Oata Bridges The Hobby Gap To Address New Legislation Proposals

In July, OATA chief executive Dominic Whitmee hosted the first ‘Fishkeeping stakeholder meeting’ at the DEFRA headquarters in London. Practical Fishkeeping’s Nathan Hill was there to offer his input.

 

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The first Fishkeeping stakeholder meeting was attended by representatives of multiple clubs and organisations, including the Anabantoid Association of Great Britain, the British Killifish Association, the Federation of British Aquatic Societies, the Catfish Study Group, the British Cichlid Association and the British Koi Keepers Society. Other attendees included Chris Newman of REPTA and Peter Scott of CASC (Companion Animal Sector Council), as well as aquatic consultant Dr Peter Burgess, Yvonne Ball of the Animal Health and Welfare Board England, and Milena Hinkova of DEFRA. 

This was the first time that there has been a link between OATA, hobby representatives and DEFRA, and the purpose was to allow dialogue between the camps and give opportunities to raise concerns over the future of the hobby. 

The day was also a chance for OATA to unveil its new strategic vision, which consists of the following quote: “OATA’s objective is to protect and promote the interests of all those engaged in the ornamental aquatic trade. Our aim is to enhance the reputation of the trade by promoting the benefits derived from it, setting high standards, providing good education and training, and encouraging responsible ownership and enjoyment among fishkeepers.”

‘Animal activities’ licence

High on the day’s agenda was discussion of DEFRA’s review of animal licensing establishments. Currently, DEFRA is looking to address outdated licensing methods for the pet industry, and included within the review is the proposal that a single ‘animal activities’ licence can be employed to cover four unique areas of the industry: dog breeding, cat and dog boarding, selling pets and hiring out horses for riding.