Re: NANFA-- position on educational collecting (was Carillio in the news)

D. Martin Moore (archimed_at_netdoor.com)
Wed, 29 Aug 2001 21:30:02 -0500

> That's a very noble statement, in theory. But how many
> people in NANFA collect fish for "educational, scientific,
> and/or conservation..."?

Most, I think. But few of them publish :-)

> But what happens if it becomes a popular activity? (And I
> say this as someone who passionately loves native fish, and
> feels that they're a hidden treasure just waiting to be
> discovered.) Are we going to see the same problems that
> tropical fish in South America and Asia used to have from
> over-collecting for hobbyist trade? Or the threats that are
> still facing tropical saltwater fish and coral?

This, of course, is the issue. I personally feel that if natives become
commercially viable, then somebody will find a way to maintain a steady
supply of them (equate with wholseale captive breeding, like most
tropicals).

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