NANFA-L-- PA proposal for new HERP Regs

marxxx (marxxx-in-earthlink.net)
Thu, 21 Apr 2005 11:24:28 -0400

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Forwarded from another list:

Subject: The PA Fish and Boat Commission will be presented with a =
proposed rulemaking-in-their meeting on Tues April 26th

We need everyone's help!=20
The PA Fish and Boat Commission will be presented with a proposed =
rulemaking
at their meeting on Tues April 26th. The meeting starts-in-8AM-in-the Pa
Fish and Boat headquarters building in Harrisburg. It will be held in =
the
Susquehanna Room. Please try to attend.

This proposal will:=20

-Ban the importation and sale of every color morph and every subspecies =
of
native PA species! There is no question about the inclusion of =
subspecies in
the prohibition.=20
No Cal kings or other L. getulus=20
No L. triangulum milksnakes.=20
No E. obsolete

-Make you guilty of a crime until you prove your innocence if you carry
tongs or a hook in the woods outside the six weeks of rattlesnake =
season.
Ridiculous.=20

-Lower the native reptile possession limit from 2 to 1 with NO =
scientific
support for this action.
-Require a $50 /year permit to capture a Northern Copperhead though they
admit there is no scientific evidence that collecting is affecting the
population. This proposal appears to me to be prompted by the desire to
prevent us from carrying hooks and tongs in the woods outside of the
rattlesnake season. I am in favor of the other conservation measures for
timbers, but think law enforcement ought to be able to catch illegal =
hunters
with snakes in the bag not assume that I am guilty of hunting timbers
because I'm carrying a snakehook or tongs for use in positioning
non-venomous snakes for photographs.
-There is more some very GOOD, some very bad. =20

If we as citizens let this kind of regulation take effect eventually it =
will
result in these folks making a regs that ban the keeping of reptiles
completely because that's the way they THINK it should be. We must =
insist on
scientific accountability or we are surrendering!=20
If you think this proposal is ok because it doesn't affect what you do,
think again! It is a huge step in the direction of a total ban. If =
allowed
to stand it will empower government agencies and step by step they will
impose their beliefs on us without the necessity of backing them up with
scientific evidence.

With the exception of the timber rattlesnake changes, there is no =
science
behind any of this.=20

Captive breeding protects wild populations by fulfilling demand for
desirable species. Do you really think that there are still folks out
commercially collecting corn snakes or pine snakes, or cal kings? Of =
course
not. It is more profitable to call a large breeder and buy them =
wholesale
for resale than it is to collect them.=20

An analysis of the reptile market through the internet, shows that the =
VAST
majority (90+ %) of domestic reptiles for sale in the US are CAPTIVE
produced. Pa Fish and Boat does not refute this FACT. The choose to =
ignore
it.=20

This whole thing is based on a tradition in conservation agencies of
preventing commercialization. It originated early in the century when =
bird
feathers were in great demand for ladies hats. Feathers don't reproduce =
in
captivity. Reptiles do. It is apples and oranges.=20

PLEASE CALL:=20
(email if you can)=20

PA. Fish and Boat Executive Director Douglas Austin 717-705-7801=20
Go here to email -
https://www.state.pa.us/papower/cwp/view.asp?a=3D1093&q=3D438119=20

PA. Senate Game and Fisheries Com. Chair. Joe Conti 717-787-7305=20
email - jconti-in-pasenate.gov
<http://us.f528.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=3Djconti-in-pasenate.gov> =20

PA. House Game and Fisheries Com. Chair Bruce Smith 717-783-8783=20
As far as I can tell Rep. Smith has no email.=20

If you are a PA resident please call your own state senator and
representative. You can find who they are at:=20

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/find.cfm=20

Thanks to all in advance for your help!!!=20

Fred Bruckman

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Forwarded from another list:

 

Subject: The PA Fish and Boat Commission will be = presented=20 with a proposed rulemaking-in-their meeting on Tues April 26th

We = need=20 everyone's help!
The PA Fish and Boat Commission will be presented = with a=20 proposed rulemaking
at their meeting on Tues April 26th. The meeting = starts=20 at 8AM-in-the Pa
Fish and Boat headquarters building in Harrisburg. = It will=20 be held in the
Susquehanna Room. Please try to attend.

This = proposal=20 will:

-Ban the importation and sale of every color morph and = every=20 subspecies of
native PA species! There is no question about the = inclusion of=20 subspecies in
the prohibition.
No Cal kings or other L. getulus =
No L.=20 triangulum milksnakes.
No E. obsolete

-Make you guilty of a = crime=20 until you prove your innocence if you carry
tongs or a hook in the = woods=20 outside the six weeks of rattlesnake season.
Ridiculous. =

-Lower the=20 native reptile possession limit from 2 to 1 with NO = scientific
support for=20 this action.
-Require a $50 /year permit to capture a Northern = Copperhead=20 though they
admit there is no scientific evidence that collecting is=20 affecting the
population. This proposal appears to me to be prompted = by the=20 desire to
prevent us from carrying hooks and tongs in the woods = outside of=20 the
rattlesnake season. I am in favor of the other conservation = measures=20 for
timbers, but think law enforcement ought to be able to catch = illegal=20 hunters
with snakes in the bag not assume that I am guilty of hunting = timbers
because I'm carrying a snakehook or tongs for use in=20 positioning
non-venomous snakes for photographs.
-There is more = some very=20 GOOD, some very bad.  

If we as citizens let this kind = of=20 regulation take effect eventually it will
result in these folks = making a regs=20 that ban the keeping of reptiles
completely because that's the way = they THINK=20 it should be. We must insist on
scientific accountability or we are=20 surrendering!
If you think this proposal is ok because it doesn't = affect=20 what you do,
think again! It is a huge step in the direction of a = total ban.=20 If allowed
to stand it will empower government  agencies and = step by=20 step they will
impose their beliefs on us without the necessity of = backing=20 them up with
scientific evidence.

With the exception of the = timber=20 rattlesnake changes, there is no science
behind any of this. =

Captive=20 breeding protects wild populations by fulfilling demand for
desirable = species. Do you really think that there are still folks = out
commercially=20 collecting corn snakes or pine snakes, or cal kings? Of course
not. = It is=20 more profitable to call a large breeder and buy them wholesale
for = resale=20 than it is to collect them.

An analysis of the reptile market = through=20 the internet, shows that the VAST
majority (90+ %) of domestic = reptiles for=20 sale in the US are CAPTIVE
produced. Pa Fish and Boat does not refute = this=20 FACT. The choose to ignore
it.

This whole thing is based on a = tradition in conservation agencies of
preventing commercialization. = It=20 originated early in the century when bird
feathers were in great = demand for=20 ladies hats. Feathers don't reproduce in
captivity. Reptiles do. It = is apples=20 and oranges.

PLEASE CALL:
(email if you can)

PA. = Fish and=20 Boat Executive Director Douglas Austin 717-705-7801
Go here to email = -
https://www.state.pa.us/papower/cwp/view.asp?a=3D1093&q=3D= 438119

PA. Senate Game and Fisheries Com. Chair. Joe = Conti=20 717-787-7305
email - jconti-in-pasenate.gov
<http://us.f528.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=3Djconti-in-pasenat= e.gov

PA. House Game and Fisheries Com. Chair = Bruce=20 Smith 717-783-8783
As far as I can tell Rep. Smith has no email. =

If=20 you are a PA resident please call your own state senator = and
representative.=20 You can find who they are at:

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/find.cfm

Thanks to all in advance for your help!!! =

Fred=20 Bruckman

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