Aquarist Certification - like SCUBA's PADI?
 

I just left a lfs where NO adult was there... just a 16 yr old bagging corals/fish for people and ringing them up. This lady pointed to 4 corals she wanted - "and one of those green thingies" (pointing to green star polyps)

So my question... if she can't even name a simple coral, should she have any place keeping it or other corals? Would a certification program like PADI for either customers or employees even help people be more responsible?

I'm also not sure why scuba and rare animal certifications (like cats) are required but nothing for our hobby which takes animals from the wild.

There is no danger to humans of keeping saltwater tanks, thus absolutely no reason to require another fee or tax for us to pay.

Rare animal certifications are usually dangerous animals, so that's a different story.

Who would administrate something like this? I see things going in the opposite direction; the State of Michigan has just announced that due to budget constraints, it will no longer inspect pet stores!

Jay

Why not have certifications for parenting and pet ownership. We don't want ignorant people having authority over either kids or pets.

[QUOTE][i]<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11498557#post11498557 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by samtheman [/i]
[B]Why not have certifications for parenting and pet ownership. We don't want ignorant people having authority over either kids or pets. [/B][/QUOTE]

!!! 100% agree =)

I know it's a free country... but complete irresponsibility for care of anything shouldn't be in the hands of the ignorant imo.

Automobile
Software
Medical
Food
Blue collar work

it's almost like every industry has certifications available - some don't allow care without one. I'm not sure how the programs are funded/monitored but they work and I'm sure one has a good model for our industry.

$0.02

double post...

[QUOTE][i]<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11500554#post11500554 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by chrissreef [/i]
[B]!!! 100% agree =)

I know it's a free country... but complete irresponsibility for care of anything shouldn't be in the hands of the ignorant imo.

Automobile
Software
Medical
Food
Blue collar work

it's almost like every industry has certifications available - some don't allow care without one. I'm not sure how the programs are funded/monitored but they work and I'm sure one has a good model for our industry.

$0.02 [/B][/QUOTE]


just a hair too communist for me. how about we just urge to educate people on the care and treatment of fragile coral life? is the government really necessary? I am not really a fan of the government dictating my life.

NO, we need laws and oversight by a strong central authority, or we will destroy this world. Give me that old time religion.

"how about we just urge to educate people on the care and treatment of fragile coral life? is the government really necessary? I am not really a fan of the government dictating my life."

- people are urged about many things but look the other way if it hinders their irresponsibility. Rain forests/old growth forests are being cut down, STD's are spreading, the national debt and social security threaten future generations lifestyle/government, heck people hate the papparazi yet still buy magazines supporting it.

- I'm also not for "big brother" dictatorship but I am interested in some "guidelines" or a certification of some sort. This would ensure someone is committed and has some understanding of care (i.e. "I'll take that lion fish, 2 corals 7 clownfish/nemos, that yellow "thing"... oh, and that 20g tank with undergravel filter too). I work part time at a LFS and you wouldn't believe what we see.

Are the following industries with certifications too dictator like?
Automobile
Software
Medical
Food
Blue collar work

Another idea... look up Six Sigma green/black belts. This illustrates the level of training and sometimes understanding someone has gone through and can maybe serve as some base.

Dolphins, large sharks, zebras - you need permits for those. If you can accept those, then is there really a difference between requiring certifications for those or other tropicals? (that 10 yrs ago were very plentiful? i.e. look at price and availablility changes over the last 10-15 yrs? look at bangaii cardinals or marshal island/caribbean live rock)

The hobby is either intentionally or unintentionally (poor understanding/education) being treated as a disposable commodity industry by a majority of "hobbyists." I'm not so sure natural resources (like tropicals taken from the ocean, oil/coal, forests etc.) should be harvested without limitations by 6.6 billion people.

i agree some laws and stuff are necessary, but the "certification in order to have children" seems a little intense.

I'm glad they made collection of Caribbean live rock illegal, i go there every year and i'd perferre the reefs to be around for my children.

A child will require upwards of $700,000 through college to raise. If you are on welfare, how good a chance will your kids have? If you knew of a single parent family, living on welfare, would you let him/her adopt as many children as they wanted? But it’s OK for a similar person to have as many kids as they want. Their poor decisions can ruin lives, but that's OK as long as they drive with a license because they may endanger others. Reeeeeal Logical!

sam - you're not making much sense in some of your latest posts. Yes, anyone can drive (poor or rich)... but legally requires a license or "certification" as I'm proposing... certifiying they have at least some "common" education on responsible driving.

TylerMoore - "I'm glad they made collection of Caribbean live rock illegal, i go there every year and i'd perferre the reefs to be around for my children."

100% agree =) I'd like the same for Pacific reefs too... maybe certification isn't the right step... but regulation instead? (like in the caribbean)

Although, I'd prefer certification... to me, that's less "big brother" and allows everyone access "yes, you can have a salt water tank... just attend this class so you know how to care for it properly". I'd rather that then "sorry, yellow tang is $300 b/c regulation only allows 3000 of them to be imported every year"

but that's me =/

To get back to the topic of discussion and not government, IMO people shouldn't have to get a certification to keep an aquarium, they should research though and stores should place more of an emphasis on this. Alot of local stores do, but the big chains don't. Also, the store employees should know what their doing, if you don't know what it is, then they shouldn't be selling it. Jhemdal that sucks about Michigan.

that kid that was bagging it up may know more then you do! hmm 10 years maybe not but still

i work at an lfs and do have those customers as well that point and take.
but i also know whats in the tank and what can live in it ( most of the time)

I agree with a required certification...just not sure who would do the certifying? Maybe somebody like MASNA could offer a free online certification course which could be paid for by sponsorships?

As for children...maybe potential parents should be required to at least pass an IQ test? Has anyone seen the movie "Idiocracy"...? Frightening!