Help Stop legal actions against future importations relating to the Lacey Act

[aussieman57]

The whole bill seems ridiculous to me from our standpoint here in FL. There are so many invasives established here now it is as they say "a little too late". The only thing a bill of this type would succeed in doing at this stage of the game is perpetrating financial harm on so many people. Makes zero sense.

 

[Hybridfish7]

So then just stick to the truth.

after a few more heads-ups from other people, as it turns out, it was not hyperbole, unfortunately.

 

[rvadog]

after a few more heads-ups from other people, as it turns out, it was not hyperbole, unfortunately.

No. Its definitely hyperbole. The act creates white list process for animals. It does not ban not natives neccesarily.

 

[Hybridfish7]

Of course it's a valid reason. Invasive aquatic species have been causing problems in native waterways since I was a kid, here in Canada. What about the potential pathogens that some of those tropical species may be passing along to native species? The damage done to native flora & fauna? S skjl47 mentioned carp, I was fishing for common carp, a non-native nuisance species, in the Detroit River back in the 1960's. Now the State of MI is worried about Grass Carp showing up in the Great Lakes. You don't have to live in the state of FL to be exposed to the damage from invasive non native fish.

As a person who keeps tropical fish, I don't agree with this bill, but like it or not this **** storm has been building for several decades.

Unfortunately the issue of people releasing fish(and other animals) into the wild and them creating feral populations is a very valid argument,. Itsone of the main reasons we have such strict animal/fish import laws here in australia.
Australia is similar to the USA in the fact that the climate varies dramatically from one side of the country to the other , no tropical fish could survive in the wild where i live but they would thrive up north. Even with this obvious fact the rules are the same throughout the whole country. As much as i dont like the rules i can see why they have them and why they are so strict with them too.

For all you american fishkeepers I hope you succeed in getting the proposed rules blocked or changed, it will certainly change things for you if you dont.

Again, the incidents of tropical release are few and far enough between, and shot down quickly enough by either natural occurrences (or the DNR) to where it doesn't become a significantly widespread or frequent issue, whether it be introduced diseases or population expanses. I'm not saying it doesn't happen nor is it justified, but a couple instances that make it to the news once every couple of years shouldn't warrant the shut down of the entire tropical fish trade.

As for the Australia bit, Australia has a lot more habitable space for most of commonly (or uncommonly) kept tropical species. Again, the US has a state or two plus some random small bodies of water that are habitable enough for tropical species to maintain stable populations.
Though I agree temperate species are when it becomes a problem, because of course there is a lot more area that is habitable to them and in the case of everything east of the Mississippi, easy and commute between bodies of water/watersheds. Though most of that isn't the fault of and should not impact the aquarium trade.

 

[SourAngelfish]

The issue lies in the danger of what a bill like this can lead to. A black list on species such as those capable of invading our local waterways it’s much more efficient than a whitelist based around minimum imports, it will just take a bit more effort on the governments part.

imagine the endangered species some of us raise and breed within our homes becoming illegal to transport across state lines or sell to other hobbyists who wish to preserve these beautiful animals. I can already name a large handful of my fish that I am quite certain will be banned due to this impending whitelist.

While I see the cause it’s fighting for, I truly don’t think this is the best solution.

 

[DrownedFishonFire]

Am just hoping this does not pass as this is a multibillion industry if not trillions at stake- so many people make a living doing this- the other day I was wondering wow how many peoples lives have been enriched by keeping fish in their homes as many cannot have a dog/cat- a fish was always an acceptable pet substitution. It is sad all around.

 

[skjl47]

Again, the incidents of tropical release are few and far enough between, and shot down quickly enough by either natural occurrences (or the DNR) to where it doesn't become a significantly widespread or frequent issue, whether it be introduced diseases or population expanses. I'm not saying it doesn't happen nor is it justified, but a couple instances that make it to the news once every couple of years shouldn't warrant the shut down of the entire tropical fish trade.

As for the Australia bit, Australia has a lot more habitable space for most of commonly (or uncommonly) kept tropical species. Again, the US has a state or two plus some random small bodies of water that are habitable enough for tropical species to maintain stable populations.
Though I agree temperate species are when it becomes a problem, because of course there is a lot more area that is habitable to them and in the case of everything east of the Mississippi, easy and commute between bodies of water/watersheds. Though most of that isn't the fault of and should not impact the aquarium trade.

Invasive Species Profiles List | National Invasive Species Information Center


Species Lists | National Invasive Species Information Center

Hello the two links above ought to give a clue as to how the issue is not small potatoes and is not to be dismissed. Again I do not want the agencies to interfering in my hobbies and my activities. The lake close to me, Norris lake, is infested with zebra mussels. If I take my boat to another lake, I need to find a way to clean the trailer and boat. I wonder how many will do that sort of thing?

The field next to my property has been used for grazing cattle for years. It is loaded with weeds the cattle will not eat. I have not checked the specific species next door but do know an invasive plant is taking over in fields in my area. Hard to deal with.

 

[Hybridfish7]

Invasive Species Profiles List | National Invasive Species Information Center


Species Lists | National Invasive Species Information Center

Hello the two links above ought to give a clue as to how the issue is not small potatoes and is not to be dismissed. Again I do not want the agencies to interfering in my hobbies and my activities. The lake close to me, Norris lake, is infested with zebra mussels. If I take my boat to another lake, I need to find a way to clean the trailer and boat. I wonder how many will do that sort of thing?

The field next to my property has been used for grazing cattle for years. It is loaded with weeds the cattle will not eat. I have not checked the specific species next door but do know an invasive plant is taking over in fields in my area. Hard to deal with.

Again. I'm not saying the subject of invasive species as a whole is invalid. We're not even on the subject of plants. Invertebrates is a different story and I will have to read back through the amendment to see if they're even involved in this. I'm talking about the subject of tropical species introduced by hobbyists, and saying that the fact that hobbyist introductions aren't a direct threat to ecosystems nationwide, outside of a southern state or two, does not warrant whitelisting every species available and collapsing an industry. Most of the detrimental and widespread invasive temperate species across the country are either hitchhikers, or were ironically released on purpose, brought here for food, or both. The latter is the case for all the carp in the US.
Even then, additionally, most grass carp released nowadays are sterile.
I will not ignore the fact that snakeheads spread very fast. But like aussieman was saying, they're a little late, because everything they're concerned about is already established and for the most part integrated into the ecosystem.

 

[wednesday13]

Invasive Species Profiles List | National Invasive Species Information Center


Species Lists | National Invasive Species Information Center

Hello the two links above ought to give a clue as to how the issue is not small potatoes and is not to be dismissed. Again I do not want the agencies to interfering in my hobbies and my activities. The lake close to me, Norris lake, is infested with zebra mussels. If I take my boat to another lake, I need to find a way to clean the trailer and boat. I wonder how many will do that sort of thing?

The field next to my property has been used for grazing cattle for years. It is loaded with weeds the cattle will not eat. I have not checked the specific species next door but do know an invasive plant is taking over in fields in my area. Hard to deal with.

So the 1% or less of animals from the pet trade on those lists are the problem? Thats a joke… the government and state agencies released most things on the lists them selves. The part to worry about in the bill is “emergency action”…. That means pre issued warrants, search and seizures and run around with guns making good, law abiding citizens lick boots for no reason. Have fun when its ur turn.

 

[Hybridfish7]

When does the senate vote on this again?