Asian arowana in the States- I don't understand

[Zoodiver]

Usually stings by the Feds are breaking into exhisting smuggling rings... not posting looking for buyers.

 

[frnchjeep]

why? afterall, it IS their job to regulate illegal species. What better way than to set up a sting operation? They're not in the branch of the goverment that deals with foreign terrorists, bank robbers, or child molestors. They're in the branch of the goverment that does exactly what they do.

Thats true, but it still comes out of our paychecks. John Q. Taxpayer doesn't give a flying you-know-what about what pets people are keeping when there are schools all over the country that can't afford updated books. It's true, our government wastes way more money in other aspects, but all in all, that is all a sting would be... a waste. If they want to make some real progress, they need to be focusing on the people importing hundreds at a time. Not the guy buying one at a time.

 

[HighBackRTG]

why? afterall, it IS their job to regulate illegal species. What better way than to set up a sting operation? They're not in the branch of the goverment that deals with foreign terrorists, bank robbers, or child molestors. They're in the branch of the goverment that does exactly what they do.

A sting operation doesn't seem very honest or practical. A lot of people aren't aware or made aware, that these fish are illegal. Seeing as people who are aware of this, wouldn't be stupid enough to try. Perhaps one of the ones who do, will be unlucky. The sting would then catch someone who really didn't mean to commit the crime. At the same time they're doing these stings; the real culprits sneaking them in, are making good business.

 

[Pwn]

why? afterall, it IS their job to regulate illegal species. What better way than to set up a sting operation? They're not in the branch of the goverment that deals with foreign terrorists, bank robbers, or child molestors. They're in the branch of the goverment that does exactly what they do.

You got your answer.

You can tell me with a straight face that if someone in government was making x amount of money posting fake asian arowana for sale adds that it wouldn't bother you?

If such a department exists at all you would think they would be focusing on smugglers with many fish rather than trying to set an ignorant buyer up. If this was true (and it sounds like it might be- scammers or stings) then yes, I would be pissed.


There has to be a way as hobbyists that we can get this issue on someones table to be looked at.

 

[Muni]

I think its silly now that the fish farms have done so well at repopulating the wilds. Most of them are required to release a percentage of fish to keep operating.

I can't wait till I get back into the military so I can move and get an Asian. I love my country but sometimes I can only shake my head in disgust at the stupid crap some people do. But then again there are people like that in every country. Don't you think?

 

[iwiied]

if you're in southern california, the ad might be from a real owner, there are many asian arowana being kept/trade/sold there. you can even walk into a lfs and see asian being displayed in tanks.

A guy on Craigslist had an Asian Aro for sale. I emailed him informing him he could be fined hugely for this and his reply was, "Buy it." Obvious trap. You'd think the feds would at least try to be convincing.
He could at least say, "Oh, no! I didn't know that! But I'm going to have to kill him if nobody buys him so could you at least come take a look at him? Cash only, please." At least that would have a would-be buyer thinking about it instead of GTFO.

 

[krichardson]

if you're in southern california, the ad might be from a real owner, there are many asian arowana being kept/trade/sold there. you can even walk into a lfs and see asian being displayed in tanks.

So much for clandestine sting operations.

 

[jcardona1]

A sting operation doesn't seem very honest or practical. A lot of people aren't aware or made aware, that these fish are illegal. Seeing as people who are aware of this, wouldn't be stupid enough to try. Perhaps one of the ones who do, will be unlucky. The sting would then catch someone who really didn't mean to commit the crime. At the same time they're doing these stings; the real culprits sneaking them in, are making good business.

Ignorance of the law is NEVER a valid excuse, just saying.

 

[jcardona1]

You got your answer.

You can tell me with a straight face that if someone in government was making x amount of money posting fake asian arowana for sale adds that it wouldn't bother you?

If such a department exists at all you would think they would be focusing on smugglers with many fish rather than trying to set an ignorant buyer up. If this was true (and it sounds like it might be- scammers or stings) then yes, I would be pissed.


There has to be a way as hobbyists that we can get this issue on someones table to be looked at.

Does it bother me? Sure. Will I be able to change it? Nope! If you think about, this is no different than a cop arresting somebody on the street with a tiny amount of weed for personal use, instead of going after growers and drug runners. Doesn't make any sense, but that's just how the world turns.

 

[Pwn]

Does it bother me? Sure. Will I be able to change it? Nope! If you think about, this is no different than a cop arresting somebody on the street with a tiny amount of weed for personal use, instead of going after growers and drug runners. Doesn't make any sense, but that's just how the world turns.

Changing "this" is what we want to happen.Thats the point of all of this. We went over the weed metaphor already- it's comparable in a sense but in the example you gave it is not. Nobody has ever been shot breaking into a house to steal a fish, nobody has ever been shot for trespassing on property of an asian arowana keeper. This is why I purposely left the weed comparison out.

They are illegal but they should not be, bottom line. The reason they were deemed illegal to begin with no longer exists. If we had a proper breeding program set up with American grown/raised/chipped and certified arowana then we would be self supporting and the supply/demand would be met.