dealers saying goodbye?

Well I made some calls yesterday to some dealers here in the GB area...One pet store in Appleton and an aquarium shop in GB ....just wanted to see when they were getting their spring game fish supply in and what they were expecting...I am moving in April and would like to get my tank set back up....Anyway, BOTH places said the same exact thing....That the dealer license fee for selling native fish is way too expensive now for them to do anymore business in that area!! It appears the DNR or someone raised the prices a lil too high this yr...I not sure of the exact details as I didnt get into a lengthy conversation about it, but I do know that the 2 people I have been getting gamers from for the last 5-6 yrs dont sell them anymore....And yes I know I can always go get my own....I just have a pretty odd and hectic work schedule so Its always been nice to go to these dealers and just get what I needed...

So has anyone else run into this problem? I not sure if its nationwide or just a WI state thing...sucks though...I guess I will be hangin out in the trading section ha ha...Seems as though there are less dealers online too...I used to be able to find them pretty easy by Yahoo searching but they dont seem as plentiful...Even Minnesota Muskie Farm doesnt take aquarium orders anymore....Anyway, does anyone have any insight into this? Or care? ha ha

Could it be related to more stringent VHS regulations?

I am not totally sure...and I honestly dont know alot about their license requirements...I guess I was shocked that 2 dealers in my little area are not selling anymore and if thats the case, how many more are going to stop?

blkjck77,

fundulus is most likely right, it's due to the VHS regulations. I think Hoffer's Tropic Life pet store in Milwaukee still sells game fish, though. Have you thought about keeping non-game fish? The state has a lot of interesting non-game fish that are kept well in aquaria.

Brian

I really havent explored non-gamers in quite some time....I guess just spending many yrs pursuing (when i am not working ha ha) game fish, not professionally but just casually, I am kind of partial to them...I like to try to re-create their environments as best I can, in an aquarium that is, and observe...I have been keeping various kinds of gamers for about 8 yrs roughly so I guess I am sort of stuck on it....To me its kind of like having Labs your whole life and then someone asks you to try a yorkie...(no offense to Yorkie owners intended) ... Just once you become partial its hard to change...Well I have in the past gone to the wild supply and gotten a few...its not hard to get Rock Bass and Smallies off the Menominee River...nice young ones at that...But they dont seem to do as well as their purchased counterparts...We'll see I guess...This yr I was kind of hoping for a Redfin or Grass Pickerel....not sure if they are permitted in my area so I still have some researching to do ....If not then maybe I will load her up with some Menom Rockies and hope for the best ha ha....Its a shame though, about the fees....leave it to the government to take a good thing and mess it up...Funny, every yr a new wildlife fee goes up yet every yr a service to us goes under....hmmm

I really havent explored non-gamers in quite some time....I guess just spending many yrs pursuing (when i am not working ha ha) game fish, not professionally but just casually, I am kind of partial to them...I like to try to re-create their environments as best I can, in an aquarium that is, and observe...I have been keeping various kinds of gamers for about 8 yrs roughly so I guess I am sort of stuck on it....To me its kind of like having Labs your whole life and then someone asks you to try a yorkie...(no offense to Yorkie owners intended) ... Just once you become partial its hard to change...Well I have in the past gone to the wild supply and gotten a few...its not hard to get Rock Bass and Smallies off the Menominee River...nice young ones at that...But they dont seem to do as well as their purchased counterparts...We'll see I guess...This yr I was kind of hoping for a Redfin or Grass Pickerel....not sure if they are permitted in my area so I still have some researching to do ....If not then maybe I will load her up with some Menom Rockies and hope for the best ha ha....Its a shame though, about the fees....leave it to the government to take a good thing and mess it up...Funny, every yr a new wildlife fee goes up yet every yr a service to us goes under....hmmm

I surmise since you're moving VHS may apply as they are crossing state lines? The absurd thing about the VHS testing requirements in the Great lakes states is VHS testing is not required as long as the fish don't cross state lines.

no state line issues here...i am only moving 6 miles to the west side of town...its a larger place than what I have now so now I can get my tank going again ...its been in staorage for a yr and a half...I am getting anxious ha ha I am not sure what I am more excited for, the new Apt or getting my tank back ha ha...

I surmise since you're moving VHS may apply as they are crossing state lines? The absurd thing about the VHS testing requirements in the Great lakes states is VHS testing is not required as long as the fish don't cross state lines.

That's not necessarily true. In Wisconsin, for the un-permitted person, it's illegal to remove any fish live from the waters where they were captured (http://dnr.wi.gov/fi...aanglers.html#2, http://dnr.wi.gov/fi...hs_prevent.html).

Brian

Brian J. Torreano - Owner
BTDarters
American Native Fish for
your aquarium...and more!
Web: http://www.btdarters.com
Email: bt@btdarters.com
Phone: (262) 268-7489

Edit: Added signature line .

Edited by BTDarters, 23 March 2009 - 04:33 AM.

That's not necessarily true. In Wisconsin, for the un-permitted person, it's illegal to remove any fish live from the waters where they were captured (http://dnr.wi.gov/fi...aanglers.html#2, http://dnr.wi.gov/fi...hs_prevent.html).

Brian

Brian J. Torreano - Owner
BTDarters
American Native Fish for
your aquarium...and more!
Web: http://www.btdarters.com
Email: bt@btdarters.com
Phone: (262) 268-7489

Edit: Added signature line .

Oh that's right you did find VHS in some of your waterways so hence this ruling. We haven't found any in our state yet.

Oh that's right you did find VHS in some of your waterways so hence this ruling. We haven't found any in our state yet.

I hope, for your sake, it stays that way!

Brian

Brian J. Torreano - Owner
BTDarters
American Native Fish for
your aquarium...and more!
Web: http://www.btdarters.com
Email: bt@btdarters.com
Phone: (262) 268-7489

I hope, for your sake, it stays that way!

Brian

Brian J. Torreano - Owner
BTDarters
American Native Fish for
your aquarium...and more!
Web: http://www.btdarters.com
Email: bt@btdarters.com
Phone: (262) 268-7489

Me too. It's bad enough to go to the expense of testing fish to cross state lines!

I do find it interesting we've had several seasonal periods where water temps were optimum for the virus but no reports of the a fish kill due to the virus. There is no way I'm going to believe that the increased regulations on fish farms had anything to do with it as the virus has yet to be found on a fish farm. Personally I think anglers moving fish around in their lives wells is the danger.

az9-
The increase in fish farm regulations is directly tied to VHS, at least that is what is happening here in NY. I know some states have taken a watershed approach to regulations only targeting VHS infected watersheds. In NY, any fish farm that is ultimately rearing fish to be stocked in any waterbody has to follow the costly testing protocol. Norm Soule would be able to give expert guidance on this for NY as he is in the middle of it. Even though many of the broodstock/gametes for the States hatchery system come from wild fish in VHS-infected waters and the progeny will be stocked back in those waters, they have a ban on stocking any fish that test positive for VHS, period.

Be glad that VHS is not in your state, there is no such thing as business as usual.

Me too. It's bad enough to go to the expense of testing fish to cross state lines!

I do find it interesting we've had several seasonal periods where water temps were optimum for the virus but no reports of the a fish kill due to the virus. There is no way I'm going to believe that the increased regulations on fish farms had anything to do with it as the virus has yet to be found on a fish farm. Personally I think anglers moving fish around in their lives wells is the danger.

Edited by sschluet, 05 April 2009 - 09:10 AM.