From Both Sides Now, The Role of The Aquarist in
                        Conservation
Now  a  days  when  you sit and talk about  the  movers  and shakers  in  the 
fisheries business you can  bet  the  names Axelrod  or  Quinn don't come up, 
nor do the  names  of  any other  Aquarist. Aquarist you say, why would the 
name of  an Aquarist come up in any serious discussion of North American 
Native fish ? Why not I say ? Did you know that much of  the information on 
species across the world has been acquired by Aquarist  not Scientist. In 
their quest to dive  deeper  and deeper into their obsessive hobby Aquarist 
have combed every continent and almost every genus  in search of new 
specimens for  their  tanks.  Aquarist discover  species,  name  
them,document  their habits and publish their results.  Go  ahead and  check 
out your libraries Aquarium section. You will  be surprised.  The knowledge 
base available is very impressive. Aquarist  do  so  many  tasks that are 
fundamental  to  good science  and  good  resource management yet  many  
fisheries personnel   ignore   them.  Aquarists   concentrate   almost 
exclusively  in  non game species the greatest  weakness  of most  fisheries  
departments yet  most  "Serious"  fisheries staff  have  never  even  given a 
thought  to  the  role  of Aquarists or Aquarium study in their work.
Inspite  of  what  seems an obvious opportunity  to  partner there  exists 
within the fisheries community a bias  against aquarist. A sort of invisible 
wall that keeps US  away  from THEM.  Many  Fisheries  people  consider  
Aquarist  amusing,ignorant  folks  who just don't know the first  thing  
about fisheries  management.  Aquarist  seem  content   to   spend countless 
hours (and dollars) to set things up just so , all the while making no real 
enviromental impact. However slowly all  across  the  continent the 
traditional separations  are eroding.  All across America , serious Aquarist 
are involved in  the  rearing and breeding of Native Fish.  Sometimes  in 
secret,  often times in public. Aquarist routinely keep  and breed  Darters  
,  Shiners and Sunfish. Collecting  valuable information on rearing and 
breeding species. More  and  more Aquarist  have  become  involved on  the  
local  level  with various Stream Teams and other conservation movements.  
They have taken a proactive role in environmental preservation.
How  do  Aquarist do that you may wonder ? How can some  guy with  a few fish 
tanks and a basement become environmentally proactive  ?  How  does he breed 
a species  that  State  and federal  programs  have  failed at ? It's  
simple,  Aquarist observe  things  from  a  micro perspective  spending  
hours observing  the  most minute detail of fish behavior.   While those  in 
Fisheries tend to look at things at a macro  level .This  skill  while  
useful for resource management,  leaves them   lacking  when  it  comes  to  
domestic  rearing   and propagation.  A surprising amount of Aquarists are  
rearing,and  breeding  fish  from  all over  the  world  with  great success. 
 Surprised  ?  If Aquarist can  discover  and  rear African  Cichlids of all 
types why not do the same with  our Native  species?  There  is  so  much  to 
 learn  about  the intricacies of breeding and rearing of a great many  of  
our Native fishes . Aquarist could help fill in the gaps !
Up  until  this  point  the Aquarist has  been  an  outsider looking in. Many 
states have placed laws on the books making collecting  and  keeping  of 
North  American  Native  Fishes difficult  .  The  American  Fisheries  
Society  and   other Organizations   like  the  North  American   Native   
Fishes Association (NANFA) should work together with states to make 
collecting  laws uniform and logical.  A practical  solution might  be a 
simple collectors license (or stamp) that allows a   creel  limit without 
size limitations for  example,  the possessor  could  collect via hook  or  
net  6  sunfish  all species all sizes, 12 shiners or darters, and 6 
roughfish.
To the surprise of most people , the great majority of  fish collectors are 
like stamp collectors . Collectors will go to great  lengths and expense to 
find the one or two things  we want.  Ignoring the many other things 
available, a  kind  of catch and release collector. I have yet to see any 
collector do  the  wholesale over collecting we hear about  and  fear. They  
are as rare as the Bass Fisherman who takes every size and  type of bass any 
way he can get them be it by  hook  or dynamite.
I  think  it  is  past  time that the  serious  Aquarist  be welcomed  to the 
folds of the serious fisheries  groups.  We have  a  dire  and  important job 
to do, we  must  not  only discover  and  document our fishes and their  
behaviors.  We also  must  deal  with  the  increasing  environmental   and 
financial  pressure on our natural resources. The scheme  of things  would 
radically change if a small percentage of  the millions  of  aquarist began 
spending their time  and  money locally  with groups and stream teams. 
Fisheries departments and  other groups should place the welcome mat out  
reaching out  via aquarium magazines and local aquarium groups .  The 
increased public awareness alone would be worth the  effort. Take  a  moment 
open the tent a little wider and  let  those folks in they are waiting.
Robert Rice
2213 Prytania Circle
Navarre Florida  32566
1-904-936-9261
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