Dyed Fish Sales Not Being Outlawed In Uk

[Arfie]

PLEASE READ THIS FIRST

I propose that we all write to our MP's to get the import and sale of dyed fish added into the bill and I have drafted a letter to use.

Dear MP

As my elected representative in the houses of parliament I feel I must write to you to ask for your support in getting the abhorrent practice of dying fish stopped.

The following is from an article in Practical Fishkeeping Magazine

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Defra has confirmed that the proposed Animal Welfare Bill will not make it illegal for shops to sell fish that have been injected or tattooed with dyes.

Many trade experts had assumed that the proposed Animal Welfare Bill, which is currently being produced by the Government, would make it possible to prosecute shops that sell aquarium fish that had been mutilated in this manner.

However, Practical Fishkeeping has now received confirmation from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs that the proposed Animal Welfare Bill will actually do little to curb the trade in dyed fish.
Speaking on behalf of Ben Bradshaw MP, Alexandra Davies of Defra told Practical Fishkeeping: "There are no plans at present to introduce a ban on the sale of dyed fish in this country under the Animal Welfare Bill.
________________________________________________________________________________

How It’s Done
Several methods are used to alter the colour and appearance of tropical fish. Colouring fish stresses them and makes them more susceptible to disease. Young fish that are not fully grown are often stunted by the painting process.

Some methods result in mortality rates as high as 80%. Many of the survivors will have an abbreviated life span. Nine out of ten painted fish will lose their colouration within a matter of months.

Coloured Food - Young fish are fed treated foods that will temporarily tint them. Once they are no longer fed the treated food, they eventually lose their colour. Unfortunately the dye they consume can negatively affect their growth and development.

Dye Injection - Needles are used to inject dye under the skin. Because only a small area is affected, the fish must be subjected to many punctures to achieve the desired effect. The popular painted glassfish are dyed this way, using florescent coloured paints. Fish that are injected often contract infections from the punctures.

Dipping - As barbaric as dye injections seem, this practice is even worse. The fish are first put into a caustic solution that strips off their protective outer slime coating. They are then dipped in dye, or injected with dyes, after which they are dipped in another chemical that irritates the flesh to stimulate re-growth of the slime coat. This method is very stressful, and has a high mortality rate.

Let me reiterate this, out of every 100 fish treated, 80 will die, from the remaining 20 that survive 18 will lose all the false colouration within a matter of months, just 2 out of every 100 fish treated will survive and retain the colouration for any length of time and it is likely that these remaining 2 fish with have shortened lifespans.

Thankfully, this barbaric practise is illegal in this country now, but to continue to allow the import and sale of these mistreated animals will encourage the further suffering of the animals for the profits made selling to the unknowing British public.

I would like to see both the import and sale of these unfortunate creatures made illegal and the
Animal Welfare Bill is the perfect tool to accomplish this task. I would ask you as my elected representative to push for this to be incorporated in the bill.


Yours sincerely

Please make amendments / alterations as you see fit.

You can find the contact details of your own MP by CLICKING HERE

You could print it and post it, or cut and paste it into an email as most MP's have email.

I know many members on here are also members of other forums and it would be great if we can get the support of members of all forums but as we are not allowed to name them on here, can you just check that you don't post this on another forum without checking to see if it's there already.

I don't know if it will make any difference, but I do know that doing nothing will not make any difference.

Arfie

PS, if you think it's worthy, could a mod pin this so it doesn't fall off the bottom and maybe add it onto any other subforums you see as relevant.

 

[Bloo]

I'll copy / paste and print it and send to my local MP (who's name I got on that link).

(Obviously addressed to her and signed by me ;-) )

 

[catxx]

*cuts & pastes & emails*

 

[juliehainsworth]

I've just emailed a copy!

Hope it works! Wish more people would join us though!

 

[Ami]

Well done Arfie for doing something proactive!

I will also be doing a similar letter to my local MP and also the MP of my parents constituency.

There must be something else we can do to encourage other people to do the same. Have you considered contacting your local paper or maybe asking your LFS (presuming they don't stock dyed fish that is!) to stick up a poster or a copy of the PFK article?

I'm off to my LFS at the weekend and will be speaking to them then.

 

[FBF]

of course they may as well stop people being allowed to keep fish in small glass boxes at the same time!.. us fishkeepers are the worst hypocrites when it comes to fish welfare

just another wider view

 

[boozybears]

good letter Arf! I agree that it should be pinned!

 

[blitztidus]

Definately should be pinned. I absolutely agree and emailed it to my fish junky friends

 

[clareriley]

It should be pinned and its going in the post tomorrow.

 

[Arfie]

Thanks guys, I was beggining think nobody on TFF gives a damn about dyed fish

One point, if you write or email your MP, you must give them your name and full address, if not, they write back to you.

I wrote to mine via his own website and I didn't put my address, he (or his staff) emailed me back a few hours later for it. I also used the House of Commons email on the link I gave above and I received a copy of it this morning, so you have an idea of timescales.

Arfie

 

[juliehainsworth]

Yeah alot of us care about it! I posted a while ago about them as I'd actually seen them in one of my LFS not long after hearing about them! I thought it was only the glass fish that got dyed until I posted the topic about them and found out that there were alot more of them than I first thought! It absolutely horrifys me that people would do such things all for profit!

I def think this should be pinned!

 

[Arfie]

For those interested, I have today recieved a letter from my MP informing me:

Thank you for contacting me with regard to the Animal Welfare Bill and the sale and importation of artificially coloured fish.

I await a ministerial response to my letter on your behalf to DEFRA.

I will contact you again as soon as I have more information.

So, at least one MP has sent a letter, imagine what can happen if we can get dozens to do it.

Arfie

 

[pica_nuttalli]

bumpty-bump-bump.

if we can get it outlawed in the Uk, then maybe we can get it outlawed in the US (<--wishful thinking)

 

[clareriley]

My letter went out. I even went to my lfs and asked Len if he bought dyed fish and the look on his face he said what the hell do you think I am and im like sorry but I really had to ask.

 

[Ami]

Bumping this up cos I don't want it to fall off the radar.

Come on guys, it only takes a minute or two to copy, paste, amend and send.

And a quick reply to FBF - I agree that we can be very hypocritical at times, but I don't think keeping fish properly in a tank that's big enough and meets their requirements as closely as possible, is the same as purposefully inflicting pain upon fish to make money.