Marine fish as a hobby
JOHN BRIDGE
I have avoided opening my "mouth" about marine fish because I don't
know what the answers to the various problems are. I don't keep marine
fish because I am concerned about their continued existence in the wild.
I have been to the Phillipines and other areas of the far east and seen
first hand the problems of the poor people in these areas and the small
enhancement to their living styles hobby fish sales means to them. They
are being conned, however, by quick buck artists. Haiti's problems
were not solved by the destruction of its reefs and fisheries. Neither
will the Phillipines problems be so solved, nor those of the island
reefs of the Indian Ocean. I dragged a duffle bag full of snorkels and
swim fins the last time I went to Puerto Rico only to find that
collectors and hobbiests have had a remarkable impact on the size,
number and varieties of fish in my favorite skin diving haunts. True,
polution and developement have also had their impacts, but the
hobbiest must take some of the responsibility. Hundreds and hundreds
of people are collecting fish for their own purposes in the easily
accessible places down there and it won't be long until there is
nothing remaining to collect.
The freshwater fish seem under better control. I am not aware of
dangers to rare freshwater species related directly to the hobby.
There certainly are environment problems, over fishing for food,etc.
which endanger freshwater fish, but I believe our hobby has bee
very responsible in general.
I am not really trying to get involved in a debate on this subject.
I am just stating why I do not collect those beautiful, beautiful
marine creatures. When I see more domestic breeding, the hobbiests
taking political stands and supporting action to curb exploitation
abuses, and the whole subject of marine ornamental fisheries with
constructive policies and a future to the resource, I may get a few
of the little buggers. John
mccurdy m
<
< The freshwater fish seem under better control. I am not aware of
<dangers to rare freshwater species related directly to the hobby.
<There certainly are environment problems, over fishing for food,etc.
<which endanger freshwater fish, but I believe our hobby has bee
<very responsible in general.
<marine creatures. When I see more domestic breeding, the hobbiests
<taking political stands and supporting action to curb exploitation
<abuses, and the whole subject of marine ornamental fisheries with
<constructive policies and a future to the resource, I may get a few
<of the little buggers. John
John pretty well sums up my feelings on this after reading
the discussions and corresponding with people via e-mail. I have yet
to hear anyone say that they know of areas where marine specimens are
collected (cyanide or hand-caught) that aren't adversly effected by
the collecting process. So, I guess I am going to not set up a reef
aquarium for now. Maybe I'll look into fresh water aquariums.
Mike McCurdy
--
Mike McCurdy |"Grandma died at 58
(619)284-7781 at home | Her best friend cried 3 hours straight
(619)594-4653 at work | She had eyes like a little girl's
mcc...@ucselx.sdsu.ed | And by the way, who got the pearls?"
Alien Wells
>dangers to rare freshwater species related directly to the hobby.
>There certainly are environment problems, over fishing for food,etc.
>which endanger freshwater fish, but I believe our hobby has bee
>very responsible in general.
I remember from a while back that there were quite a few places where people
were concerned about a number of fresh-water fish habitats and the effect
on collecting. The ones I remember are:
- Lake Victoria
- Amazon River
- Mekong River
All of these habitats have other problems (food fishing, development,
pollution, etc), but collecting has been raised as an issue (particularily
in Lake Victoria).
There are, of course, quite a few more fresh water fish that are cultivated.
Angelfish, guppies, goldfish, killies, etc. However, most of your hobbyist
freshwater fish are still collected from the wild.
--
--------| I'm a man of my word.
Alien | My Word!
--------| - a creten who refuses attribution
decvax!frog!cpoint!alien bu-cs!mirror!frog!cpoint!alien
JOHN BRIDGE
RE: Marine fish as a hobby
I agree with you. I hope my preface to my remarks about not trying to
tell others what to collect is understood. I was speaking for myself
and the personal feelings I have about what I have seen. The African
Lakes are under the same threat from the same causes that marine reefs
are under. I also do not collect African cichlids for the same reasons.
I am also concerned about the future of this hobby. If we as hobbiests
do not inform ourselves of the exploitation going on for the purpose of
collecting our bucks we won't have a hobby with the variety and
complexity it has today. The marine ornamental fish BUSINESS today is
in the same exploitive mode as whaling was in the 19th century. Those
collecting fish for sale are in it for the fast bucks. When the fish
are all gone, they will have their cash and move on to something else
like California realestate. John
Richard Brosseau
>know what the answers to the various problems are. I don't keep marine
>fish because I am concerned about their continued existence in the wild.
>I have been to the Phillipines and other areas of the far east and seen
>first hand the problems of the poor people in these areas and the small
>enhancement to their living styles hobby fish sales means to them. They
[stuff about the rape of the reefs deleted]
>accessible places down there and it won't be long until there is
>nothing remaining to collect.
> The freshwater fish seem under better control. I am not aware of
>dangers to rare freshwater species related directly to the hobby.
The amazon has sort of been 'stripped' of its fauna also. So has lots of
the African savana, etc... What you're describing is not localized to
the marine aquarium business. Most of the surface of the earth is getting
a raw deal too.
>There certainly are environment problems, over fishing for food,etc.
>which endanger freshwater fish, but I believe our hobby has bee
>very responsible in general.
More than most, but the mini-reef craze was a new unneeded stress on the
environment.
> I am not really trying to get involved in a debate on this subject.
>I am just stating why I do not collect those beautiful, beautiful
>marine creatures.
I don't keep corals for this reason; it destroys the marine life
environment and the replacement time is too long. I'm sort of glad to
see some control finally brought in by the U.S. although this just means
that other places will get abused even more. Mayby we should outlaw hard
corals and place them under fish&wildlife controls? (I guess I'll get
flamed by the coral enthusiasts for that :^) )
>When I see more domestic breeding,
Yes!. This is the only reason I keep fish.
>the hobbiests
>taking political stands and supporting action to curb exploitation
>abuses, and the whole subject of marine ornamental fisheries with
>constructive policies and a future to the resource, I may get a few
>of the little buggers. John
Get some buggers but don't just keep it until it dies. Breed the bugger!
s
p
a
r
e
l
i
n
e
s
--
Richard Brosseau Cognos Inc. decvax!utzoo!dciem!nrcaer!cognos!richardb