Re: [GSAS-Member] FW: Letter From APPA President Regarding Bill HR 669

[Shango Los <shango@shangolos.com>]

Thanks Matt,

I just sent an email doing a dance remix of yours.  Thanks

Shango


On 4/15/09 2:03 PM, "Matt Staroscik" <matt@wrongcrowd.com> wrote:

> I am writing to you today to ask you to NOT support HR 669, the "Nonnative
> Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act," should it make it out of committee.
> 
> As you know, if passed into law, this would by default deny entry into the
> country of all non-native species until a study was done to determine if the
> species would cause harm to the environment. Even maintaining existing
> captive populations would become illegal.
> 
> I and many other ordinary Americans would have personal liberties that we
> currently safely enjoy curtailed by this bill. If every fish in my tropical
> aquarium needs Federal approval to be imported or bred domestically, it¹s
> easy to forecast that those approvals will not come quickly no matter how
> innocent the species is.
> 
> This would destroy many pet-related hobbies, and devastate the pet industry
> in a time of existing economic turmoil. Countless ³mom & pop² pet stores
> would be put out of business when harmless species of fish, reptiles, birds,
> and small mammals that have been sold here for decades become unavailable.
> 
> Before a bill like this makes sense, it must be demonstrated that there are
> very real, specific, and serious problems that it will solve. That does not
> seem to be the case here. Yes, there are some non-native species that have
> taken a foothold in the America. That is regrettable, but will this bill put
> the genie back in the bottle? Will it really help us in the future more than
> it hurts individuals and industries now? What specific problems have been
> caused by the aquarium or exotic pet trades in the past? There are few items
> to point to.
> 
> The requirements that I be able to prove that any unapproved animals I own
> were legally owned before the bill passed is poorly written. What
> constitutes proof? How can I prove a fish or pet was legally bred by me
> years ago?
> 
> An interesting side effect of this bill, if passed, may be the unexpected
> extinction of some species. There are some fish in the tropical aquarium
> trade that are all but extinct in the wild. It is only through the efforts
> of dedicated hobbyists that these species live on at all, because of habitat
> destruction in their native lands. It would be a shame to see them pushed
> closer to extinction when American hobbyists are prevented from preserving
> the species.
> 
> There is also an educational impact. Imagine future generations who are
> exposed to no animal more exotic than a goldfish unless they visit an
> expensive zoo or aquarium.
> 
> Problem species should be attacked directly, and preventative measures must
> not be so burdensome. This bill casts far, far too wide a net, and is truly
> appalling no matter how well-intentioned it is.
> 
> Please, if the time comes, vote in favor of freedom and common sense instead
> of needlessly eroding more of our liberties.




-- 
Shango Los

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