Pubdate: Wed, 24 Oct 2001 Source: Vancouver Courier (CN BC) Copyright: 2001 Vancouver Courier Contact: http://www.vancourier.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/474 Author: David Carrigg SOMETHING FISHY ABOUT CITY GROW-OPS The Vancouver Aquarium is refusing to take tropical fish seized from grow-op busts, after several growers approached the facility demanding their fish back. "Our staff are not comfortable with being put on the front line between grow-op people and their property," said John Nightingale, director of the Aquarium. "One person rang several times and said, 'We want our fish back.' Taking care of someone's fish for months while they work themselves through the legal system is not our idea of a good time." The odd link between the aquarium and Vancouver Police Department started when the police Grow Busters team started calling the facility to fish-sit so fish wouldn't die after a bust. The first thing thing the team does when it shuts down a grow-op is turn off the electricity so members can investigate without risk of electrocution. As a result, any tropical fish-often kept in grow-op homes to provide a decoy for electricity use-are immediately in jeopardy because there's no power for heaters and lights. "The cops are not able to take care of the fish and don't want to see them die so they have called us," said Nightingale, adding seized fish are quarantined, then amalgamated with the aquarium's tropical fish collection. But legally, he said, the fish are the original owner's property. With the aquarium refusing to take fish, Nightingale worries they're either being left to die when the power is shut off or being flushed down the toilet-potentially putting local species at risk if the tropical fish carry diseases. As a result, he's asked the B.C. SPCA to step in and seize the fish when the electricity gets turned off, since the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act gives the SPCA the right to seize animals whose lives are in danger. John van der Hoeven, director of field operations for the B.C. SPCA, said he understands Nightingale's concern, but the SPCA must first give the animal's owner a chance to remedy the situation and then get a warrant. Once the animal is seized, the owner still has the right to take the animal back. Nightingale said aquarium lawyers are now working on obtaining the right to keep fish seized from grow-ops. "If the legal issues get sorted out, we'll do it again," he said, adding the problem is only getting worse because the number of grow-ops being shut down by the 17-month-old Grow Busters program is increasing. The city is home to an estimated 4,000 to 15,000 grow-ops at any one time, mostly for the lucrative U.S. export market. So far, Grow Busters has closed about 800, though only 20 per cent of the busts resulted in charges. A Grow Busters spokesperson was not available for comment at the Courier's deadline. - --- MAP posted-by: Josh