I think most of the fault rests on my shoulders for not requiring a more strict format. This is the very first time we attempted a panel chat of this type and such a contentious subject didn't give us much room for error. The next time we do a panel chat of this nature it will be much more controlled. I don't think anyone could have foreseen that USGS would have released their paper, or that USA Today would run such an alarmist news article prior to the chat, and try as I and the moderators did, we could not get the other panelists off the subject and back to the matter at hand.



Still, if you could follow the various conversations that were

going on at once I think there were some important questions asked, answered, and skirted as well. I did not expect the USF&W rep to be able to give us much more information than is in the circular and I was just glad to see them participate as I was glad to see PIJAC participate. That both organizations would show up on a friday night to talk about these issues show that they are willing to reach out to the community.



Once the edited version of the chat transcript has been posted it will be much more readable than the actual chat was and there will be some real information that comes out of it.



Is PIJAC the answer? Partly. I don't think there will/can ever be any one organization that can fairly claim to represent all the various interests involved, whether they be a pet owner, breeder, importer, pet store, academic, or zoo professional. Not at a national level or at a state or local level. It's just impossible for one organization to say it represents all those interests under the same umbrella and to do it effectively. PIJAC is really built to deal with issues at a federal level or greater. They are not built or designed to deal with issues at a state or local level. Unfortunately I think that not addressing these issues at the state and local level quickly and effectively has let the problem achieve a national prominence.



We probably come closest but we are a commercial business and not a political action committee or group and its not something we are really designed or equipped to deal with. I think the answer will be multifold and lies within utilizing the resources of PIJAC and other organizations such as Herp Societies and clubs. I do think that there are some other organizations that need to be formed so to speak to represent the special interests of the various groups within the overall herpetological community. Whether they should be formed under the aegis of PIJAC as say a sub group I don't know. I do feel that if we rely entirely on PIJAC to carry this ball we will fail.



As far as asking USF&W questions, if you have them please send them directly to Erin at USF&W. She has been very helpful and responsive according to others that have contacted her. Once you get your question answered though I would encourage you to post it here for others to read.



Finally, it's not necessarily a bad thing to leave make the other site think we as a community are a big unruly disorganized mob. I can tell you behind the scenes there are many things going on that can't/won't be revealed til the closing weeks of comments. We are probably much better organized than they suspect.

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