Dear Insert MPs name,

I am writing to you to ask you to help prevent serious damage being done to the aquarium hobby by legislation likely to be contained in the proposed Animal Welfare Bill.
Many fishkeepers enjoy exhibiting their fishes at Open Shows held around the country throughout the year. Should these Shows require a Licence to operate then this will make most of these events non-viable to those Societies organising them.
The crux of the matter seems to be the classification of such events under the blanket description of 'Pet Fairs' rather than as 'Pet Shows.'
At fish Open Shows there is minimal trading and this is normally limited to members' surplus, home-bred fish. There is no comparison between a simple one-day Aquatic Society event and large, trade-driven Animal Fairs.
The eventual closure of such events through financial strictures would lead to the collapse of the organised aquarium hobby which does much good, especially in conservancy matters. Several species of fish, now extinct in the wild, continue to exist and thrive in captivity and there is much evidence that captive breeding lessens the need to take fishes from the wild. Many of the most popular freshwater fishes are now captive bred by the aquatic trade and this is also an area of increasing possibilities for the captive breeding of marine fishes.
Fishkeepers have no reservations about legislation limiting or banning non-native fishes which would, if released into our natural environment, threaten our own native fish species. They are concerned however, at this very real threat to the pursuance of their particular pastime.
We feel that Fish Open Shows should be exempt from any Licensing requirement
and would urge you to support us in this respect.
Please make our concerns known as strongly as you can.
Thank you for your time,
Yours sincerely,
Your Signature

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