A new piece of legislation has been proposed, and if passed, will virtually end the trade of non-native animals (fish, birds, reptiles, etc) and associated industries. I think it is a good idea to enforce restrictions on certain species in areas where, if the animal escaped, would harm the local ecosystem. However, the bill (as it stands now) includes all non-native animals in it's "banned" list until they can be "proven" safe, on a per-state basis.
From About.com:
"On April 23, 2009 a The National Resources Committee of the U.S. Congress will hold a hearing on a resolution called the Nonnative Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act (H.R. 669). This resolution, if eventually passed into law, would dramatically change how the trade in non-native species would be regulated by the Lacey Act (which covers many aspects of conservation and possession, transport and sales of wildlife). Currently, the list of species covered under the Lacey Act is quite small, and animals are added "as needed." I'm far from being a legal expert (and despise trying to decipher legislation), but it seems H.R. 669 would reverse the way animals are added to the Lacey Act, i.e. if a non-native animal is not specifically excluded from the Act, then it is considered prohibited by default, and import, interstate trade, sale and possession of these animals would not be permitted. Considering only very basic domestic animals are included on the list of "acceptable" animals proposed by the resolution, this is a huge and sweeping change that could nearly shut down the pet trade in the US for all but cats, dogs, and rabbits. The proposed list of allowed non-native animals includes cats, dogs, cattle/oxen, horses, pigs (domestic), sheep, chickens, domestic geese and ducks, goats, llamas, donkeys, mules, domestic rabbits and goldfish (though there appears to be procedures for allowing other species to be included on the list)."
I'm going to focus on the aquarium hobby when discussing bill H.R. 669, but keep in mind if affects every pet hobby!
If bill H.R. 669 passes and the majority of species become outlawed, ALL suppliers will be banned from even touching the species, no one will be allowed to import, buy, sell, trade, or own many, many species of fish, invertebrates, and plants. If passed in its current form, H.R. 669 would prevent you from going to a pet store and buying a betta or a clownfish!
Keep in mind that there is just cause for this bill's ideology. A federal bill requiring states to determine the threat of various species is exactly what could have been used to prevent (some) of the ecological disasters of the great lakes, the introduction of the volitans lionfish to Florida, the rampant proliferation of Caulerpa spp. in California, and the list goes on. Besides ecological impact, there are several species imported with alarming regularity that have an absolutely dismal survival rate (such as ALL anemones)! This is another reason behind legislation that limits the importation of captive aquatic species.
I don't think an 'umbrella' approach in legislation is the right way to prevent species contamination. If this bill is to be effective without overreaching and causing the collapse of the aquarium trade (or the pet industry as a whole), responsible lawmakers should employ consultants and biologists to determine, on a per state basis, which species would be allowed and which would be banned from the get-go. Banning all animals from the start would cause many negative side effects just in the aquatics hobby: the hobby would mostly cease to exist in its current form. Many jobs would be lost because many companies that serve or provide the aquarium trade would go out of business.
I honestly think the fact that this issue is under consideration a good thing. However, I do not think the bill in its current form is the right approach. I contacted my state representative and shared my opinion as well as suggestions. I suggest you do the same, and have provided links below to assist you in doing so.
- How to contact your local congress official
- Full text of legislation H. R. 669 (PDF file)
We already have nonnative species here and people are paying a lot of money to kill them in canned hunts. You can own just about anything in Texas or Oklahoma and they are just NOW thinking about regulation? Won't this affect how zoos and captive bred species programs are conducted? What about animals that have been bred here but originated elsewhere such as Bearded Dragons? What about dog breeds that are recognized in Europe but not by the AKC yet? Those idiots in Washington won't address puppy and kitten mills but they somehow can't deal with nonnative species?! There are anoles, snakes, birds AND bugs that are nonnative to this country! How will they get rid of them and at what cost to taxpayers?
Posted by: Sarah | 04/11/2009 at 11:44 PM
Yet another way the United States will waste tax-payer money on non-enforceable legislation.
Posted by: Greg | 04/12/2009 at 05:43 PM
I agree - as is, the bill is not something that should be passed. Time will tell...
Posted by: Captive Aquatics | 04/12/2009 at 10:47 PM
Definite over-legislation! I heard about this before and was the first time I really read much on it. Thanks for bringing it up!
Posted by: Brian Blank | 04/14/2009 at 02:51 AM
You're right Brian, and because they're going so overboard with it, I think there's a slim chance of it passing (luckily!). Thanks for commenting!
Posted by: Captive Aquatics | 04/15/2009 at 10:02 PM