California Court Rules That Bumblebees Bees Are Fish
Author: Katie Jones
Published: 11:12 AM EDT
June 2, 2022
Updated: 12:12 PM EDT June 2, 2022
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — You’ve seen bumblebees
buzzing by, collecting pollen from flowers to make honey. But, have you ever
seen one underwater?
Probably not. However, a California appeals
court says they don’t have to
be underwater to be legally considered fish in the state.
The ruling comes after a legal dispute that
started in 2019 between the California Fish and Game Commission and major
agricultural groups. The Commission wanted to list four species of bumblebees
as endangered species. Those species are the Crotch, Franklin, Suckley, and
Western bumblebees.
Their reason for listing bees under “fish?” The
Commission says bees are invertebrates, falling under the California Endangered
Species Act’s (CESA) definition of fish. But, agricultural groups that include
almond, citrus, and cotton growers disagree, calling it a violation of CESA.
During the first trial in 2020, the court ruled in favor of these agricultural groups, finding
CESA doesn’t protect all invertebrates. After the ruling, the Commission took
bumblebees off the list and appealed the court’s decision.
Now, the Court of Appeal of the State of
California’s Third Appellate District has reversed the decision, disagreeing
with the original ruling about CESA’s definition of a fish.
“We next consider whether the Commission’s
authority is limited to listing only aquatic invertebrates. We conclude the
answer is, ‘no,’” the ruling reads.
The appeals court concluded CESA’S definition of
fish is a “term of art,” and isn’t limited to aquatic species. It goes on to
say the Commission may list any invertebrate as an endangered or threatened
species.
The court also noted animals like frogs fall
under CESA’s definition of fish, as it includes amphibians.
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Invertebrates are animals without a backbone or bony skeleton. Invertebrates are by far the largest group in the animal kingdom: 97% of all animals are invertebrates. Are we on the verge of declaring 97% of all animals Endangered?
No, I’m not saying the above bolded question makes sense. It’s just that the above article has me so confused I don’t know what I used to know I knew about much of anything.
This news article was posted on the Internet by a Tampa, Florida TV Station. I wonder if the Sane People in California (provided there are still Sane People in California) are desperately hoping that no one in the rest of the Good Ole USofA is aware of what’s going on in California.
Would I kid u?
Smartfella
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