I think you4re terribly right. Particularly with the "greens". But how can
they continue sitting on haystacks to discuss the badness of the world when
they finally prohibited harvesting gras? ;-) Understanding nature and its
rules one has to get into close contact with it. Of course it should be with
no doubt the aim to influence the environment and the species as little as
possible. On the other hand, no species ever was put to extinction by
hobbyists. At least I know no example. But there have been species wiped out
for commercial reason or by destroying their habitats, e.g. the Pilgrim
Dove, Stellers Seecow, some Pupfish. And as the non-game fishes are only
food for the bigger they wont come into awareness unless people like we do.
The last days I have studied several FWS protocols on endangered species as
nianguae, arrow, blue and relict darters. They all are affected by
environmental changes and are more or less close to extinction. But they are
not bred in any of the restocking farms (which principially are a great
institution). If (experienced and serious) aquarists would be allowed to
collect a very limited number of specimen for establishing aquarium stock
they could have a better chance. This worked fairly good with a killi from
Algeria, Aphanius apodus, which is thought to be extinct in the wild but is
present at many aquarists.
I4ve searched for attempts like this in Germany for our Minnow (Phoxinus
phoxinus) and the Bitterling (Rodosteus sericeus amarus). They are stated
endangered and are protected all seasons. But they don4t have biotopes left
and can hardly be found anywhere in the "wild". But they are stocked at
several commercial farms as pond fish for private pools. Without people
wanting to have a pond in the yard ("biotope") there would be merely no
interest in these. About 80 % of our native fish species are endangered -
really endangered. Some are close to extinction or already gone. From this
point there is little left to do here, we4re too late though in other
countries the sight on our efforts is different. Call it PR. We have strong
laws, idiotical regulations and no monitoring on them. What4s the sense of
protecting a species that has no chance left to survive or is gone already?
Try to find a salamander, lizzard or frog in Germany. Look at the roads! 25
years ago in every pond and ditch there were all kinds of amphibia. Today?
Nill. Whenever I come across one I feel happy as I don4t now for how long
they will still be there.
You in North America still have a lot of nature left which is more than
worth protecting it. Same for most tropic countries.
We only can care for the Pave Frog, the Concrete Lizzard, and the Nitrate
Minnow. Not to forget the Smog Bird. But if you go out to catch black
mosquito larvae you might be punished for "disturbing nature" or "illegal
collection of wild animals". No joke! Or try killing an Ictalurus
nebulosus - this is "senseless harming of animals" and will bring you into
the papers and makes you pay some extra taxes for which amount you could fly
to Louisiana and eat it there. And it you then do not have the federal
fishing license - gosh, a criminal. Well, I hope nobody will find the
Redcheek Turtles that came across my way. I really appreciate the actions on
getting the exotics off. Better: don4t let them out. Ever hooked a Piranha
in germany? This happened already. And we had nice gator chases though it
were crocodiles mostly. Can you imagine the mimic of an angler hooking an
alligator turtle? In Northrine-Westphalia.
This I could carry out and out. It4s fact and won4t change ever.
Steffen
----- Original Message -----
From: <Moontanman_at_aol.com>
To: <steffen_at_hellner.biz>; <nanfa at aquaria.net>
Sent: Tuesday, April 01, 2003 9:51 PM
Subject: NANFA-- NANFA
> Steffen the "greens" aren't the friends of any human. I think they would
like
> for all of us to die so the planet can go back to animals. While I like
the
> wilderness if I can't enjoy it by going there what's the use of having it?
We
> all need to protect the environment but we also need to live. Personally I
am
> one of the "nuts" that think we should leave the earth for space colonies
but
> as long as the greenies stifle nuclear power in space we will just have to
> sit here and dream of what may one day be. I know it sounds cold and
> heartless but what is really needed is to limit the overall population. Of
> course that is ok for those "other guys" but not for us. Nothing will save
> the earth as long as people continue to multiply in a geometric manner. I
> guess I am just a die hard but I still want to try and save the planet's
> ecosystem and live a decent life as well. I'm not sure how that will be
> possible but it will be people like me, you and other NANFA's that
eventually
> make it happen or die trying to make it happen. One thing we agree on is
that
> people are capable of keeping exotics without releasing them into the
> environment and that is important for people to understand why this must
be
> avoided. Also people must have access to local native fish and herps for
> pets, breeding, and other hands on projects. If people don't have access
to
> wild life at the most basic level then the incentive to protect that wild
> life diminishes profoundly. Most fish and wildlife organizations seem to
> think that wild life is only important due to it's value for hunters and
> fishermen. While I am an avid fisherman I also see the way that fish and
game
> departments concentrate only on game fish breeding and stocking them
without
> seeming to see the importance of non-game fish and the rest of the
ecosystem.
> Ask the fish and game how to stock a pond here and all you'll get is bass,
> blue gills, and fertilizer. No mention or care for the rest of the food
chain
> for a healthy pond or lake, totally off the mark! Of course this is just
my
> opinion, I could be wrong!
>
> Moon
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