[Taxacom] taxonomy and conservation of common skate

[Stephen Thorpe]

there have been cases of taxonomy with an agenda (to conserve populations at risk), but this is clearly a misuse of taxonomy. The taxonomy must come first, and conservation second. We can't conserve everything, so we must look to taxonomy to set priorites. It may be unfortunate for a population with its own distinct "flavour" to be exterminated, but this is less important than a whole species becoming extinct. If we can't stop everything, which we can't, then taxonomy sets the priorities...

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From: taxacom-bounces at mailman.nhm.ku.edu [taxacom-bounces at mailman.nhm.ku.edu] On Behalf Of Frederick W Schueler [bckcdb at istar.ca]
Sent: Saturday, 21 November 2009 4:30 p.m.
To: taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
Cc: Rory Tanner; Aleta Karstad
Subject: Re: [Taxacom] taxonomy and conservation of common skate

Kenneth Kinman wrote:
>
>         Either way, this population (be it one or two
> species) is critically endangered and should receive better protection.
> Trying to lay the blame upon taxonomy is inappropriate scape-goating and
> seems to me an unfortunate red herring.

* how about the frequent & popular opposite claim that the taxonomic
distinction was created only to get some kind of "species at risk"
protection for the newly-distinguished population?

Maybe you can't win when discussing real scientific propositions with
the popular media, or with those who don't want to admit that they're
the reason for some problem.

fred.
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       RR#2 Bishops Mills, Ontario, Canada K0G 1T0
    on the Smiths Falls Limestone Plain 44* 52'N 75* 42'W
      (613)258-3107 <bckcdb at istar.ca> http://pinicola.ca
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