Friday May 27, 2022
The Fish Site —
While the plans have been supported by the BVA hierarchy, the Fish Vet Society (FVS), which is a specialist division of the BVA, has voiced staunch opposition to the idea.
The debate has been sparked by a document presented to the BVA council on 20 April, which included a proposal to support “a ban on the import of all [live] wild-caught animals for non-conservation reasons, including fish”.
Should the ban be enacted, the biggest impact would be on the marine aquarium trade, as more than 90 percent of aquatic marine animals used in both private and public aquaria are wild-caught, whereas freshwater fish tend to be captive-bred.
According to those backing the ban, it would both improve animal welfare and encourage the growth of captive breeding programmes for the most popular marine species. It would also, they note, bring the legislation in line with that governing other “non-traditional” companion animals, such as reptiles, amphibians, birds and mammals for the pet trade.