blacklisted species

Hi people

I saw a blacklisted specie ( climbing perch) in a petshop for sale. its the second time that this petshop have blcklisted species. My question is how do they manage to get this fish without being stop or caught by the authorities into the petshop?? Will it help if I tell them that they have a blacklisted specie that is illegal??

 

I doubt they'll listen. As long as it makes money they will sell it. I have even seen shrimp at my pet shop. I didn't know about the blacklist and bought it. A few months later he disapeared I figured he was eaten or jumped out. Was a really cool little thing I hope they become legal in 2011.
I dont know how they get blacklisted species

 

My feeling is a little harsh towards LPS that stock blacklisted species. We've spoken on this topic to death, and a lot of members still claim that ignorance is the best kept secret. However I cannot, and will not accept this. If an LPS is dealing in blacklisted species, report them. Finished and kla. We are all trying to be responsible fishkeepers in the trade, and if we can be a channel, be it as minute as it may be, in educating a few of our local dives (LPS) about their errors, we have done our bit.

There's an add on the radio about a guy saying he doesn't know if his small R2 donation will help the beggar on the street, so he's basically saying why bother... but if we all give that beggar R2 then it adds up. (Poor analagoy I know, but you get my drift.)

So my feeling is harsh... phone the lps, let them know that there is a blacklist out there, and that you have noticed they have stock of a certain blacklisted item. Direct them to TASA to get the list from us. And the next time you go in and see the same blackisted species, whack them with a report to the DEAT. (Henk has posted the number a few times on TASA on where to report to.)

 

Agreed with Zoom...but also in defence of the shop owners, a lot of wholesalers give generic names on their lists & not scientific . This coupled with ignorant / unexperienced shop owners (especially in CT , where it seems everyone with a few bucks opens a shop) is a recipe for disaster.

Sometimes even the scientific names will differ

 

Ja report them, if the mistake was made by the importer mislabeling his fish then the owner can explain that to DEAT and they can take it up with the importer who started it in the first place.

 

This is exactly the point I'm trying to attain to in these Blacklist threads. If no-one is reporting the LPS because you "feel sorry" for your LPS, or believe your LPS's ignorance, or feel they have been done in by the local breeders or importers, NOTHING will ever be done. The chain has to start with the educated.. which at the moment is us on TASA.

Put it this way... You report LPS. LPS get's a visit, and threatened with a fine. Suddenly LPS cannot plead ignorance anymore. He HAS to pass on the details of where he got this stock from. DEAT follows the trail. Now, Johnny X walks into the LPS looking for BL species ABC... suddenly because the LPS has been threatened with action, he is able to say to Johnny X that this species is not available from him because (1) it's blacklisted, and (2) if he takes a chance, he could actually get nailed with that fine.

EVERYTHING in life has a starting point, and if you are not going to start (by letting the LPS know something is BL, or reporting it), then you are just as guilty as them. You need to become that starting point. Turning a blind eye is a South African trait... and SOMEONE has to start by NOT turning a blind eye anymore!!

 

We should nName and shame the shops

 

Well then next time I see a climbing perch or something like that I wil l tell them because our pet shop is great, but has very little knowledge.

 

That unfortunately will land you on a permanent holiday. (I.e Banned from TASA), because this could land TASA up with law suits.

 

I dont think the problem is with the local fish stores, most of them receive a list of available fish from a supplier. There is a small number of suppliers that do large imports and supply most of the shops, most shop owners i have spoken to dont even know there is a blacklist, so if there is a blacklisted fish on the list they order a few because it is something new or for whatever the reason. So if the big importers of fish could insure their lists stay blacklisted species free it would solve the problem, this is not a solution for those shops bringing in their own stock, but they dont have an excuse as they would have been made aware of the blacklist by their clearing agents.