Brazillian wildcaught Loricariid (& other) species

[SirMinion]

There has been a lot of talk over the last few months about how hard it's becoming to find some of the more exotic and unusual plecos.
Everybody has been saying it's something to do with new export laws, but no one was quite sure what was going on.

Well at last, here's the full (and well researched and referenced) story.

http/www.tropicalfishfinder.co.uk/news_article.asp?id=417

For those of you who don't want to read the whole article, here's the most salient clip.

On 28th May 2004 the MMA published a list of Brazilian invertebrates and fishes threatened by extinction.
This list consists of 156 fish species that are forbidden from being caught, traded or even bred in captivity from the 1st July 2004.
Since the 1st December 2004 these fishes are explicitly excluded from the trade, Amongst many others the best known is Hypancistrus zebra, the zebra pleco. But also other, mainly endemic loricariids, Scleromystax (Corydoras) macropterus and the well-known Mimagoniates spp. as well as some other characids are listed.
Marine aquarists can also forget about Gramma brasiliensis and Elacatinus figaro, two very well known species.
All those fishes are forbidden for export from Brazil and they will not appear again unless removed from this list. Aquarists now have the responsibility to keep stock alive and to go on breeding these fish in their aquaria.

 

[smithrc]

are forbidden from being caught, traded or even bred in captivity

hold on... how are we meant to breed them legaly then??

 

[SirMinion]

are forbidden from being caught, traded or even bred in captivity

hold on... how are we meant to breed them legaly then?

I wasn't sure about that either, but I think it means that it's illegal for them to be caught, traded or bred in captivity in Brazil.

Any already captive fish elsewhere in the world are exempt.

 

[SirMinion]

bump!

 

[andywg]

Cheers Sir.

Very odd about the breeding in captivity, maybe to prevent hybrids??

Any way, guess I'd best keep dreaming of a Zebra for now.

 

[bunjiweb]

What a load of proverbial Bullsh*t.

How the hell are we meant to save a species if it can't be bred in captivity. This is a typical instance of the MMA passing a legislation without thinking about it.

I suspect people will continue to go on breeding zebra plecs in captivity, so that we can continue their trade WITHOUT taking them from their natural habitat. Don't get me wrong, i think its terrible that their habitats are trawled and many species have dissapeared. But how can we even begin to re-introduce the species if they ban breeding them in captivity also.

I suspect this law will be widely ignored, but can you blame anyone?

Ben

 

[WILDER]

Don't believe in taking fish from the wild.

 

[pica_nuttalli]

they probably banned breeding them in Brazil so that:

(1) every joe-schmo who notices the skyrocketing price for them won't grab a couple of wild-caughts as free breeding stock.

(2) the joe-schmo's who can't successfully breed them won't start catching wilds and passing them off as tank-bred.

(3) its always cheaper to just outlaw instead of regulate. doesn't take as much thought or paperwork to police.
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you'd be amazed at how many common trade fish are wild-caughts. last i heard, even the majority of cory cats are.

 

[pica_nuttalli]

BUMP! we've had a lot of questions lately on "where can i get a zebra plec". i thought we could all use a reminder.

 

[OohFeeshy]

Can't be illegal, PFK had an article about breeding them.

 

[bunjiweb]

Its not illegal in the UK, but you have to find them in a shop or on an import list first.

Ben

 

[Teelie]

Must be only illegal in Brazil as some of the above posts said. Otherwise how could "Aquarists now have the responsibility to keep stock alive and to go on breeding these fish in their aquaria."