Worrying trend in Peru fish exports

[Lucho]

Actually exotic animal trade is right up there, yes...

Where do you think most of ... stores get all these fish? Sad, but true.
And this is true for many, many birds as well.
And funny you should mention "fish meal" Run that by me again They make that from.... fish... that are also harvested out of these waters.

So, rather, the problem is twofold, both issues which need to be changed.

Hi Santoury, I´ll check numbers when I´m back home from work, just so we can discuss with data.
Fish meal is not made from FW fish but SW, mostly from Engraulis ringens which is not an exotic.

 

[santoury]

Very interesting... I just noticed you are from Peru - so I am sure we have a lot to learn from you. I look forward to discussing this with you!

 

[davo]

biodiversity loss is a big concern throughout the whole of SA, so it's of no real big suprise. It's fine sitting in an ivory tower, but there is the moral "save the earth" types sitting at home on their computers all the way from England, and there are the people in South America, where these types of things are their natural resource... it's a tough balance.

 

[wright4lfe]

its the number two illegal export. cocaine is the number one illegal export. exotic fish/reptiles/birds are the number 2 illegal export from south america

 

[Lucho]

its the number two illegal export. cocaine is the number one illegal export. exotic fish/reptiles/birds are the number 2 illegal export from south america

now that is very possible

 

[Lucho]

Very interesting... I just noticed you are from Peru - so I am sure we have a lot to learn from you. I look forward to discussing this with you!

yep, I live in Lima, but I doubt you can learn a lot from me

Anyway, just checked, Peruvian exports for year 2006 were 23450 million USD, and exotic fish exports 3.5 million, thats 0.015% of the total. Long shot from 2nd isn´t?

 

[Gr8KarmaSF]

gr8 thread...

 

[fishdance]

The top ten most important species exported from Peru according to sales value were: Silver arowana ,Osteoglossum bicirrhosum; Redtail catfish, Phractocephalus hemioliopterus; Tiger-striped catfish, Brachyplatystoma tigrinus; Motoro stingray, Potamotrygon motoro; Striped otocinclus, Otocinclus spp.; Leopard corydoras, Corydoras trilineatus; Zebra otocinclus, Otocinclus cocama; Tiger ray, Potamotrygon menchacai; Bleeding heart tetra, Hyphessobrycon erythrostigma, and Pictus catfish, Pimelodus pictus.

My understanding is that all of these species can be bred. Im not sure about the otocinclus and pictus but the others are being bred. So its just a matter of economics.... when it gets too expensive to catch wild stock, the ornamental fish industry will switch to captive bred fish or perhaps other species.... and do we blame the wildlife catchers or us the world public who continue to buy them? Is this a good suggestion why hybrid fish species might be a good idea? Personally I dislike hybrids but I am all for saving a species.

Sorry no real answers from me. I do try to breed any and everything though since not many fish species are allowable imports in Australia.

 

[cichlaguapote]

Yep - well said - so get on with breeding what we have!!! THIS will keep the prices low, and availability regular, instead of counting on imports.

Unfortunately if wild stock of alot of these dry up you'll see prices on cb's shoot up a little. Not saying alot but you're shortening the supply while still having the same demand.

I'm all for not bringing in alot of the wild species like rtc's, etc. But as said alot of species aren't bred yet, or are just very very hard to breed.

 

[davo]

And that should give you even more encouragement to captive breed the fish you can. Even fish that hasn't been bred before... doesn't mean it isn't possible, you just have to have the correct set up. And yes, illegal exports yes it might be second, but i bet as much of that is in birds and reptiles to be honest (and even mammals).