-To: nfc at actwin_com
>
>Yes, yes, yes! Excellent points! Awareness is more than, "Hey, there
are
>some really cool fish in North America. Let's go catch them and sell
or
>trade them to everyone we know!" Awareness has to include, "Hey, this
>species is really rare and can only be found in this one riffle in this
one
>creek that sits downstream from a chemical plant. I may know where
that
>riffle is, but I'm not going to tell my friend who would go and take
all he
>can find." We have to let people know, not just that North American
fishes
>are really worthwhile, but also that many are in danger. Part of it
has to
>be educating everyone about protected listings, habitat maintenance,
and
>responsible collecting. If we're nothing but a bunch of fish
collectors,
>why should anyone care to work with us on any aspect of this. The only
>reason sport fishers get any resources is because they pay license fees
and
>buy fishing charters and equipment. If we're viewed as nothing but
>consumers of the resource, we will likely get nothing but resistance.
Our
>economic input is way too small to get any positive attention. Those
who
>have an interest in protecting the resource will see us as a threat if
>we're seen as nothing but collectors.
>
>On the other hand, if we can demonstrate that we are making a
significant
>contribution to educating people on the need to preserve the non-game
fish
>resource, we might get some support and assistance with the things we
want
>to accomplish. This can happen on the most basic, personal level.
Each of
>us has to act in the most responsible and well-informed manner whenever
we
>interact with native fish and their habitats. That means knowing what
fish
>are protected in the area you are visiting; learning to ID the fish
that
>can be found there; not taking more fish than you really can maintain
or
>make positive use of; and teaching these things to our friends. So get
out
>those field guides and learn those fish!
>
>That's my sermon for today. :)
>
>
>Mark Binkley
>Columbus Ohio USA <))><
>mbinkley at earthling_net
>
>
>
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