Biosecurity Draft Report Petition

[jo oakley]

The lfs near me told me that Batch testing had been past already

and she will ask poeple to breed fish for her

Oh and she is going to breed them her self.

how can you talk to people like that?

Aquariums & Reptiles Cranbourne know all about it.

Thats my area covered don't have many out here.

[Fishchick]

I have both Thai and Indonesian friends chasing up their government departments. To me this IS an international issue. If it is passed here it sets a dangerous precedent - government bodies making monumental decisions with no consultation or feedback from those most affected. Countries that supply Australia need to voice their concerns as well.

My 2c, J

[fishbites]

Good stuff someone..... this is the thin end of the flying wedge... if Australia do this terrible thing to fish imports ... will NZ follow.... or Europe ? ... or the US? While our imports are fairly small it will really impact if other countries see this as a way to go as well....

[delyall]

I asked in a pakenham lfs today, and he seemed to think it had already passed or was inevitable that it was going to pass Didnt seem like he was trying to go against it, and wasnt aware that live-bearers and bettas will be affected.. youd think with how relaxed all these businesses are that this whole thing isnt a big deal

Little hobbyists like myself wont have much effect, but youd think the lfs owners would be more worried or bugging the govt. more..

[Bettarazzi]

My guess is that the shops who don't import their own fish won't really be as aware as those that do. Also if they only bring in the bread and butter fish, they're not going to be affected that badly. The shops that try to stock the more expensive and more sought after fish will have been told by the wholesalers and importers about the changes. I'm really not surprised that some shops don't know what's going on. I bet many of them have simply dismissed it as something that won't affect them. But all you have to do is play the tape all the way to the end and ask yourself a simple series of what-ifs and you'll start to see how the dominoes will fall.

[fishish]

Mentioned it at St Kilda aquarium today (now called Aquious) and they know of it and said its going ahead, said its crazy and will sky rocket fish prices. Otherwise they didn't seem too concerned. I'm thinking maybe that having to sell their fish at a higher price won't necessarily put them out of business?

As for Coburg, they import HEAPS like hundreds of bettas in every shipment (evident in their 'betta clearance' recently with hundreds of little jars all lined up selling cheap to get rid of excess stock) so again perhaps its not huge for them??

Edited October 10, 2010 by fishish

[fishbites]

it will be 'huge' for them when people start shutting down their tanks and moving to other hobbies.... hopefully the rest of Australia won't go the way of Tasmania (allowing only licenced breeders to sell fish) and maybe LFS's will survive on locally bred fish .... one of my LFS's breeds their own cichlids and has a good supplier of live bearers who breeds them in large ponds but as to other fish... not sure what they will do .....

Edited October 10, 2010 by fishbites

[Fishchick]

At present the legislation has not been passed, but it is on the desk of the Director of Quarantine for assessment.

There is still a very vigorous and valiant fight being waged, but it will not succeed without the help of the community.

The number of signatures so far is pathetic.

Please continue to encourage EVERYONE you know to sign this petition.

The Iridovirus testing is just the first step on the way to banning the import of ALL fish. Over the past 50 years aquarium hobbyists have lost access to more and more species of fish. The current allowable import list makes no sense. It was an ad hoc list that got thrown together to cut down the number of species AQIS officers had to identify. (surely a simpler and easier way to go would have been to put together a "not allowed" list of far fewer species!)

If the batch testing legislation goes through the next on the hit list will be marines. You can then expect there to be a crack down on back-yard breeders and aquaculture license holders. Already NT hobbyists can only keep fish on the allowable list. They cannot sell anything without a license. This legislation is already in place in QLD, but after the "guppy gestapo" debacle, not CURRENTLY enforced.

Do not sit smugly by thinking how much money you will make as a breeder because no-one will be importing the targeted fish.

When the smaller importers fall they will take many shops with them. Already the main importers are restricting sales. The big chain stores are contracted to the main importers. They cannot buy your fish. Will an importer buy your "untested" stock?

The ultimate aim of DAFF and Biosecurity is to have NO INTRODUCED species AT ALL. Fair trade would not permit the banning of species. Taking the path of "disease threat" is a bit like America's Homeland Security and terrorism - once so branded, you can do whatever you like.

So please, stand up for your hobby!

Please print out fliers. Print out "tear off" pages of the web link to stick up on notice board. Post these at supermarkets, community notice boards, schools and universities. Anywhere with a cork board!

You MUST act if aquarium keeping is to stay a viable hobby for 1000s of people.

Thank you, someone

[splendidbetta]

Hey JL, would you mind if I sent your post as a mass message to all the facebook group members?

[cammackey]

Big thanks to someone for getting people involved, lobbying is the only way we can stop this now. The more people that send in their thoughts the better. Even though BA has passed on their findings, it does not mean we cannot let them know that this is based on flawed science. Currently the only person with the PCR test for the virus is also the person who contributed to the initial report feeding a pearl gourami to a murray cod. Pardon the pun, but it smells fishy. This report, as we know was based on incredibly poor experimental design, and this needs to said again and again, you cannot argue with science!

@ people concerned we are doing nothing about this - Coburg is very concerned, and we are doing our best to lobby and press all those involved about the dangers of this new law through all avenues available to us. As with all other importers, this will affect us significantly, and we realise the importance for the future of the industry in Australia.

The last conversation I had with AQIS, they still do not know what is happening. In order for this to be implemented, the PCR test will need to be rolled out to Australian labs, and overseas labs. This could take a while. Also SOPs will need to be produced and staff trained on how the batch testing will be done, once again, this will take time.

As we all know, this is a large overreaction to the horse flu (not naming names but maybe a large government body who controls entry of disease into this country may of screwed up??). The aquarium trade is just a soft target, as we have no governing body, and our industry is incredibly fractured.

Look at two groups who have successfully lobbied the government - cyclists, and fishermen. Due to the power of the industry, they have fought and won. There is no reason we cannot do the same.

Keep spreading the word, and letting the government know what we really think.

Cam.

Edited October 15, 2010 by ihadagoldfishonce

[Fishchick]

Hey JL, would you mind if I sent your post as a mass message to all the facebook group members?

Heck no - spread the word.

I have also drafted up a flier and tear off strips with the petition web address.

Hopefully, people will rally to the cause and put these up in shopping centres, community notice boards, Uni information sites etc. Approach your LFS/LPS if you can.

If you can do better - please post up - I have little time and the docs are not that flash.

http://www.users.on.net/~someone/savetheindustry.doc

http://www.users.on.net/~someone/tearoffwebaddress.xls

cheers, J

PS am working on another letter to send to the minister.

Again, it is a time thing, but will upload and link when ready.

Cheers, J

[Chuckie]

BUMP