VERY IMPORTANT - Hobby is crisis

[bigbettadan]

Everyone,

Please read this link: http://www.pijac.org/files/public/US_HR_669.pdf

And Contact your congressmen

Dan

[bigbettadan]

I bumped this back to the top...........

Dan

[devins23]

This is not in effect immediately right? Also, how can we check if goldfishes are one of the banned aquatic imports? Thanks.

[afnaveils]

Do you know if the fish associations, societies and clubs are doing anything to get goldfish and other domesticated species on the approved list?

[mweil]

I read thru the file. personaly i dont see why goldfish or koi would be put on the banned list.They are too wide spread in the usa.Even if they did get in to the native waters they would revert back to their original carp form in a short time.But of course that would be the common/fancy goldfish that would revert back.Koi on the other hand we would end up with a hybrid between them and the common carp not much of a difference they would just be more colorful.

[bigbettadan]

Yes, the IBC is working on this now. It would destroy our show circut, mailing fish would be at a stand still. PetsMart and Petco are lobbying now, as again, most pet shops could not survive with most tropical fish, birds, and small animals(with the exception of rabbits as a native species) being banned. This "approved" list would take forever to get on, as a goverment committee would have to study each subject. It is not a simple matter of applying. Contact your congressman now. This is not a joke. Hopefully we can stop this before it begins.....

Dan

[Casper]

This bill will destroy our hobby and damage our economy. It will probably also ruin parts of other countries' economies (especially Malaysia). I'm sure that's not what Obama wants when he wants other countries not to enact protectionist policies.

[misty_blue16137]

Goldfish are not included but most tropicals will be.

SEC. 14. (D) does not include any cat (Felis catus), cattle or oxen (Bos taurus), chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus), dog (Canis lupus familiaris), donkey or ###### (Equus asinus), domesticated members of the family Anatidae (geese), duck (domesticated Anas spp.), goat (Capra aegagrus hircus), goldfish (Carassius auratus auratus), horse (Equus caballus), llama (Lama glama), mule or hinny (Equus caballus x E. asinus), pig or hog (Sus scrofa domestica), domesticated varieties of rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), or sheep (Ovis aries), or any other species or variety of species that is determined by the Secretary to be common and clearly domesticated.

[bigbettadan]

Well this does not directly effect goldfish, if the tropical hobby dies, it will effect the goldfish hobby. Well, they aren't taking my bettas!

Dan

[bekko]

I think the concern is unfounded. The intent is to prevent introductions of additional new non-native and potentially invasive species. For common aquarium tropicals which have been flooding into the US for years (like betta) it will be business as usual.

You should continue to write letters and voice concern.... just don't loose any sleep over it.

-steve

[samurai]

My sentiments :exact: although I sh be last to comment on this matter as I am a foreigner. Cannot agree with u more!

[bigbettadan]

Thats not what we(IBC- International Betta Congress) have been told. Retailers such as PetsMart would not be concerned either. I agree, thats what the original intent was, to keep a few problem species under check, but that could have been done without painting such a brush here. The trouble is that animal rights groups are using this is a backdoor way to sock it to the pet industry. The will not be happy until all pet ownership is banned. Think I am joking? They hit up the last rabbit convention, turnining animals loose out in the parking lot. We must stay vigilant, due to extremists out there.....

Dan

[bigbettadan]

By the way, this may have already been mentioned, but its VERY important
to note:
"This would place prohibitions on an array of activities involving
nonnative species, such as *interstate transport*, " and from reading
the actual text of the proposed legislation, this would include even
approved species via standard mailing/shipping practices.


In a nutshell, no shipping of fish, whether they are an approved species or not..........

Dan

[Cincy Ranchu]

I talked to a guy on the board of directors of the American Aquaculture Society, they are deeply concerned that once this is on the books thinks like mailing fish, importing fish, going to certain types of fish shows from out of state and breeding certain types of fish could easily be restricted. :badidea:


It is pretty easy task to drop a note on your congressman and ask that bill be defeated until it is written with a thinner brush, and is more clearly described. Anybody have the data on the value to commerce of the fish hobby? The number of jobs? This would be helpful if we are to write letters.:exact:

THX GH

[Ichthius]

I think this is one of those bills someone writes that is so far out that the thing the really want doesn't seem so bad.

This bill will never pass and it's very similar to a farm/food safety bill that was recently being passed around garden groups that said it would outlaw back yard gardens due to food safety issues. It didn't make it anywhere.

<}}}><

[bigbettadan]

I hope you are right David, but we should all do what we can to make sure that is doesn't pass....... I don't know if the AGA wants to do something, but I know lot of fish clubs are. The IBC is doing all it can..........

Dan

[Ichthius]

Pet owners are almost as fanatical as gun owners... neither will be outlawed outright but some maybe restricted. Do you really need to have an Gambian Giant Rat that spreads disease and could wipe out the citrus industry or a mac9 pistol?

If this law passed it would shut down billions of dollars worth of industry, not very likely to happen.

<}}}><

[bekko]

For all you activists and freedom marchers, here's another web site about this issue. It has a look-up function for your congressman and a form letter which can be taylored to your situation. Keep those cards and letters coming.

http://www.nohr669.com

-steve

[afertuna]

H.R. 669 Hearing Update
What’s the status of H.R. 669 after the hearing?
By Benjamin Weiner


On Thursday, April 23, 2009, the Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife met to deliberate, investigate and revise H.R. 669, the Nonnative Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act, and decide if it should go to general debate and move forward in the legislative process. The hearing record is being held open for 10 days for responses and to decide whether to proceed.

Chief Executive Officer and General Counsel for the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC) Marshall Meyers testified before the Congressional Subcommittee regarding H.R. 669 as a representative of pet owners and the pet industry.

In written testimony submitted to the Subcommittee Meyers stated, “We support the development of a strategic, risk-based process to prevent the introduction of invasive species (harmful nonnative species) into the United States.” However, the current draft of H.R. 669 “fails to be strategic in that it does not adequately take socio-economic issues and risk management options into account,” and would “require funds and staffing not currently available, nor likely to be available, to the US Fish and Wildlife Service.”

Meyers said that they are willing to work with the authors of the bill to craft more realistic legislation that serves the public and affected industries alike.

Congresswoman and Subcommittee Chairwoman Madeleine Bordallo of Guam (who authored this bill) said, “We recognize the bill is by no means perfect and that changes will be needed to address various concerns before any legislation moves forward.”

“As it stands, PIJAC still has issues with points of this bill’s impracticality or lack of clarity,” Meyers said.

Andrew Wyatt President of the United States Association of Reptile Keepers (USARK) said that the hearing was a “smashing success.”

“H.R. 669 is effectively dead,” Wyatt said.

“Two weeks leading up to the hearing, USARK mounted a grassroots campaign of letter writing and phone calls,” he said. “We swamped Capitol Hill with almost 50,000 letters that were delivered to Subcommittee members.”

Wyatt added that on top of that were thousands upon thousands of phone calls, e-mail and letters directly to Subcommittee members.

During the hearing, Congressman and Subcommittee member Henry E. Brown of South Carolina said, “Like members of this Subcommittee, during the past few weeks I have received thousands of calls, e-mails and letters written by constituents in strong opposition of this bill.”

Later, Wyatt quoted Harry Burroughs of the Subcommittee staff as saying, "I haven't seen a letter writing campaign like this in 30 years! You should be proud of yourselves."

Subcommittee member Eni F.H. Faleomavaega of American Samoa, a co-sponsor of the bill, congratulated Meyers, PIJAC and the pet industry for the tremendous grassroots response that has been generated, noting that it is important to have input from constituents on these issues.

Wyatt added that Faleomavaega said that the letters and phone calls hit them like a “buzz saw.”

“We’re so proud of all the people out there that did what they were supposed to do and sent letters and e-mails and phone calls,” he said.

Russ Case, Editor of Aquarium Fish International and FishChannel.com, expressed relief at the outcome. “I’m happy that the bill may be in trouble in its current form, but as we all know, the groups who are against the keeping of exotic pets will return with another. For now I’m cautiously optimistic, but I’ll be waiting to see what they cook up next.”

Both PIJAC and USARK expressed that no current action is required by the public and that more updates are to come

[Casper]

This is good news, I have not read an update like this about this issue 'til I came here.