HR 669 : CONGRESSIONAL HEARING BANNING NONNATIVE SPECIES APRIL 23, 2009 ACTION NEEDED

[Cory Keeper]

Meh, it won't go anywhere. The pet industry employees too many people and generates too much money for the government to have something like this thing pass. With the economy the way it is, nobody in their right mind would let this pass. They would basically be putting thousands of people out of jobs.

Your assuming dems are in their right minds to begin with. I'm not trying to start a political debate here, but you see the D's by all the people who have introduced this. Dems probably know this, all they are interested in, as of late, is power. This is another attempt at a power grab. Not to mention, pandering to a radical fringe left.

 

[Nolapete]

I can see both perspectives here. I'm getting the impression though that most people on here think the congressmen are going to be creating this list. That's not really the way these things work. Personally, I don't see that this is a bad thing. Yes there is the potential for everything under the sun to be on the unapproved list. That doesn't mean it will be. We have Government Bureaus designed to assess these things, in an educated manner, and make a wise decision that goes beyond our desire to keep some rare exotic pet.

It's not the unapproved list that's the real problem. It's everything that doesn't make either list. They fall through the cracks and then there's a problem. It gets caught up in bureaucratic red tape and in the meantime innocent animals die.

 

[tricksterpup]

Look folks its pure and simple, if this bill is passed. It will greatly effect our hobby and others as well. It will effect the Bird, Fish, Reptile and even Mammal trade.
Its going to impact those who will want anything that is not Native to the US.

Do you know under this bill this Includes the Goldfish. The goldfish would be banned. It can be an invasive species and would be harmful to the environment if populations are established.

The people who figure out which species to add to the list do not care about the pet trade. Most of these people get kick backs from HSUS And PETA. These groups have the money and are fueling these bills.

 

[mel_20_20]

who doesn't remember the great platy invasion of 74???

:rofl:

Well I shore do... hit us down here in Texas mahty hard...

Yessuree... I lost me 30 head a cattle in one naht.... it was a turrible saht..... hooves and horns.... 'ats all that were left... gol darn platys

'fonly them dang cows hadn't gone in the water....

 

[vampie]

I just don't see this passing, it basically revives itself in some form year in and year out, and it never passes.

 

[tricksterpup]

I just don't see this passing, it basically revives itself in some form year in and year out, and it never passes.

The reason it did not pass last year was due to the economy

I highly recommend listening to http://www.blogtalkradio.com/reptileradio

Listen to the Archives of Andrew Wyatt and there is one with PIJAC as well. This should help you understand the work that goes into fighting these bills and how much of a REAL threat they are.

 

[angyles]

Look folks its pure and simple, if this bill is passed. It will greatly effect our hobby and others as well. It will effect the Bird, Fish, Reptile and even Mammal trade.
Its going to impact those who will want anything that is not Native to the US.

Do you know under this bill this Includes the Goldfish. The goldfish would be banned. It can be an invasive species and would be harmful to the environment if populations are established.

The people who figure out which species to add to the list do not care about the pet trade. Most of these people get kick backs from HSUS And PETA. These groups have the money and are fueling these bills.

Two things.

1.) to say that the Dept of Fish and Wildlife gets kickbacks from PETA is pretty commical to me. I work for the USGS, I also work closely with Fish and Wildlife on some projects. I think just about every scientist I work with would find this either funny or insulting.

2.) after reading the bill closely, the statement that it would have a huge impact on our hobby, reptiles, mammals, etc, still seems rather subjective. I disagree. The process outlines for the risk assessment seems very reasonable and includes things like "likelihood of spread" and "likelihood of establishment."

Likelihood that goldfish are going to take over, and the fact that they can, are still two different things. to say "goldfish would be banned" is really jumping to conclusions.

 

[angyles]

also, we can all still keep our animals, even if they end up "unapproved"

that's outlined on page 5 of the proposed bill

 

[vampie]

Overreacting sure is fun.

 

[Cory Keeper]

but guys, here is the problem. This is NOT something that should be decided on a federal level. Its a state problem. I havn't heard much of a problem with plecos in the Hudson river, nor have I heard of coldwater species invading Florida. This should be a state by state issue. And nor should it be a blanket ban either.