Glassberg's public statement on collecting.

[Paul Cherubini]

Chuck Vaughn wrote:

> they accomplish their agenda not with an outright ban, 
> but by nibbling around the edges until legal collecting is 
> so difficult that the collectors will essentially give up
> and a total ban can then be imposed with them barely
> remembering how it happened.

Exactly. And one purpose of these discussions is to identify
the techniques being used to convince the public collecting is
ethically cruel and environmentally harmful and thus ultimately
should be illegal (as has already happened in 
some European countries)

THREE TECHNIQUES BEING EMPLOYED TO DISCOURAGE
COLLECTING:

1.  Subtly degrade collectors by making referrals to
 "collecting things being a primitive urge".

2. Tell reporters collectors could cause butterfly extinctions:
Example: The recent Miami Herald article: "The only known 
colony in the U.S. is this small place in the Keys, faced with all 
sorts of possible threats: hurricanes, butterfly collectors, 
mosquito spraying. Any of those could wipe the Miami Blue out.''
 
3.  Subtly make it socially uncomfortable for a butterfly
enthusiast to be seen in public carrying a net.
Example: NABA Field Trip Guidelines state: 

"Capturing butterflies with nets should be minimized 
and used only for educational or identification purposes. 
Collecting is not allowed on NABA  Eugene-Springfield
trips.  As much as possible, rely on identifying butterflies 
with binoculars and photographs."

Perhaps in another 20 years people will feel ashamed to be seen
with a fishing pole and magazines like this will not exist:
http://www.mindspring.com/~cherubini/fish.JPG

Paul Cherubini

 
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