Re: Lake Nawampassa (was re: tubarosa revisited)

Cary Hostrawser (caryho at ix.netcom.com)
Sun, 14 Apr 1996 20:27:54 +0000 (GMT)

On Fri, 12 Apr 1996 21:14:23 -0700 (MST), Pete Unmack wrote:
>When are fish clubs going to reward
>people for maintaining species long term instead of the get 'em, breed
>'em, dump 'em to make more space, etc etc? This is where I think some
>real progress could be made IF aquarists are prepared to do it. How many
>are though? I'm sure if it were made a little more prestigious than
>breeding dozens of different species it would be at least a little more
>popular. I know that the Rainbowfish Study Group of North America is
>finally developing a BAP award with the emphasis being on species
>maintainence in addition to total number bred. (Wanna expand a little on
>this Cary if you have it all figured out yet?) I'm unaware of any other
>clubs doing this.
Yes, the RSG is working on such a program. I'm starting with the basic
premiss, that people will not do anything unless they see some value
in it for themselves. Some people will take part in programs for the
sheer self satisfaction that comes from feeling they did something
good. Some because of kudos and recognition with in a group they feel
a part of. And others because they will get access to fish they
normally could never find. Its rather similar to a BAP program on one
front, by reproducing and passing on fish, members get awards and
recognition. This serves a number of purposes. It trains, how to raise
the fish and how to ship live fish and eggs. It recruits, we need to
identify more people that can successfully raise these fish. It
satisfies members self interests, they get access to fish they
normally can't get, and kudos for their work. And it increases the
captive populations of fish we're worried about. Fish are pointed
based and their conservation status, rarity in America and difficulty
to reproduce.
The second part of program is the establishment of long term breeding
programs with multiple people working together to maintain a species.
To move beyond the middle level of achievement, a member must take
part in at least one such program. Only fish with a IUCN status of
threatened will be eligible for such programs. I think the point of
this part of the program is understood. For example: Even though ANGFA
had an unrecognized program with M. eachamensis, those fish became
very important once the wild specimens were lost. So even if these
fish are never required for a re-introduction program (hopefully),
these fish will be around if the situation occurs in which the wild
population is lost. Our plan is not to wait for governments,
conservation agencies and groups, or academics to realize the value of
such programs, but to have the program running before it is needed and
the fish are lost.
At the very least it will train, raise awareness, and keep these
species available to aquarists when wild specimens are no longer
available.

Cary Hostrawser

()
/||\ Rainbowfish Study Group
|||| <))))<< http://home.earthlink.net/~sbuckel/index.html
|||| <))))<<
|||| Minnesota Aquarium Society
/||||\ http://www.umn.edu/nlhome/m392/c-ames/maspage.htm