RE: NANFA-- Collecting ethics

Nick Zarlinga (njz_at_clevelandmetroparks.com)
Wed, 14 Jan 2004 07:07:09 -0500

Stan,
I hope that you understand me better now and realize that I am not a "them"
or "us" kind of guy. I agree with your comment totally. I have seen some
pretty nasty things also. I am just commenting on the ethics we were
discussing and how it relates to the reality of the system we have to deal
with.

Nick Zarlinga
Aquarium Biologist
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
216.661.6500 ext 4485

><)> -----Original Message-----
><)> From: owner-nanfa_at_aquaria.net
><)> On Behalf
><)> Of Stan Perkins
><)> Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2004 5:32 PM
><)> To: nanfa_at_aquaria.net
><)> Subject: Re: NANFA-- Collecting ethics
><)>
><)>
><)> When you throw mud it sticks! I have seen
><)> "professional" zoological keeper
><)> buy hundreds of thousands of dollars of fish
><)> specimens to keep huge display
><)> tanks stocked because they were unable to or too
><)> hurried to keep proper
><)> water conditions. So good and bad exists on both
><)> sides of the fence. I hate
><)> this holier than thou attitude that some
><)> "professionals" have about
><)> hobbiests. It stirs me up in a hurry.
><)>
><)> Stan Perkins
><)> ----- Original Message -----
><)> From: <coelacanth_at_btinternet.com>
><)> To: <nanfa_at_aquaria.net>
><)> Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2004 4:39 AM
><)> Subject: Re: NANFA-- Collecting ethics
><)>
><)>
><)> > > How often do you have to replace specimens on exhibit?
><)> > > How often do you have breeding success with
><)> your specimens on exhibit?
><)> >
><)> > In the case of Zoological Institutions, there
><)> are ethical procedures and
><)> protocols to go through when acquiring new stock.
><)> No single individual takes
><)> it on themselves to make the decision on what is
><)> right and what isn't. These
><)> decisions are subject to internal scrutiny and
><)> also external scrutiny by
><)> regional and central government. Inspections are
><)> rigorous and frequent, as
><)> they should be.
><)> >
><)> > > dare say that there are a lot of hobbist out
><)> there with the same drive
><)> and
><)> > > interest as any "professional".
><)> >
><)> > Indeed, and that is where I have acquired the
><)> majority of my knowledge
><)> from, and that is why I personally attend three
><)> different aquarium society
><)> meetings each month, but they do not always have
><)> the resources or support
><)> structure required to be able to make informed
><)> decisions about what are or
><)> aren't sustainable populations or on other
><)> questions pertaining to
><)> conservation.
><)> > In terms of sheer numbers, certainly private
><)> aquarists are way ahead if we
><)> are measuring 'passion volume' (for want of a
><)> better term), but for every
><)> private aquarist with that passion there are 50
><)> who like the look of Red
><)> Parrot Cichlids etc.
><)> > To work in the professional field you have to be
><)> able to take that same
><)> passion and use it to offset the fact that you are
><)> always going to be paid
><)> at a level that leaves you worrying every single
><)> month about what to most
><)> people are fairly routine expenses.
><)> >
><)> > >From your unrealistic statements, you are
><)> either very young or >very
><)> inexperienced - or both.
><)> >
><)> > I have to say here that Nick is neither, but is
><)> an internationally
><)> recognised Public Aquarium professional who has
><)> proven himself on many
><)> occasions on all aspects of the delivery of a
><)> successful Educational and
><)> Zoological institution, including innovative
><)> husbandry techniques,
><)> reproduction and long-term maintenance.
><)> >
><)> > > An aquarium, a pond or any artificial
><)> enclosure is just that - >
><)> artificial. You cannot maintain
><)> > > specimens in "their native environments" in a tank.
><)> >
><)> > You can use environmetal enrichment to ensure
><)> that the fish concerned are
><)> exposed to as many of the non-hazardous conditions
><)> that they would
><)> experience on the wild as possible. If the
><)> ultimate aim is conservation this
><)> is absolutely essential, otherwise what you end up
><)> with is a domesticated
><)> fish that breeds perfectly well in aquaria but
><)> would not last the day when
><)> returned to the original habitat the broodstock
><)> came from. Work like this is
><)> very difficult for any one individual to carry
><)> out, as it requires such a
><)> multi-disciplinary approach.
><)> >
><)> > > Aquarist jump through hoops providing environments as
><)> > > close to nature as possible. EVEN to the point
><)> of using muddy > leafy
><)> bottoms where the fish seem never to be seen.
><)> >
><)> > As in the Apistogramma I have breeding at home
><)> which I only see when they
><)> are displaying or guarding fry.
><)> > But for every one that does, there are dozens
><)> more who have crystal rocks
><)> and plastic ships.
><)> --
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><)> > / reflect the beliefs or goals of the North
><)> American Native Fishes
><)> > / Association"
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><)> American Native Fishes
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><)> http://www.nanfa.org
><)> ---------------------------
><)> /"Unless stated otherwise, comments made on this
><)> list do not necessarily
><)> / reflect the beliefs or goals of the North
><)> American Native Fishes
><)> / Association"
><)> / This is the discussion list of the North
><)> American Native Fishes Association
><)> / nanfa_at_aquaria.net. To subscribe, unsubscribe, or
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/-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
/"Unless stated otherwise, comments made on this list do not necessarily
/ reflect the beliefs or goals of the North American Native Fishes
/ Association"
/ This is the discussion list of the North American Native Fishes Association
/ nanfa_at_aquaria.net. To subscribe, unsubscribe, or get help, send the word
/ subscribe, unsubscribe, or help in the body (not subject) of an email to
/ nanfa-request_at_aquaria.net. For a digest version, send the command to
/ nanfa-digest-request_at_aquaria.net instead.
/ For more information about NANFA, visit our web page, http://www.nanfa.org