A disease-carrying bullfrog straddles a cultural divide (Article)

[Sonya610]

I saw this article on a non-herp forum and thought it was interesting. The disease issue is probably well known to many here but I thought the political issues that keep the diseased frogs coming into the States was interesting.

A disease-carrying bullfrog straddles a cultural divide

Reporting from San Francisco—

Miles Young strode down a narrow passageway in a bustling Chinatown fish market, methodically scanning aquariums and plastic bins filled with hundreds of live frogs selling for $3.99 a pound.

They were imported from frog farms in Taiwan, the environmental activist and former game warden said.

The species is particularly susceptible to a skin fungus linked to vanishing amphibians around the world. And the conditions in which bullfrogs are raised, transported and sold are ideal breeding grounds for the fungus and its waterborne zoospores.

"It should be against the law to bring diseased nonnative animals into California," he grumbled. "But every time someone proposes a ban on bullfrogs, politics gets in the way and nothing gets done."

The state Fish and Game Commission, which sets policy for the Department of Fish and Game, voted to ban permits authorizing importation of frogs and turtles. The department has chosen not to implement the ban.

The squabble started in March 2010, when the commission voted unanimously to direct the department to stop issuing permits for the importation of live frogs and turtles for food. A month later, however, it held a "reconsideration hearing" at the request of Asian American leaders who included five Assembly Democrats and state Sen. Leland Lee (D-San Francisco), who called the ban an assault on their cultural heritage.

The disease can spread to native frog populations if an infected frog escapes captivity or is set free, or if the water from its holding tank is released into the environment.

Yet, proposals to ban the importation of bullfrogs have cultural implications, which have pitted environmental organizations against Asian Americans who regard the animals as traditional cuisine and important commodities for family-owned businesses. A similar rift opened recently over banning the sale of shark fins.

Link to story: A disease-carrying bullfrog straddles a cultural divide - latimes.com

[guidofatherof5]

Very interesting. Thanks for posting it.

[PINJOHN]

THOSE AMPHIBIAN DISEASES ARE LETHAL NOT JUST LOCALLY BUT ON A WORLD WIDE SCALE
shame on those politicians for putting forward such asinine puerile arguments.
my family maternal and paternal are both Irish three generations back. so
its like me claiming that because my forebears went around belaying each other with shalaylee's then i should be able to continue the tradition here in england IT'S MY CULTURAL HERITAGE. BALONEY

[Stefan-A]

The funny thing is, we're importing potential carriers and potentially invasive species as pets. Are we significantly better? Somehow I don't think our excuses are any better than theirs.

[Sonya610]

Potential carriers brought in on a small scale is bad enough. California gets millions of frogs from Asia every year and half are KNOWN to carry this disease! I am sure these folks could farm uninfected frogs locally if their "cultural diet" is that important but they don't want to bother.

http://www.conservationmedicine.org/..._report_06.pdf