Mr. Ly: Reasonable Entry as Koi Person of the Year

[koicluboftheair]

Mr. Ly gained a tremendous amount of attention trying to get his koi returned. And though they do not live in ideal conditions many more people now know of koi as a result of this one man's legal battle. I believe he expanded the hobby. He makes for a reasonable nominee for Koi Person of the Year.

Ornamental Fish Back On Display After Legal Fight
Web Editor: Rhonda Erskine, Online Content Producer
Last Updated: 2/28/2007 4:11:05 PM
After months of legal wrangling, the saga over a Freeport restaurant owner's koi fish ended Wednesday. Cuong Ly, the owner of the China Rose restaurant, celebrated the return of his decorative fish.
They've been held at a pet shop in Portsmouth, New Hampshire ever since Maine game wardens confiscated them last summer.

The koi, a type of carp, is considered a threat to native Maine fish. But in chinese culture, they bring good fortune. Ly had had the fish for 15 years.

Wardens charged Ly with importing invasive fish without a permit. He eventually pleaded guilty and paid a fine, but continued to press for a permit so he could keep the fish.

After spending about $20,000 on his legal battle, Ly says he was ready to give up his appeal, when he suddenly heard that the Maine attorney general had worked out a compromise.

"It come out of the blue. It was the greatest news. It happened at the right time, the Chinese New Year. I said wow, what a great present it brings to my business and family. Happy joy since then," said Ly.

Under the terms of the agreement, Ly has to keep the aquarium locked, and post a sign alerting the public to the dangers of importing koi fish into Maine.
NEWS CENTER & The Associated Press http://www.wcsh6.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=53768

[Brutuscz]

I am glad things worked out for him...but koi person of the year? I don't see that at all. Now we will have more nimrods keeping koi in tanks and teaching people poor husbandry techniques. Not so good really!!!

[Gail]

$20,000! Not me.........you can buy alot of fancy goldfish for the money.......

But, I do understand the intention and respect the tradition of koi keeping .
For 20,000 he could have had a wonderful POND to keep them in

[koicluboftheair]

Quote: Originally Posted by Brutuscz I am glad things worked out for him...but koi person of the year? I don't see that at all. Now we will have more nimrods keeping koi in tanks and teaching people poor husbandry techniques. Not so good really!!!

I don't believe Ly as a nimrod. He fought to keep his koi while the regulators propagandized about the evils of koi even those in a closed aquarium system. Maybe Ly will now dump $100K in a pond in his yard as he is licensed? Furthermore, if Ly had been defeated and the threat that regulators in Maine proported had stood those same arguments would have merit in every other state in this country. For instance, Ly's system was a closed one that I don't imagine ever generates wild spawns where eggs are then flushed out of the pond down storm drains that feed into area waterways. Thank goodness he won his fight not only for his koi, but for other koi keepers in Maine and elsewhere.

[aquitori]

Quote: Originally Posted by Gail $20,000! Not me.........you can buy alot of fancy goldfish for the money....... But, I do understand the intention and respect the tradition of koi keeping . For 20,000 he could have had a wonderful POND to keep them in

I think Goldfish would have a better bet for the aquarium. Gail is right $20,000 can get you a way bigger tank for some softball sized goldfish...

[koicluboftheair]

Quote: Originally Posted by aquitori I think Goldfish would have a better bet for the aquarium. Gail is right $20,000 can get you a way bigger tank for some softball sized goldfish...

Maybe I'm confused, but are we saying here he should not have bothered with the legal fight and it would have been better for him to give up on koi and instead gotten goldfish? There is a lot of good outreach done where koi are made visible in less than optimum koi health conditions. Southwest Koi & Pond Association as part of their El Paso community Keystone Project put in a 1500 gallon koi pond with plants as part of a wetlands reclamation park centered activity. Plus, John Manns noted they provided an aquarium where a library had been outfitted for a 250 gallon rig before abandoning the project. SKAPA stepped up and provided the equipment and koi for that new library, which serves as outreach for the hobby although conditions are not optimum for the koi. Chester Baily, of the Indiana Koi & Water Garden Club shared last year how their club has built koi ponds at schools including one at a school for disabled children. Probably that koi pond isn't built or maintained for optimum koi health and growth, but do expose children to koi.
I think Mr. Ly provided a valuable service for the broader koi community.

[koiczar]

Damn John

I need we could find common ground to agree on something!!LOL

Mike

[Brutuscz]

no...he's a genius because he spent 20k to keep run of the mill koi in a crappy tank in a restaraunt. Does anyone here smell sarcasm...because I just cooked up some!?!?

[koikiller]

if u had any pet for 15 years...i dun care wat u say ur emotionally attached to them.

[Nancy M.]

Quote: Originally Posted by Brutuscz no...he's a genius because he spent 20k to keep run of the mill koi in a crappy tank in a restaraunt. Does anyone here smell sarcasm...because I just cooked up some!?!?

Oh yeah

Quote: Originally Posted by koikiller if u had any pet for 15 years...i dun care wat u say ur emotionally attached to them.

KK, please use real words, this is not a IM you are replying to.