My title for this thread is intended to catch attention, but the issue is very serious for the hobby. Several weeks back I posted about proposed bylaws in some Canadian cities that, if passed, could end the keeping of aquarium fishes. In the current edition of Amazonas there is a report of proposed legislation before the Congress that will/could have much the same result. Here's a citation, followed by the link to the full article.
www.naiaonline.org
The definition of “wildlife” covers almost every animal, no matter how many generations it may be removed from its wild counterparts, with very few exceptions aside from dogs and cats. The consequences for reptile and amphibian keepers, bird owners, aquarists, and other pet owners if the COMPETES Act passes will be severe. This means every reptile, amphibian, arachnid, bird, fish, coral, and invertebrate will be subject to the new restrictions, whether captive bred, ranched, farmed, aquacultured, maricultured, or collected from a wild source or fishery. With more than 10,000 species of birds, reptiles, amphibians, arachnids, fish, corals, and invertebrates kept by hobbyists and in trade, it is likely only a small fraction of species would initially be able to overcome the onerous listing process on the “White List.”
Federal Legislation Threatens Pets, Zoos and Aquariums, and Biomedical Research
<p>A last-minute amendment to the COMPETES Act threatens pets, zoos and aquariums, and biomedical research.</p>
www.naiaonline.org
