Invasive Fish and Wildlife Prevention Act of 2012 (H.R. 5864)

My recent trip for work to Washington, D.C. was an exercise in policy advocacy. While I am on the front lines of the battle against invasive species, I don't always know the best steps to maximize raising my voice for a cause. Any opinion in this blog is strictly my own and NOT that of Corkscrew or Audubon Florida! The Invasive Fish and Wildlife Prevention Act of 2012, in my opinion, is a step in the right direction in our battle against invasive species. Florida, with its very unique subtropical weather and range of habitats, has had more than 500 nonnative species of fish and wildlife observed here. Most of these were introduced through the pet trade, whether it be accidental or intentional release by pet owners. Some invasive species wreaking havoc include: 1) Burmese pythons, 2) Nile monitor lizards, 3) Gambian pouched rats, and 4) monk parakeets to name just a few. In addition to environmental degradation, these invasives are costing us, the taxpayers, millions of dollars a year! This money could be going into other programs or staying in our pocketbooks. The beauty of this bill is that it takes a pro-active approach to stopping invasives species from coming into the country. It's preventive! I could bend your ear on this topic, but instead I think I will break it up over a serious of blog topics to tackle different aspects of this bills benefits (and yes, its drawbacks). But the bottom line is this...if you feel passionate about an issue such as this, pick up your phone, turn on your computer...raise your voice and let your congressman/woman know that you want them to vote for or against a bill! IT does have an impact on them to have their constituents reach out with their opinions to them. If you want to read H.R. 5864 in its entirety, just cut and paste this link (link isn't working on here for some reason). And stay tuned...I'll bend your ear, so to speak, frequently on this topic over the coming weeks! http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/112/hr5864/text