"Hands Off My Hobby"

Wow, that's something of a shocker 

I could perhaps understand the establishment of more controls on wild-caught ornamental fish and requirement for clear supply lines (I've often wondered how thorough existing controls are) but I've had a quick look at the link and it appears the motion is more related to the 'biological invasion' of non-native species at the destination rather than anything to do with catching methods at the source?

If this is the case, could it be that some species would not be covered due to the fact that they are unlikely to survive naturally at their destination? This is probably an overly simplistic view but I doubt that many true tropical species would be likely to survive in UK waterways. I know the U.S, for example, has a big problem with a non-native river fish (Asian Carp?) which was I believe was originally introduced as an ornamental fish and then obviously released into natural waterways by some unscrupulous fish keepers (or perhaps even flooding).

This has happened to a large degree in Australia already. Generally you are not allowed to own any foreign snails, apart from the apple snail. No foreign lizards, foreign turtles, foreign snakes, nor are you allowed to import any water plant or seeds into Australia without potentially facing fines, potential jail time and restrictions on owning aquariums in the future if you don't own a licence to import. It is draconian. Quite a few ornamental fish are being banned. Some cichlids, especially Convict cichlids, some gobies and some livebearers.

On the one hand I see their point. When irresponsible people release non-native species into an ecosystem then havoc can ensue. Mink, crayfish, cane-toads, rabbits, frogbit...... the list goes on and on.

On the other hand, if it's banned it will just go underground. The aquarium at London Zoo has a beautiful coral selection..... all confiscated at customs. How many time have I read about someone trying to smuggle species like chameleons in, only to have them discovered all dead.

On the third hand (?), perhaps banning their import will be a good thing and it will encorage local breeders to raise fish and it will a mucher better all round life for the fish. I don't expect the far-east fish farms are a model of fish care and consideration, let alone the transport stress of getting them here.

On the fourth hand... when the export of Cardinal Tetras was stopped for a while, the fish catchers started cutting down the rain forest because they had families to feed. Which is preferable?

On the fifth hand... our hobby is responsible for some terrible destruction. I hate to think how the wild Clown Fish population suffered because of all the kids wanting their own 'Nemo', and then how the fish suffered at the hands of their owners. Oto's caught by cyaniding the river?

On the sixth hand... when I hear some of the conversations in my LFS from customers buying a totally unsuitable mix of fish that will be stressed and bullied (if not eaten) in a tank together then I sometimes wonder if the hobby should be banned.

On the seventh hand... if we carry on trashing the planet at this rate then by 2050 the oceans will have acidified enough for copapods to have trouble forming their shells. They're a basic foundation of the oceanic food chain.
There's crippling drought in sub-saharan Africa, interior China, Eastern Australia, California etc and the EU is tinkering around at the edges trying to ban an import of tropical fish. Trying to look busy while averting their eyes.

It reminds me of a  Mitchell & Webb sketch....
"The planet's dying, what shall we do?"
"Um. If we put our recycling into different coloured boxes then that'll work..... won't it?"


These are just a few thoughts from a person with seven hands who is suffering from the complexity of the modern world, where everything is interlinked yet we can really only address one problem at a time.... so, hey, let's do the easiest things first - like banning fish imports rather than cutting carbon emissions. *sigh*

Sorry.