A ban on all rays, would anyone support it?

[tank125]

I think you need to look bigger picture here. If the reason for a 'ban' is higher mortalities why stingrays and not other fish? How about many herps? animals used for food? where do you draw the line?

True, just looking at the rays, for forum relevance reasons. They draw a lot of attention on themselves though... meaning if Serpae Tetras had a super high mortality, we would not import, but rays are desirable so we continue to keep trying... also the common citizen has an idea of what one is, so media hype about them dieing in transit, just so hobbyist's can keep them in a tank, will be easy to support. Of course, the common person doesn't know that these are fw rays out of SA, but that is no matter. The importer I was speaking to mentioned the scenario, that is why I am presenting it.

 

[RARE AFISHINADO]

u do realize that 90 plus percent of the fish imported into the usa for the aquarium trade will die a premature death dont u???

 

[Tom]

I think there should be a ban, it would encourage captive breeding and limit mortality rates.

 

[dmopar74]

a ban on wild rays, or any wild fish, will reduce awareness for consevation of their natural habitat. temporarily yes their natural populations would gain, but proboably only slightly. after time nobody would care about the need to keep their natural habitat healthy, and ultimately the rays would suffer. tit for tat.

if your looking at it as a monetary issue, eventually the blackmarket would boom for wild/rare rays, again bad for the rays.

a total ban would be detrimental to the hobby, as well as a free for all would.

 

[Big Daves Rays]

I think there should be a ban, it would encourage captive breeding and limit mortality rates.

it would definitely cut down on mortality rates during shipping, but not for mortality rates due to uneducated fish hobbyists and LFS. There aren't enough serious captive breeders of even motoro's to support the demand for rays.

 

[Tom]

a ban on wild rays, or any wild fish, will reduce awareness for consevation of their natural habitat. temporarily yes their natural populations would gain, but proboably only slightly. after time nobody would care about the need to keep their natural habitat healthy, and ultimately the rays would suffer. tit for tat.

if your looking at it as a monetary issue, eventually the blackmarket would boom for wild/rare rays, again bad for the rays.

a total ban would be detrimental to the hobby, as well as a free for all would.

Right, like the Asian Arowana trade there would be black market activity, but it would be very hard to export out of south america if that was the case. And as far as "caring for their natural habitat" people in general should start caring for the planet and nature as well. That's another can of worms. I still think the good out weighs the bad if a ban were in effect.

 

[Tom]

it would definitely cut down on mortality rates during shipping, but not for mortality rates due to uneducated fish hobbyists and LFS. There aren't enough serious captive breeders of even motoro's to support the demand for rays.

If there was a ban you prob wouldnt see rays in your general LFS. Uneducated fish keepers prob would not even be able to get there hands on them either because they prob would not be able to afford them.

 

[StiffMeister]

where do you get the info on survival and mortality?

 

[tank125]

where do you get the info on survival and mortality?

work for a wholesaler in the US and you will see... I do not have hard numbers, just many years in the hobby/trade.


Rareafishinado = yes, you are exactly right, all the imported fish die, most much sooner than if let be in the wild


Ray as ambassador, this is a very good point!

 

[DavidW]

imo they should be bred commercially, by license, under academic supervision in their countries of origin. But until there is the political will and more importantly , $$$'s, its not going to happen. Outside breeders could still do their thing. This would guarantee a flow of income to the original country, keep the prices reasonable, guarantee a flow of 'pure' blood rays ( I would make 'no hybridizing for resale' a condition of the license) provide a ton of observable and measurable information about rays for researchers and experimenters, and cut down on the mortality rates for shipped rays.
Technically there is a permanent ban on rays from Brazil, the quotas are exceptions to this ban.