NANFA-L-- demonization


Subject: NANFA-L-- demonization
From: Christopher Scharpf (ichthos-in-comcast.net)
Date: Thu Nov 04 2004 - 17:46:19 CST


Moon said:

> The aquarium hobby is being demonized as the cause of massive habitat
> incursion [of exotics]

Moon (and interested others),

Can you point me to an official government document in which the aquarium
hobby has been "demonized"? I read and review a fair amount of this
literature, and I've never seen the hobby discussed in such a negative way.
I'm not saying it doesn't exist; just that I've never seen it.

FYI, according to the USGS Nonindigenous Fishes book, 26% of all
nonindigenous fish introductions in the U.S. are from aquarium and
tropical/ornamental fish farm releases. Sportfish introductions lead the
pack-in-44.1%. Baitfish releases come in third-in-16.4%.

Clearly, if any hobby justifies demonization in terms of nonindigenous fish
introductions, it's recreational fishing (sport- plus baitfish), which
account for 60.5% of all fish introductions.

But demonizing anglers in this country is like demonizing gun owners.

Chris Scharpf
Baltimore

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: Fri Dec 31 2004 - 12:42:46 CST