Stop The Ban On Koi In Australia

[Doug Ward]

Brad.
Your testicles are pretty big !
You let " them' take your gunz...
You lost already

[Kohaku]

How do we know that for sure?

[B.Scott]

I think you need to do more than just complain. That isn't going to impress the gooberment. If you want to keep having koi then you need to have a plan.
All said and done carp are an invasive species and a huge problem in many Aussie lakes and rivers. In oz it is against the law to return any carp caught. They MUST be destroyed It's hard for those of us in the upper echelons of the hobby to appreciate the problem with koi but truthfully it's not our section of hobby that is the danger, it's the millions of crap koi sold cheap in garden centers that get released into the wild when they get too big that are the danger.

I think a more effective argument would be to draw a list of proposals that would allow some people to keep limited amount of fish under strict conditions. I know it sucks, it will make the hobby much more expensive and complicated but it may well come down to that or being a criminal if you keep koi.

• Imported fish be of a minimum size/cost.
• Make up a licencing system for koi and approval for the location and design of ponds they will be kept in.
• ID all fish and make the owner accountable. If the fish dies the owner should be able to present the dead body.
• Make breeding of fish illegal with all fry to be killed directly

As things stand you are about to lose it all and whinging won't help especially if the people doing it aren't voters.
Don't take this as lack of sympathy for your plight Bradey. I think it really sucks but just writing to the govenment won't help and if you wait too long you will be lost!
B.Scott

[bekko]

B.Scott is right. You need a management plan.

-steveh opk

[mrbradleybradley]

Quote: Originally Posted by kingkong Mr. Tilzey needs a beautiful koi pond installed overnight. He will change his tune.

The irony is there are government ponds in that have koi stocked in them :P

Bradley

[mrbradleybradley]

Quote: Originally Posted by mulberryjen One question: isn't the import of koi already banned in Australia? want to have my facts correct before writing so someone verify yes or no.

Yes, koi are banned from import. As a result, we probably have the most active hobby. Most koi keepers have built there own pond, almost all breed and many show the fish that they have breed them selves.

Bradley

[mrbradleybradley]

Quote: Originally Posted by Kohaku IS the gov. worried they will escape into the waterways and cause more problems with invasives? Carp are good at fighting with native species.

Basically they see wild river carp as an environmental pest and class koi the same.

[Regenmeneer]

I have some family in Australia, and am aware of the problems with non-domestic species. There are so many species that have been introduced and are a problem. So the Oz government is right to take action, but don't agree with the course they're taking.

I agree with B.Scott that you need a plan of action, but there are some practical problems to the solutions he posted.

- As far as I know, it's not legal to import koi from abroad. So killing all fry produced wil eventually be the end of the hobby.

- When all fish are identifiable, and the owner is accountable, what will happen if a koi is taken by a bird or other predator?

I totally agree that turning loose koi in nature is not a thing of hobbyist at our level, but at the lower (lowest) echelons of the hobby. So maybe a system could be created where people that want to get rid of their koi, for whatever reason, could bring them back to the store or some government agency.

I agree that a licencing system for keeping koi, where ponds are inspected/approved, could be an option. But this means that inspections on non-approved ponds should be made.

I'm wondering if this is just a law banning koi, or other animals as well? If it effects other animals as well, you will have a better chance when joining forces.

Regenmeneer

[B.Scott]

Quote: I agree with B.Scott that you need a plan of action, but there are some practical problems to the solutions he posted. - As far as I know, it's not legal to import koi from abroad. So killing all fry produced will eventually be the end of the hobby. - When all fish are identifiable, and the owner is accountable, what will happen if a koi is taken by a bird or other predator?

Ray These are the same questions the state would ask as well.

I would propose that they legalise the import of koi above a certain value/size/quality. This would inhibit the buyers of cheap fish from purchasing them for the novelty value and then discarding them. Killing all fry would likewise stop the millions of culls produced by hobby breeders for gaining access to the Australian ecosystem. Possibly a ban on fish under a certain size, say 40 cm. It might even be able to chemically sterilize all imported fish but I'm not sure.

Fish leaving the pond by any means is a potential threat. I can imagine a bird of prey plucking a fish from a hobby pond and then finding it too heavy dropping it in another body of water. Not a likely scenario, but not impossible. So the owner must be responsible. He must make sure that the fish he owns are protected for predators and possibly even thieves. Micro chip each fish and all owners must have proper paperwork. If not Fines, big ones! It must be proven to the authorities that no fish will escape ever. It the same breath every pond must be located in place where there is no danger of flooding and the contents of the pond coming in contact with natural bodies of water. Thus ponds will need to meet strict criteria.

In the eyes of the state anyone owning koi will basically be possessing a bio hazard and you must never have it loose. It is the state that must be satisfied not the hobbyist. The choice is to belay the fears of the government and the green lobby or see your hobby disappear.

B.Scott

[dick benbow]

Scott,
last fall while at Quality Koi, They found an ogon that had almost healed from an osprey catch, that was dropped into a pond 100's of yards away of a different color variety...so it's more realistic than you could imagine.

As a former outdoor writer and receipiant of many awards from Trout unlimited and close friends with state wildlife and fisheries guys you would not believe what
people let loose into public waters. some deliberate, some just stupidity.....

I agree with the statement that koi clubs in any part of the world need to educate the public and lead the way in demonstrating the proper management of the species thru self regulation and example.

So many citizens of the world think things they enjoy are a priviledge of citzenship when the truth is it's a responsibility......

Ultimately the People of Australia can benefit from caring about the protection of all ; native and introduced by those drawn to the beauty of koi. Each species can be enjoyed in it's proper place. lake or Mountain stream or public park or backyard koi pond. First you have to have people want to be involved,
then educated, then motivated to be responsible. Best of luck in your difficult
situation......