05/05/2023
https://www.facebook.com/100067983733601/posts/585804530362333/
Florida’s pet trade and pet owners are facing a full-on assault on their ability to keep, culture, and sell the vast majority of organisms that currently make up the pet trade. In short, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is proposing two variations on a strict white list approach to pet trade regulation in the name of preventing future invasive species problems. These proposals may restrict the total amount of species across all subsets of the pet hobby to as few as perhaps only 200 total species across the entirety of the pet trade.
Meanwhile, pet trade members argue that these are industry-killing proposals and that the existing blacklist regulations that are already in place are more than sufficient. In addition to vocal opposition from the pet trade, individuals from the scientific, academic, and institutional fields have all spoken out directly to FWC in opposition to these proposals, advocating instead for the proven blacklist approach (which bars only specific, targeted species) as shown in the video below.
Concerns regarding FWC overreach and problematic FWC enforcement actions have been ramped up due to walkbacks on promises of pets being grandfathered in under previous new regulations, and species misidentification, resulting in incidents such as the recent case where FWC agents killed 30 privately-owned snakes of disputed legality, save one which all parties agree was a pet that was completely legal to own.
These FWC proposals are reminiscent of the prior nationwide trade prohibitions that we’ve reported on. Despite over a year of direct collaboration with the FWC, it appears that none of the trade’s concerns are being heard or taken into account. Most outreach for commentary and interest has been targeted toward Florida residents in the past few weeks, but we need to realize that the footprint of Florida’s import and aquaculture businesses is massive within the aquarium trade. Losing these businesses would represent a massive blow to the aquarium hobby and industry.
Now, we share a summary of the issue from USARK, and an urgent call for attention from one of Florida’s large aquarium fish farms and wholesalers, Nautilus Tropical Fish Wholesale.
via USARK
“Briefly, at the last Commission meeting, Chairman Barreto gave a directive to staff (without conducting due process through a formal motion and vote) to ban the importation of any species that is not currently in trade in Florida. However, Staff turned this unofficial directive into two “interpretations” during the April Technical Assistance Group (TAG) meeting. USARK FL, USARK, and some responsible Florida business owners are on this TAG, along with several other members from various NGOs and fields. These “interpretations” have now become “options” that will be proposed on May 11 at the Commission meeting. To the dismay of Florida businesses and some others on the TAG, only these two options will be offered and not any other alternative although TAG members have suggested an alternative approach.
“We encourage every Florida animal owner to email the Commissioners regarding the “whitelist” proposal that will be heard during the May 11 Commission meeting. Comments must be submitted by 5:00 on Friday, May 5. Please remember to be civil and professional, but feel free to make your concerns known.
Submit your comments here: https://myfwc.wufoo.com/forms/s1g2xh6f009a30i/“
Click here for full article:
https://www.reef2rainforest.com/2023/05/04/all-hands-on-deck-in-floridas-fwc-vs-pet-trade-fight/
**plife
