Page 5 - NBY News February 2019

California Fish & Wildlife

California Outdoors Q&As sea urchin, octopus, shrimp, etc.) in an
What Can I Do About a Hawk Eating aquarium? What about legal-size
Its Lunch in My Yard? California spiny lobster, or marine
Dear EarthTalk: Has the recent “border Question: How can we discourage plants? (Garrett)
wall” shutdown affected the federal hawks from eating their prey in our
government’s ability to safeguard our air backyard? Two days ago we watched a Answer: The only finfish you may
and water quality and otherwise protect our hawk eat a dove, making a huge mess possess and display in your home
environment and public lands? everywhere. It came back today with a aquarium are those purchased legally
— Peter Nicholson, via e-mail
different bird, leaving a bloody mess and through a commercial aquarium vendor
No one is happy about the recent partial two feet behind. Is there a way to and/or pet supply business. Live finfish
shutdown of the federal government in the properly haze them or otherwise shoo may not be collected from the wild for
U.S. as President Trump plays hardball with them away? (Tierney) aquarium display because it is illegal to
Congress on allocating funds for his transport live “finfish” from the wild
“border wall.” While essential government Answer: It sounds like the raptor is just (California Code of Regulations Title
services typically remain open in any doing what raptors naturally do. If it’s 14, section 1.63).
government shutdown, it’s up to individual
agencies and their administrators to decide not causing harm or damage to your
how much of a presence to maintain during property (other than just making a mess), Live marine invertebrates may be
a shutdown and whether or not to furlough one could argue that this is a rare collected, but only under the authority
some or all staff. opportunity to watch nature at work, up of a sport fishing license, and only
close, in your own backyard - in this those species allowed under a sport
For its part, the Environmental Protection case, predator/prey dynamics. fishing license may be taken. In
Agency (EPA) curtailed the vast majority of President Trump addition, any species with sport fishing
its work once federal funding dried up on
December 28, with only national security If you really find the front-row view restrictions (e.g. bag, size, possession,
and emergency staff staying on. Some these funds will likely slow down bothersome, you may be able to season limits, methods of take) are still
13,000+ EPA employees have been maintenance projects by months or discourage the raptor from coming into covered under those regulations, and so
furloughed with more than 100 agency years as a result. your yard to eat its prey by putting up a collectors must also abide by these
offices across the country now closed until plastic owl figure or placing reflective laws.
further notice. Until the border wall While this closure of national parks is ribbons along your fence line, similar to
impasse is broken, the EPA has no staff to an annoyance to Americans planning a deterrent techniques used in agricultural Invertebrates collected under the
continue hazardous waste clean-up work at visit, it’s also an economic problem. The
Superfund sites, inspect power plants to non-profit National Parks Conservation operations. If you’re currently using a authority of a sport fishing license may
ensure compliance with air quality Association (NPCA) reports that NPS bird feeder, take it down, as bird feeders not be used to establish breeding
standards, review toxic substances and has lost upwards of $5 million in will attract the smaller birds that are a colonies for sale or trade with other
pesticides nor respond to Freedom of entrance fee revenue since the common source of prey for some hawks. people. Any trading, selling or
Information requests. shutdown began, while local businesses possession for sale or trade of these
and concession operators dependent Understand it’s a trade-off: if you do animals constitutes commercial marine
According to the Union of Concerned upon servicing park visitors are also
Scientists (UCS), the environmental losing out on much-needed income. these things, you’ll also discourage other aquaria pet trade activity and requires
protections we otherwise take for granted birds from coming into your yard. all parties to hold “marine aquaria
“grind to a halt” during a shutdown: Despite closures at the EPA, the NPS collectors permits”
“Chemical facilities are not inspected. and other agencies related to the authorizing this practice. A
Agricultural technical assistance projects are environment, the federal push to open marine collector’s permit is
shut down. The protection of species stops. up more land and offshore waters to also required for any animals
Research is also disrupted, which can lead fossil fuel extraction continues on display for the public.
to gaps in data or entire lost field seasons unabated. According to The Guardian,
(and huge wastes of taxpayer dollars).” the Interior Department hasn’t slowed
down efforts to issue permits for oil Marine plants or algae, with
As for national parks, about two-thirds drilling on federal land and in the Gulf the exception of eel grass
remain open but have limited services, so of Mexico and Alaska’s Arctic. “While (Zostera), surf grass
visitors shouldn’t expect the same level of he’s closed the government to the (Phyllospadix) or sea palm
sanitation or monitoring that is customary. American people, Trump has hung up (Postelsia), may be harvested
While there is no one to collect entrance an ‘open for business’ sign for corporate from the wild as long as they
fees, likewise there is no one to pump out polluters,” reports Melinda Pierce,
toilets, empty trash or intervene in case of legislative director at the non-profit are not taken from state marine
interpersonal disputes or wildlife Sierra Club. What is Legal to Collect for a Home reserves. State marine conservation
encounters. All National Parks Service Aquarium? areas and state marine parks may
(NPS) personnel (except firefighters CONTACTS: EPA, www.epa.gov; prohibit take. The daily bag limit on all
monitoring active burns or watch areas and UCS, www.ucsusa.org; NPS, Question: I’ve been doing some marine aquatic plants for which the
essential leadership at headquarters) have www.nps.gov; NPCA, www.npca.org; research to see if it is ok to collect marine take is authorized is 10 pounds wet
been furloughed. Sierra Club, www.sierraclub.org. animals and/or plants for a private tank weight in the aggregate.
The Department of Interior has EarthTalk® is produced by Roddy aquarium, but have not been able to find
authorized individual parks to dip into Scheer & Doug Moss for the 501(c)3 much information. Is it ok to put any STOP SENIOR SCAMS
their entrance and recreation fees to help nonprofit EarthTalk. To donate, visit type of “fin fish” in an aquarium? Is it ok ACTING PROGRAM
pay for essential/emergency services www.earthtalk.org. Send questions to: to put invertebrates (clams, rock scallops, Update on Page 23
during the shutdown, although the use of question@earthtalk.org.

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