Re: [AGA-sc] RFI

Hi David,

I think it’s a great initiative. Of course, there probably a lot of aquatic gardeners who keep this type of fish, but the more people who know about it, the better. I am forwarding this to the BOD. Hopefully we can set up a link on the web site, and, perhaps, put an announcement in TAG.

Karen

From: David Lass [mailto:davidlass@comcast.net]
Sent: Sunday, November 30, 2008 12:15 PM
To: Karen Randall
Subject: RFI

Hi Karen --

Since it seems like the AGA convention was a great success, and that you guys may have some time to breathe now -- I was wondering if I could get AGA to get behind the Responsbile Fishkeeping Initiative (RFI) that I have finally succeeded in putting together. The blurb below pretty much describes it

The Responsible Fishkeeping Initiative (RFI)

As every fishkeeper is well aware, there are certain fish which really should not be kept by home hobbyists. The three fish that make up 90% of the problems (in terms of being 90% of the fish that hobbyists look to "donate" to local fish stores and public aquariums) are the red tailed catfish, the pacu piranha and the iridescent shark. All three of these fish get much too large for any but a very few dedicated hobbyists to proerly care for. The problem is that when the hobbyist finds out that the lfs and public aquarium also do not have any room for these huge fish, often the hobbyist's solution is simply to let the fish loose in a local body of water. The release of non-native fishes and plants into local waters has become a real problem, and if the hobby and industry do not address the problem it will eventually be dealt with by folks who do not have much concern about our hobby/industry, and their "solution" will be simply to ban all non-native fishes and plants.

There have been a number of "educational" campaigns trying to get people to realize these problems, and to not release anything in the wild -- unfortunately, they have not really worked, as these fish are still being sold, kept and eventually released. Therefore, a group of concerned individuals and companies in the aquarium industry have gotten together to start the Responsible Fishkeeping Initiative (RFI). Stores that join the RFI agree to take the "pledge" that 1) they will not sell the 3 biggest problem fish -- the red tailed catfish, pacu piranha and iridescent shark, and 2) if any hobbyis has any fish that they can no longer take care of, they can bring that fish into their store. The store will try to find the fish a good home, but if they cannot rehome the fish they will humanely euthanize the fish and dispose of it properly.

It is the second part of the RFI Pledge that is most important -- since even if every local fish store stopped selling these three fish tomorrow, there still would be many of them out there that will eventually get too large for the hobbyist to care for. The second part of the pledge is also what makes it so different from all of the educational projects, in that it provides a real solution to the problem of what to do with these fish when they can no longer be kept, rather than the hobbyist simply "freeing" the fish into the local lake, stream or river.

I hope that you will support the RFI, and towards that end I am enclosing a flyer, that is 8 1/2" X 11" explaining the RFI and how folks can join. The flyer has space left at the top for you to put it onto your letterhead, which I hope you will do, and that you will distribute flyers to as many folks as you can. Thank you in advance for your support. I am confident that the RFI is the best way that our hobby/industry can demonstrate our responsibility, and that we can solve the problem of unwanted fish being released into local waters before legislators solve it for us.

If anyone from AGA wants either posters, or bumper stickers, or both please have them let me know. Also, I would really appreciate it if the Board could vote or do whatever is neceessary to support the RFI, and put a link to our site (below) on the AGA web site.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Take care,

David

                                  ********************************************************************************************************
                                      Please support the RESPONSIBLE FISHKEEPING INITIATIVE (RFI)
                                                                    please go to
                                                                   http://fishchannel.com/rfi.aspx

David Lass                     781.581.1788
Aquatics and Special Projects                                             Resident Fishhead
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