Hi guys, not been on for a long time sorry about that. This came to my attention today on facebook via the seriously fish page and felt it was to important not to share!
http/www.ornamentalfish.org/hands-off-my-hobby
If you live in the EU it is extremely important that you read this page and also that you take some form of action.
the best thing to do is to contact your local MEP to vote against the proposed plans in the European Parliment - if you are not of voting age perhaps ask a parent to help with contacting them. But even if it is just tweeting or facebooking under the hashtag #handsoffmyhobby is going to get the voice out there.
Also distribute the information to all aquatic outlets and shops you visit - take print outs etc as if it passes it will essentially end their lively hood.
Just a section of text from the OATA website above to get an idea of exactly what is going on.
For me it seems a tough bill to fully pass, the economic and employment issues alone must be a deterrent from destroying the exotic pets trade. On the top level tier of businesses you just have to think of big companies in the UK like Maidenhead Aquatics or even Pets at home, the impact to them would be crippling, especially Maidenhead Aquatics. But along with them there is every independent shop a lot of which are family owned, the thought of it is just devastating! But then lets go an industry level deeper and talk about European manufaturers like Hagen and Fluval, Rena, Ehiem, Aqua One. There is a Fluval factory in Castleford near me and it is huge I picked up some parts from there once and there were 3 receptionists alone... it is not a small business. Lets not forget all the import businesses and wholesalers. Then even other industries will be impacted, the whole supply chain.
Lets not forget that it is not just fish though it is all exotic pets, so its going to cover Reptiles, Snakes and Birds etc.
And then lets just talk about hipocracy right now for a few minutes! How can an EU government stand idly by while the Amazon river (a big source of the fish in the hobby) is carved up by hydro electro dams putting thousands of species of fish at risk of extinction...
Just as some reassurance, it seems so far the fish we currently have will not be affected - though an interesting thought I have just had, what happens if your fish breed in your house? Livebearers for example which you can have little control over what happens then? Will men in white coats come to your house? Dawn raids by SWAT teams?
BUT!!! The important fact to remember that this is still early stages and we can still do something about it!
Wills
*mod note* - obviously this is a very emotive subject and the thread could become heated, but please lets keep all discussion factual, lets keep it positive and work out facts, formulate ideas on how to act etc
http/www.ornamentalfish.org/hands-off-my-hobby
If you live in the EU it is extremely important that you read this page and also that you take some form of action.
the best thing to do is to contact your local MEP to vote against the proposed plans in the European Parliment - if you are not of voting age perhaps ask a parent to help with contacting them. But even if it is just tweeting or facebooking under the hashtag #handsoffmyhobby is going to get the voice out there.
Also distribute the information to all aquatic outlets and shops you visit - take print outs etc as if it passes it will essentially end their lively hood.
Just a section of text from the OATA website above to get an idea of exactly what is going on.
We’ve noticed that Brussels-based lobbying group Eurogroup for Animals has launched a #votes4animals campaign to put animal welfare at the heart of the European elections being held in May.
No-one can argue against the importance of animal welfare and we should all be concerned about and want to protect the animals we keep as pets. But the group is asking MEPs, who are now campaigning to win your vote, to sign up to a pledge to support its manifesto which includes a call for:
“Banning the import of wild-caught animals and restricting the number of exotic species* that can be imported and traded in the EU, in line with EU policies which tackle related concerns including human health, animal health and the protection of the environment.”
So if you have a marine or tropical set-up that means everything in it – except the plants – could be under threat. Taken to its logical conclusion this manifesto promise could cover tropical marine or freshwater fish, corals, soft corals or other invertebrates because all these are either wild-caught and/or exotic (which means they’re not native to Europe, even if captive-bred in the EU). That means they’d no longer be available to buy
For me it seems a tough bill to fully pass, the economic and employment issues alone must be a deterrent from destroying the exotic pets trade. On the top level tier of businesses you just have to think of big companies in the UK like Maidenhead Aquatics or even Pets at home, the impact to them would be crippling, especially Maidenhead Aquatics. But along with them there is every independent shop a lot of which are family owned, the thought of it is just devastating! But then lets go an industry level deeper and talk about European manufaturers like Hagen and Fluval, Rena, Ehiem, Aqua One. There is a Fluval factory in Castleford near me and it is huge I picked up some parts from there once and there were 3 receptionists alone... it is not a small business. Lets not forget all the import businesses and wholesalers. Then even other industries will be impacted, the whole supply chain.
Lets not forget that it is not just fish though it is all exotic pets, so its going to cover Reptiles, Snakes and Birds etc.
And then lets just talk about hipocracy right now for a few minutes! How can an EU government stand idly by while the Amazon river (a big source of the fish in the hobby) is carved up by hydro electro dams putting thousands of species of fish at risk of extinction...
Just as some reassurance, it seems so far the fish we currently have will not be affected - though an interesting thought I have just had, what happens if your fish breed in your house? Livebearers for example which you can have little control over what happens then? Will men in white coats come to your house? Dawn raids by SWAT teams?
BUT!!! The important fact to remember that this is still early stages and we can still do something about it!
Wills
*mod note* - obviously this is a very emotive subject and the thread could become heated, but please lets keep all discussion factual, lets keep it positive and work out facts, formulate ideas on how to act etc