<1> 17/02/94 ag508 AQUATIC SURVIVAL Bulletin of the Aquatic Conservation Network Volume 2, Number 3 - September 1993 Aquarists Dedicated to the Preservation of Aquatic Life ISSN 1188-553X (unformatted version) The Aquatic Conservation Network is a Canadian Registered Charity #0953471-52 540 Roosevelt Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K2A 1Z8 Tel. (613) 729-4670. Fax. (613) 729-5613. CompuServe 71022,3537 Internet rob@pinetree.org OR ag508@freenet.carleton.ca *********** Aquatic Conservation Network Directors Dennis Hough, 3626 Glenwood Springs Dr., Kingwood, Texas 77345, USA. Tel: (713) 360-9549. Fax: (713) 360-0855 Rob Huntley, 540 Roosevelt Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K2A 1Z8. Tel: (613) 729-4670. Fax: (613) 729-5613. Shawn Prescott, Red Sea Fish pHarm Ltd., P.O. Box 4045, Eilat 88000, Israel. Tel: 972-7-331307. Fax: 972-7-379340. Advisory Directors Chris Andrews, National Aquarium in Baltimore Eugene Balon, Institute of Ichthyology, University of Guelph Heiko Bleher, Aquarium Rio, Germany Al Castro, formerly with the Steinhart Aquarium Bruce Gebhardt, North American Native Fishes Association Nelson Herwig, Houston Zoo Ken Lazara, American Museum of Natural History Paul Loiselle, New York Aquarium Gene Lucas, Biology Department, Drake University Gordon Reid, North of England Zoological Society Tony Ribbink, JLB Smith Institute of Ichthyology Daniel Richardson, Federation of American Aquarium Societies Craig Watson, Florida Cooperative Extension Service *********** AQUATIC SURVIVAL Bulletin of the Aquatic Conservation Network International Standard Serial Number - ISSN 1188-553X Published quarterly (March, June, September and December) by The Aquatic Conservation Network, Inc., 540 Roosevelt Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K2A 1Z8. Attn: Robert V. Huntley, Editor. Telephone: (613) 729-4670; Fax: (613) 729-5613; CompuServe: 71022,3537; Internet: rob@pinetree.org OR ag508@freenet.carleton.ca. Upcoming deadlines for submissions are November 19, 1993, February 18, 1994 and May 20, 1994. Unless otherwise indicated, articles may be reprinted without permission provided that such use is not for financial gain and appropriate credit is given to the author and to Aquatic Survival. The views expressed in published material are those of the individual author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Aquatic Conservation Network. <2> 17/02/94 ag508 ANNOUNCEMENTS ACN E-MAIL You can now send electronic mail to the ACN using one of the following addresses CompuServe: 71022,3537 Internet: rob@pinetree.org OR ag508@freenet.carleton.ca *********** JOIN NOW! Annual membership is $25.00 (Canadian or U.S.) Aquatic Conservation Network 540 Roosevelt Avenue Ottawa, Ontario Canada K2A 1Z8 Tel: (613) 729-4670 Fax: (613) 729-5613 CompuServe: 71022,3537 Internet: rob@pinetree.org OR ag508@freenet.carleton.ca *********** Aquatic Survival Deadline for the next issue is November 19, 1993 *********** Information Exchange If your organization participates in research or programs associated with the conservation or captive breeding of endangered aquatic life, freshwater or marine, please put the Aquatic Conservation Network on your mailing list and ask us to do the same for you. *********** BACK ISSUES Copies of back issues of _Aquatic Survival_ are available from the ACN, 540 Roosevelt Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K2A 1Z8. The cost is $4.00 each (Canadian or U.S. currency) to cover costs of copying, postage and handling. Back issues are available in electronic format (text only) from the ACN library on National Capital Freenet (telnet freenet.carleton.ca and then type "go acn") and the ACN/ CMDB library of CompuServe's Aquaria/Fish+ Forum (GO FISHNET). <3> 17/02/94 ag508 MADAGASCAR UPDATE by Dr. Paul V. Loiselle Between 13 June and 2 July 1993, Mr. Roy Morris of Old World Exotic Fish and I travelled to Madagascar with the objective of collecting breeding stock of as many non-anadromous Malagasy freshwater fishes as possible. We succeeded in collecting specimens of five _Paretroplus_ species, known locally as "damba". These were successfully shipped to Old World's facility outside of Miami, where they settled into life in captivity with gratifying alacrity. To date, three successful spawnings of _Paretroplus keineri_ have been reported and there is reason to hope that _P. maculatus_ will produce fry before the year is out. I certainly hope that our efforts to establish captive populations of all the fish we brought back are successful, because I am not certain how many more times we can take the bucket to the well and not come up dry. The situation on the ground - or more properly speaking, in the water - offers little basis for optimism with regard to the future of Madagascar's non- anadromous freshwater fishes. We were unable to find specimens of three species formerly reported as abundant in the area we visited. When showed photographs of _Paratilapia polleni_ and _Ptychochromis oligoacanthus_, known locally as "marakely" and "juba" respectively, fishermen immediately recognized the fish in question. When we asked them if they could collect specimens for us, they invariably replied that the fish either had not been caught in that area for five to ten years or else was so rare that it would take up to a week's fishing effort to secure one or two specimens. Even more perplexing was our failure to find the formerly widespread and extremely abundant killifish _Pachypanchax omalonotus_ at localities from which it was collected as recently as a decade ago. The overwhelmingly dominant fish everywhere we fished were two exotics, _Tilapia rendalli_ and a hybrid _Oreochromis phenotype_ that appears to carry genes from all three of the species introduced by the French in the late 1950's. Where the forest had been completely cleared, we found only tilapias. The only places where we found any native cichlids were habitats characterized by some degree of forest cover, and even there they were greatly outnumbered by the exotics. The episode that concisely summarizes our findings took place on our last day in the field. A team of six fishermen was working a 120 foot long beach seine for us in Lake Kinkony, which as a protected area, is relatively undisturbed. At the end of four hours of fishing effort, their catch consisted of thirteen native cichlids and ten kilograms of tilapias. To further complicate matters, the Asian snakehead, _Ophiocephalus striatus_, is now well established in the coastal zone of Madagascar's western versant. This voracious predator competes with the marakely as a juvenile and grows large enough to prey upon all of the native cichlids as an adult. The decline of _Paratilapia polleni_ effectively dates from its arrival in the Majunga area in 1975. A third danger facing Malagasy freshwater fishes comes from the aerial spraying of insecticide onto cotton fields. Large-scale commercial cotton production is quite widespread in the area between Port Berge and Mampikony and there are plans to expand it to other areas along the west coast. No one appears to have given much thought to the effects of pesticide run-off on aquatic ecosystems. Prior experience elsewhere affords ample grounds for apprehension in this instance. Not to mince words, based on my own observations, those of Dr. Melanie Stiassny and Dr. Peter Reinthal on the situation on the eastern slope of the island and those of Jean-Claude Nourissat and his companions, I have no reason to believe that Madagascar's native freshwater fishes have any sort of future except under management. Relict populations of a few species may survive in protected areas long enough to see the next century. However, given pressure from competitively superior exotic species, their disappearance likewise seems inevitable. The importance of organizing a long-term captive breeding program for these fishes as quickly as possible cannot be too strongly emphasized. At the Annual Conference of the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums held 12 - 16 September, the Freshwater Fish Taxa Advisory Group responded favourably to both a preliminary proposal to establish a Malagasy Freshwater Fish Species Survival Plan and the suggestion that the ACN be involved in the organization of such a program from the onset. We have a lot to do and only a short time to do it in, but at least a start has been made on saving a fish fauna that survived the demise of the dinosaurs. *************** Dr. Loiselle is the Curator of Freshwater Fishes at the Aquarium For Wildlife Conservation (formerly the New York Aquarium). The address is West 8th Street and Surf Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11224, U.S.A. Tel: (718) 265-3400; Fax: (718) 265-3420. <4> 17/02/94 ag508 MORE ON MADAGASCAR ** Melanie Stiassny (American Museum of Natural History, New York) recently returned from a rather discouraging (albeit highly enjoyable) trip to the West of Madagascar. She and Peter Reinthal (Eastern Michigan) are continuing survey work of the island's ichthyofauna. They found the West (region of Morondava) to be very dry with many seasonal drainages. Just about all the permanent water bodies they sampled had been stocked with assorted tilapias and snakehead. The only native species found in the region were a freshwater clupeid (genus _Sauvagella_), _Kulia_, _Gerres_, _Ambassis_, _Scatophagus_, _Megalops_, and assorted gobioids. The situation appears dismal, and now with the spread of the voracious snakehead (_Channa_) time is rapidly running out for the endemic ichthyofauna throughout the island. She suggests that priority be given to the survey of the Masoala Peninsula (NorthEast) and also to remaining forests in the North (including Nosy Be an important type locality for a number of Malagasy endemics that is reported still to harbour good forest). Otherwise remaining habitat is found only in isolated pockets. Dr. Stiassny recently made a series of recommendations to the IUCN World Monitoring Centre for consideration in developing their next "Red List of Threatened Animals". She considers the following should be included in the next version of the list: - _Ancharius brevibarbus_ - _Teramulus kieneri_ - _Pantanodon madagascariensis_ - _Pachypanchax omalonotus_ - _Pachypanchax sakaramyi_ - _Oxylapia polli_ (seems to be restricted to short stretch of Nosivolo river) - _Paratilapia polleni_ is under extreme pressure and lost from most of its former range - All of the _Paretroplus_ species except _Paretroplus polyactis_ which is still doing pretty well - _Rheocles lateralis_ is also only known from a short stretch of the Nosivolo River and should probably also be included. - All of the _Bedotia_ species (except tricolor) ** Patrick de Rham will be in Madagascar for 6 weeks (late September and October). Jean-Claude Nourissat is expected to join him in mid October. Mr. de Rham has been keeping a relatively rare Madagascar cichlid known as "lamena" which he describes as beautiful and extremely interesting. His pair is presently looking after its second batch of young. It is the male which assumes most of the care of the eggs and larvae, while the female assumes more peripheral defence. Both fishes guard the free-swimming young, but the male still keeps a closer contact with the young than the female. This fact of the male being the predominant caretaker is a significant observation in terms of the evolution of cichlid behaviour. <5> 17/02/94 ag508 LETTERS GARIBALDI RESCUE (transcript of an Internet newsfeed posting, published with permission of the author) This posting is to alert you to a California fish conservation problem I've been putting a good deal of energy into lately, and now feel the need for reinforcements. It concerns the garibaldi (_Hypsypops rubicunda_), a gorgeous, brilliant reef fish of California nearshore waters. Many people, even some pretty well-informed ones, believe this fish to be totally protected in California, and that it is California's State Marine Fish. Nothing could be further from the truth. Garibaldi are being aggressively fished by commercial collectors, who sell them into the international tropical aquarium trade, where these cool-water damselfishes do not belong. Even if temperature were controlled, garibaldi are poor aquarium fishes. Like other damsels but more so, they are territorial to the extreme. This territoriality makes them fearless about defending their turf, which makes them sitting ducks for divers with nets: they don't swim away, but stand their "ground." In the confines of a tank much smaller than their large natural territories, garibaldi turn into monsters, shredding fins on all the other equally-sized or smaller fishes in the aquarium, including their own kind. With the collecting pressure that's going on, scientists, game wardens and sport divers see fewer and fewer garibaldi in the wild, but are powerless under current law. I've been agitating for over a year now to get the protection extended to commercial licenses, but the politics are intense! Even though collectors reported taking only 47 pounds (keeping track of ornamentals by WEIGHT is another important issue) of garibaldi over the past 18 months, their cries of "Don't take away my livelihood" are heard very loud and clear by Republican members of the state senate committee which will soon decide on a bill (AB 1788) that addresses the issue. The bill is in danger of being watered down so that the species ends up with little more protection than it now has (Catalina is closed; adults - not of much commercial interest - are protected for part of the mating season). Full protection of juvenile garibaldi in California waters is appropriate, given the absence of data to the contrary, and given much anecdotal information that they are dwindling. I wish I could post a color image of a juvenile garibaldi, but picture a persimmon orange, perch-shaped damsel with luminous, iridescent blue spots that flash as the fish moves. The orange is pigment (carotenoid), but the blue is a structural color caused by the way light hits guanine plates laid down in a specific pattern. It's hard to imagine a fish more fun to dive with! Sport divers and the industry that supplies them are my allies in this fight. I'd appreciate it very much if each of you who feels like it would send a letter of concern to: Honorable Dan Hauser Assemblyman, First District Room 2003, State Capitol Sacramento, CA 95814 Attn: Mary Morgan Thanks very much, and please contact me for more information. Will Borgeson Bodega Marine Lab P.O. Box 247 Bodega Bay, California 94923 U.S.A. Internet: wdborgeson@ucdavis.edu ON THE MORAL STATUS OF HUMANS Gary Varner's comments on the moral status of fish (_Aquatic Survival_, Vol. 2, No. 2) are very interesting. Humans, of course, have little difficulty granting rights to themselves and, with typical anthropocentric arrogance, tell each other that only those species that come closest to having human characteristics are worthy of rights. I would like to suggest a different approach to evaluating plant and animal rights: those species that contribute most to the health of the earth and its biodiversity are most worthy of rights. After all, if these creatures are not protected, the whole system is threatened. Using this criterion, the case might be made that _homo sapiens_ would be very low on the list of those eligible to be granted rights. In fact, the cause of most of the environmental problems facing the earth's living creatures come from human activity, resulting from all those self-given rights - the right to have as many children as they want, the right to "own" land, etc. It could even be argued that the extinction of humans might be the one occurrence that would contribute most to the earth's viability. Since many, if not most of the really essential creatures, are those on the microscopic level, those that break down waste and make the soils viable, they would qualify for the most rights. I, for one, will champion the rights of fungus! On the other hand, if humans were to emphasize desires that show respect for all life and develop the capacity to learn values that result in a healthy environment, they just might be worthy of a few rights also. Roger Langton 556 W. Cedar Place Louisville, CO 80027 U.S.A. PONDS AND MEDICATIONS There is a possibility that your Network may be interested in our long term project. Basically, we are actively pursuing a goal to have pond keepers use a suitably sized aquarium as an isolation and medication unit for their fish. We believe that it is better to treat a specific few gallons rather than medicate or treat an unknown gallonage in the entire mini ecosystem of a pond. It does encourage far better observational practice and care as well as tight control of mg/L chemistry. The smaller amounts of medication locked into an activated charcoal filter are disposable without considerable damage to a compost unit. With a pond treatment, every living thing gets medicated - without control - and less control still with run-off problems. This also serves as a caveat to dealers of plant stock and fish stock, that buyers are much more aware of source conditions and have an operational inter-link. Suppliers of medications seem much relieved to see the development of greater awareness and care. Given the respectable percentage growth in pond people, those suppliers of aquarium related products have justifiable reason to smile - and to listen. With great respect for all your efforts, Yours truly, Harvey Macklin The Water Garden Network 480 William Street Stratford, Ontario Canada N5A 4Y8 BREEDING MARINE TROPICALS I am presently establishing a research programme to investigate the culture requirements of marine tropicals currently involved in the aquarium trade. The School of Ocean Sciences has been actively involved in the field of fish and crustacean larval research for some 15 years. It is believed that the expertise that has been developed in relation to the aquaculture industry may be of assistance in solving some of the culture problems associated with marine tropicals. Furthermore, there is a strong feeling within the U.K. that more emphasis should be placed on developing captive breeding programmes for marine tropicals rather than continue the often destructive exploitation of wild stocks. Naturally, captive-bred marine tropicals are unlikely to replace the variety and volume of wild caught species. However, I do not feel that this is a justifiable argument for making no attempt at solving the culture requirements of some selected species - particularly those that are sensitive from the conservation aspect. Would the Aquatic Conservation Network be interested in the above project. Obviously, I shall happily supply your organization with further details on request. The programme is already running with a fair degree of support from the aquarium industry and various conservation organisations. Initially, we are concentrating on the invertebrate species but intend to commence work on some of the fish species this August. Yours faithfully David J. Fletcher School of Ocean Sciences University of Wales Menai Bridge Bangor Gwynedd LL59 5EY, U.K. <6> 17/02/94 ag508 CONSERVATION AND THE BRITISH KILLIFISH ASSOCIATION by Mike Hansell Writing an article for the ACN regarding the current mode of thinking within the BKA on the subject of conservation is not easy. We are a group of individual hobbyists who have become fish keepers for many different reasons and throughout the membership the keeping of fish is predominant. But the subject of conservation rarely arises, unless a fish becomes unobtainable, or if it is learned that a collecting site is under threat or has been destroyed. There has never been a position on our Management Committee with a responsibility for conservation. In the past we have had positions on the Management Committee, such as the Species Import Officer, who have highlighted the difficulty in obtaining a certain species and made enquiries at the source to discover the reason for this. However, over the years, due to the ease in locating and importing new species, members have used their own personal contacts to import fish, the committee positions have fallen by the wayside through desuetude, and the plight of the fishes in danger has gone virtually unheeded. It is only recently that members recognising a problem exists are joining together to establish small groups within our association dedicated to the prolonged maintenance of particular species. But this is done on an ad hoc basis with no centralised records and mainly just to ensure that the species remains within the hobby. The tightening of controls on importing fish into the EEC, and the constraints of CITES, are bringing the problems of fish conservation to the forefront, and many more people are now asking questions and wondering what part they can play. The emergence of the ACN at this time has further brought home, that the time to do something is now. But what can we do? The problem with posing the question of conservation to the killifish hobbyist is, that a large proportion of killifish are annual fishes, some living in the smallest bodies of water (we have all heard the story of the fishes that were found surviving in the water filled hole left by an elephant's footprint), and these fish live for a very short period of time. After the rains have come, filling up the dried out ponds, the eggs, which have been lying dormant in the substrata from the previous wet season, hatch. From then the life span can be as short as four months. It would take a tremendous amount of resources to discover if a particular fish is living in only the one location and if it is also in danger of becoming extinct. There has been much concern expressed in the past and a definite willingness to do something. However, without some form of direction this always comes to nothing. This is where it is hoped that the ACN could lead the way. The main problem has always been to identify an area where the amateur aquarist can be most effective, but without the necessary contacts in the political or scientific communities of the regions where the fishes are most at risk, no real goals can be defined or agreed upon. No organization has unlimited resources and without the participation of the above communities it will be impossible to maximize the resources we do have, and ultimately it will be ineffective and wasteful. Can we maintain fish indefinitely? Many species held by killifish keepers are held because they are either attractive, rare or exhibit some special qualities sought by that particular keeper. But once these attributes have been explored the fish tend to be replaced for different ones, helping to sustain the keeper's interest in his chosen hobby. It will take a tremendous amount of dedication for someone to maintain a species (particularly just because it is endangered) over a very long period of time. This is another reason why goals are required, and time frames to work to - it does help if one can see the light at the end of the tunnel. There is some opposition to the captive breeding of fish for reintroduction into the wild. They centre mainly around the fear of cross breeding, the introduction of diseases, who should be selected to breed the fishes (there is a vast difference in experience between the newest and the oldest members of our association), and several people I have spoken to would rather try to protect the sites in the wild, rather than launch programmes of captive breeding. We must accept that this is not always possible and captive breeding is probably going to be the only way to save many of the species. Therefore, to proceed with conservation by this method, an acceptable set of rules must be arrived at for those wishing to partake in an organised programme of breeding and some form of quality control must be agreed upon prior to the fishes being released into the wild. I hope the above gives some idea of the questions I have been asked, the fears expressed, and trepidation with which some people approach conservation issues. But despite the most negative of views, I believe in exploring the possibilities and in not throwing a wet blanket over our attempts to make a start at overcoming this vast problem. I think that therein lies the answer to many doubts expressed, THE PROBLEM IS VAST and people are daunted by the task. BKA census of species I have completed a census of the species being maintained presently by BKA members. As far as I have been able to ascertain, this is the first census carried out by the BKA that has been published. Previous attempts floundered due to lack of support. The census this time was supported by 57 members from a total membership of 380 worldwide. This may not sound like an impressive response, but subtracting the many members who probably don't keep fish, the 50 or so foreign members, and bearing in mind the previous failures, I am quite pleased by the outcome. I intend to launch another census in the next few months. ******************** Mike Hansell is a member of the British Killifish Association and he can be contacted at 7 Victoria Grove, Horsforth, Leeds, U.K. LS18 4ST. <7> 17/02/94 ag508 BLAAUWKRANTZ NATURE RESERVE FOR _SANDELIA BAINSII_ by Jim and Eve Cambray The eastern Province rocky, _Sandelia bainsii_, is listed in the _South African Red Data Book - Fishes_, as vulnerable. This means that the species is likely to move into the endangered category, the final category before extinction. This species has a very limited distribution and only occurs in four river systems in the eastern Cape of South Africa. The Algoa Regional Services Council has put aside a small reserve for the eastern Province rocky, the Blaauwkrantz Nature Reserve, which is on the Blaauwkrantz River, a tributary of the Kowie River system. We believe this is the only nature reserve specifically set aside for a species of the Anabantidae. The main threat to the continued existence of _S. bainsii_ is habitat deterioration. Water abstraction during dry periods, agricultural, urban and industrial pollution and sedimentation caused by soil pollution were listed as the main problems by Gaigher in 1979 and Mayekiso in 1986. Since then, the alien water fern, _Azolla filliculoides_, has been introduced into the Kowie River system. The eastern Cape has prolonged drought periods with little or no flushing flows in the rivers. This condition, combined with the enriched waters, is ideal for the growth of the water fern. The main refuge pools for the eastern Province rocky are completely covered with dense jungle mats of _Azolla_ which excludes light and upsets the food chain. These mats are so dense that birds, crabs and water leguaans can walk across them. The impact of the water fern on _Sandelia_ is not known. With so few refuge pools available, we resorted to the only SAFE means of _Azolla_ eradication at the Blaauwkrantz reserve - manual removal. This is possible, but very time consuming. Volunteers, such as school children, have given many hours of free labour but we require funds for transportation and equipment. We have an on-going research project on the fish in the reserve. When we started the project, the pools in the river were completely covered with the water fern. It must be remembered that, unlike the _Ctenopoma_ in Africa, the two species of _Sandelia_ have no labyrinth organ but the air-breathing chamber remains intact. The _Sandelia_, especially _S. bainsii_, are therefore more riverine and possibly not well-equipped to survive in areas with complete cover. We totally cleared the Blaauwkrantz pool of the water fern in November 1991. Recently (December 1991) we were relieved to find that, after rains in November, we still have a breeding population of the eastern Province rocky in the Blaauwkrantz Reserve. But all is not well. During the hard work of our volunteers over weekends, during which we remove up to 5 tonnes of the water fern from the main pool in the reserve, we have found that the young- of-the-year fish are stranding themselves on the _Azolla_ mats when they jump out of the water to catch insects or to avoid predators. We were wondering, during our last Saturday of hard labour in the nature reserve, if members of the Anabantoid Association, or other related societies, would like to help save this vulnerable species from extinction? Contributions can be sent to the address given below. References Gaigher, I.G. 1979. Overgrazing endangers fish species. African Wildlife 33 (1), 41. Mayekiso, M. 1986. Some aspects of the ecology of the eastern Cape rocky _Sandelia bainsii_ (Pisces, Anabantidae) in the Tyume River, eastern Cape, South Africa. MSc. thesis, Rhodes University. **************** This article was submitted by David Armitage of the Anabantoid Association of Great Britain and is reprinted from 'Labyrinth', the newsletter of the AAGB (No. 62, April 1992). Mr. Armitage has indicated that the AAGB responded to this request by contributing 200 Pounds Sterling. Also, the IGL (Internationale Gemeinschaft fur Labyrinthfische) has also made a contribution of 500 Swiss Francs. **************** To contact Jim and Eve Cambray, write to Jim Cambray, Curator, Dept. of Ichthyology, Albany Museum, Somerset Street, Grahamstown 6140, South Africa. Tel: 0461-22397; Fax: 0461-22398; Internet: plad@hippo.ru.ac.za <8> 17/02/94 ag508 THE ROLE OF AQUATIC COLLECTIONS IN CONSERVATION by Dr. Chris Andrews Fish populations around the world are suffering from the effects of habitat alteration (including habitat destruction, pollution and the introduction of alien species) and overexploitation (primarily for food, but also, to a much lesser extent, for the aquarium trade). The situation is particularly acute in some freshwater environments, where isolated habitats may contain speciose and/or unique faunas that are extremely susceptible to the impact of the activities of humans. According to the _1990 Red List of Threatened Animals_ (IUCN, 1990), 762 taxa of freshwater and marine fish are considered to be threatened or extinct. Since the vast majority of the listed species are freshwater fish, this represents about 9% of the 8,500 or so species that are known to occur in freshwater habitats. However, as reviewed by Moyle and Leidy (1992) and Andrews and Kaufman (in press), the actual situation may be far worse, with over one third of the local freshwater species considered to be threatened in many areas. Since fish populations (especially, but not exclusively, in freshwater) are in urgent need of conservation attention, there are at least four broad areas where zoos, aquariums and other living collections can assist. Firstly, living collections can attract and then educate large numbers of the public, and change their attitudes and life styles with regard to wildlife and wildlife conservation. The impact of both informal and formal educational programs on conservation in far off lands can sometimes be difficult to appreciate, although educating and motivating visitors on urgent but local conservation issues, and linking this (via creative exhibitry) to the massive biodiversity loss which is occurring in the tropics, is one approach which has proved effective. However, it must be emphasized that it is not enough to (for example) just educate visitors on the similarities between, and the effects of, deforestation in parts of North America and the tropics; they should be motivated into action, both locally and globally. Secondly, zoos and aquariums can conduct captive breeding programs for endangered species, as an insurance policy against extinction, as well as propagating animals for reintroduction into suitably restored and/or protected habitats. Captive breeding programs bring with them a range of their own special problems, and these have been discussed by Seal (1986) and Andrews and Kaufman (in press). On their own, it is obvious that they cannot save enough species, and this is particularly pertinent to the magnitude of the crisis facing freshwater fish. Nonetheless, zoos and aquariums should look toward, where possible, replacing more of their non-endangered exhibit fishes with captive-bred, threatened species. Captive breeding programs, and related public education programs, do draw attention to, and support the need for, continued _in situ_ conservation efforts, and over one quarter of the 84 federal recovery programs for endangered freshwater fish in the U.S. include captive propagation as one of their components (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1990). However, North American zoos and aquariums are involved in very few of these programs. Thirdly, zoos and aquariums also carry out research on improving the management and conservation of both captive and wild populations of threatened species, and although this includes research on aquatic species, relatively little of the research is aimed at the conservation of threatened fishes. Undoubtedly, most zoos and aquariums need to make a greater commitment to aquatic-oriented research, especially with regard to conservation, although the financial support for this research is unlikely to originate from already hard-pressed operating budgets. Finally, the focus of the above three contributions by living collections should seek support for _in situ_ conservation efforts. Protection of the world's aquatic biota depends on the fact that every ecosystem is interconnected and influenced (to a greater or lesser extent) by the activities of humans. Since only around 3% of the world's surface area has protected status (with very few completely aquatic reserves), it is clear that wildlife conservation will depend on the multiple use of habitats outside of the formal reserves, and that this will often have to include the wise management of entire watersheds. Genuine support of _in situ_ conservation efforts has many benefits for the institutions so involved, including improving their public image and status, and will open new possibilities with regards to marketing, funding and grants (for these and other related programs). Within the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums (AAZPA) there are two active and developing fish programs: the Lake Victoria program and the desert fishes program. These programs have highlighted the need for collaboration among zoos, aquariums and other individuals and organisations, as will be needed in the other nominated AAZPA fish program - for Appalachian stream fishes. However, zoos and aquariums will have to decide to what extent they are able to support these and other such conservation programs, and each institution should determine whether its' focus is local, national and/or international, and then pursue their missions with focussed, dogged determination. With so many threatened taxa there is an obvious risk of uncoordinated conservation efforts reducing overall impact of limited resources. With this in mind, the IUCN (The World Conservation Union) is producing a Freshwater Fish Action Plan, that will be very useful in prioritising and directing conservation action for freshwater fish on a global basis. The success of the action plans for other taxonomic groups is well established, with eleven such plans involved in raising of over $50 million, and in the support of several hundred conservation projects in over 50 countries, since the process began in 1986. In conclusion, zoos and aquariums will continue to attract, educate and motivate their visiting public to support conservation efforts, and the need is particularly acute with regard to freshwater fish. Staff responsible for living collections should aggressively pursue support and alternative sources of funding for aquatic-oriented conservation and research programs, which must be directed towards the most pressing conservation issues. Although not the complete answer, more captive breeding programs for threatened fish species need to be developed, and it is suggested that North American zoos and aquariums should become more involved in the recovery programs for native species. Since the coordination of conservation efforts is vital to maximize the impact of limited resources, the soon-to-be completed IUCN Action Plan for Freshwater Fish will be extremely useful in prioritising and directing conservation action. References Andrews, C. and Kaufman, L. (in press) Captive breeding programs and their role in fish conservation. Creative Conservation: Interactive Management of Wild and Captive Animals, edited by P.J. Olney, G. Mace and A. Feister, pp. 338-351. Chapman and Hall, London. IUCN (1990) The IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals. IUCN Publications, Cambridge, 192 pp. Moyle, P.B. and Leidy, R.A. (1992) Loss of aquatic biodiversity in aquatic ecosystems: evidence from fish faunas. In Conservation Biology, edited by Peggy L. Fielder and Subodh K. Jain, pp. 127-169. Chapman and Hall, New York and London. Seal, U.S. (1986) Goals of captive propagation programmes for the conservation of endangered species. International Zoo Yearbook 24/25, 174- 179. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (1990) Report to Congress: Endangered and Threatened Species Recovery Programs. U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington D.C., 406 pp. ************************************************** This article is an extract from a talk presented at the AAZPA Annual Meeting, Omaha, September 1993 in the session "The Challenges of Conserving Aquatic Biodiversity: Partnerships, Networking and Co- operation". The proceedings of this meeting will be published in due course. Dr. Andrews is the Senior Director of Husbandry and Operations, National Aquarium in Baltimore, the Chair of the IUCN Freshwater Fish Specialist Group as well as an Advisory Director of the ACN. He can be contacted at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, Pier 3, 501 East Pratt Street, Baltimore, Maryland, 21202 U.S.A. Tel: (410) 576-8239, Fax: (410) 576-8238. <9> 17/02/94 ag508 INTENTIONAL INTRODUCTIONS POLICY REVIEW - U.S. (The following is the Executive Summary from a proposed Report to Congress titled "Findings, Conclusions, and Recommendations of the Intentional Introductions Policy Review", prepared by the Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force, Fish and Wildlife Service, United States Department of the Interior. The comment period on this report is until October 25, 1993. For information or a copy of the complete document, contact Ms. Sharon Gross, ANS Task Force Coordinator, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (820 ARLSQ), U.S. Dept. of the Interior, 1849 C Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20240, U.S.A. Tel: (703) 358-1718.) The Issue Nonindigenous aquatic species have been and continue to be both a source of socio-economic benefits and costs to many sectors of American society and a major factor in the loss of biological diversity. Despite this significance, nonindigenous species issues in general are vastly under-recognized. Nonindigenous species are used extensively in research, biocontrol, the aquarium industry, public and private aquaculture, and public fisheries management. Hundreds of species are imported by the aquarium industry on a regular basis for resale or as broodstock for domestic production. Much of marine aquaculture on the Pacific Coast is based on the nonindigenous Pacific oyster (_Crassostrea gigas_). Fisheries management in most States has involved the use of nonindigenous species. Salmon, for example, are not indigenous to the Great Lakes but form the basis of a large recreational fishery. However, many of the nonindigenous species that support these activities have also impacted native species. An analysis of nonindigenous fish introductions provides some useful insight. Government entities have long been involved in nonindigenous species use. Mosquitofish, used for vector control, and many species of sport fish have been widely introduced. The establishment of large numbers of nonindigenous fish species, especially in Florida and California, has resulted from escapes of aquarium fishes (e.g. from private culture facilities, aquarium dumps). A number of releases from public and private aquacultural facilities are also known. The effects of introductions are varied, but if viewed in terms of their role in the endangerment or extinction of native species, introductions related to sport fishing dominate. While habitat degradation was the leading factor, the effects of introduced species were also cited as a contributing factor in 68% of extinctions over the past 100 years and 70% of fish listings under the Endangered Species Act. In both cases, most of the introduced species cited were apparently present in the ecosystem as the result of a sport fishing related intentional introduction. The Framework It was in the context of these findings that the Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) Task Force conducted the Intentional Introductions Policy Review mandated by Section 1207 of the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act of 1990 (Act). The focus of Section 1207 is to provide Congress with recommendations for "reducing the risk of adverse consequences associated with intentional introductions of aquatic organisms." The policy review process involved a broad spectrum of potentially affected entities and benefitted greatly from their diverse views and approaches to these complex issues. Two central concerns of the Task force that reflect this complexity are: 1) the need to make ecologically credible decisions, and 2) the need to strike a balance between greater risk reduction and accommodating current activities and economies that depend on the use of nonindigenous species. Two important baselines that grew from these concerns are the Task Force's conclusions that: 1) to the maximum extent possible, decisions should be based on ecosystem considerations, and 2) the recommendations should generally apply only to new introductions. the first is consistent with the language of the Act and emphasizes the extent of shared ecological and evolutionary history rather than a jurisdictional boundary as the appropriate scale upon which biologically meaningful decisions should be based. The Task Force felt that the second represented a useful compromise between risk reduction and existing economic dependencies. The goal of both is to avoid creating situations that could lead to the further establishment of nuisance species. The Recommendations In general, the recommendations of the ANS Task Force promote education, cooperation, and accountability. Further, because the Task Force believes that prevention is key to risk reduction, most of the recommendations center around the decision-making process. The involvement of private industry and public organizations is essential to the effective implementation of Task Force recommendations. General For the recommendations in this report to be implemented effectively, both agency funding authorizations and appropriations must be consistent with the level of activity required by Congress in the authorizing statute and requested in the President's budget. Education and Extension 1A Federal agencies should support the development of and increase support for education and extension programs that promote or enhance: 1) general awareness of nonindigenous species issues, 2) understanding of the risks associated with introductions and how to minimize them, 3) understanding and enforcement of existing authorities, and 4) the use of native species. 1B Federal agencies should support and facilitate the coordination of a national network of clearinghouses for educational materials and other nonindigenous species information that would support the educational efforts presented in recommendation 1A. Research 2 Federal agencies should support research that enables: 1) better understanding of the risks associated with introductions and how to minimize them, 2) the use of native species, and 3) more effective education and extension (i.e., evaluating the efforts made under recommendation 1A). Existing Authority 3A Ongoing uses of nonindigenous species should be evaluated by their respective funding or permitting agencies (State or Federal) to determine their potential deleterious effects on native species and adjusted as feasible to minimize these risks. 3B Appropriate Federal agencies should more closely examine proposed introductions to determine whether they constitute major actions with significant effects on the human environment and, if so, more fully and consistently employ the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process in their considerations of proposed introductions. These same agencies should ensure that their NEPA guidance procedures reflect this concern. 3C Appropriate Federal Agencies should formalize their compliance procedures to fully implement Executive Order 11987 and within one year of publication of this Report to Congress, submit to the ANS Task Force a report of what steps have been taken to achieve compliance. 3D Federal agencies should not provide financial assistance for new introductions of aquatic nonindigenous species (plant or animal) unless the proposed introduction is consistent with the above-recommended formalized procedures for compliance with EO 11987 and other existing or new Federal authorities (e.g., Endangered Species Act, NEPA, and the recommended permit system (see 4A below) at such time as it is developed). 3E Improvements in Federal activity under the Lacey Act should include: 1) expedite the injurious species listing process; 2) foster compliance with interstate commerce clauses of the Lacey Act by maintaining and making available to all interested entities information on State lists (approved, restricted, prohibited) and regulatory requirements; 3) establish a list of Federally approved and prohibited species to facilitate quick decisions on those species; and, 4) under the Lacey Act or other appropriate authority, initiate a review system for all others not so listed. 3F The appropriate Federal agencies should: 1) expedite the listing process for noxious weeds, 2) develop the required undesirable plant management programs, and 3) encourage the use of Federal-State- private partnerships in developing the authorized control and prevention programs. Prohibitions and Enforcement The Task Force makes no specific recommendations under this option other than increased attention to the enforcement of existing authorities. Permit Systems 4A Establish a Federal import permitting system to provide a credible review of proposed introductions of nonindigenous aquatic organisms. 4B The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), the Fish and Wildlife Service, and the National Marine Fisheries Service should establish a joint permit process. Congress should take any appropriate legislative action recommended by the Administration to authorize the agreed process. Protocols and Environmental Assessments 5 United States implementation of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) protocol should be coordinated by the appropriate Federal agency(ies). Interjurisdictional Decision Methods 6A State and Federal officials should solicit review and advice from existing or newly developed interjurisdictional panels regarding introductions that may affect the resources of multiple jurisdictions. 6B Interjurisdictional panels should serve as a forum for the sharing of nonindigenous species information; for the coordination, where desirable, of State laws; and for the development of regional policy. 6C Interjurisdictional nonindigenous species consultations should include representation from affected parties, i.e., Federal, State, Tribal, public and private interests and, where appropriate, the international community. Model State Code 7 State legislative bodies should, in consultation with their respective fish and wildlife conservation agencies and other interested entities, enact comprehensive legislation to deal with nonindigenous species issues. Good Business Practices 8 Where such codes do not already exist, private industry trade associations in consultation with the appropriate State and Federal agencies (and other interested entities), should develop Codes of Good Business Practices that promote continued commercial operation in a manner that is compatible with the conservation of natural ecosystems. <10> 17/02/94 ag508 "A HISTORY AND ATLAS OF THE FISHES OF THE ANTARCTIC OCEAN" - NEW BOOK "A History and Atlas of the Fishes of the Antarctic Ocean" is written by Richard Gordon Miller of the Foresta Institute of Ocean and Mountain Studies. The book is publicized as follows: It is a major venture into the science of the strange and wondrous fishes of the South Polar Region. Discovery that their habitat seas comprise a distinctive new ocean happened within the lifetime of the author, and he shows how the most recent studies of oceanographers and other geophysicists reveal it to have evolved within the last thirty million years. The Antarctic fishes co-evolved with these special waters of cold and ice, to be different from all other fishes. Dr Miller's approach is refreshing in its view of their history, his ranking of fish families, genera, and species by their level of affinity to the Antarctic Ocean, that endless circle of the world's seas south of the Antarctic convergence. Treatment of the ecology, life histories, anatomy, relationships, zoogeography is scientifically precise, as are the illustrations of the Atlas. The classification and taxonomy are in keeping with today's science. The 800 page book presents 378 unique Antarctic fishes and includes: - 180 plates and numerous text figures; - original line drawings by Josette Gourley; - taxonomy of each species, its unique characteristics and biology, the location and history of its discovery; - discovery and description of a strange ichthyofauna unique to Antarctica; - keys to diagnostic characteristics; - the naming of the fishes and review of their synonyms; - genetic responses, niche expansion and adaptations; - review of the geophysics of Earth's most southern seas; and - the history of human involvement in Antarctica. Much of the information is from the author's considerable observation and lifelong study, while the basic science and further discovery is the most current available from colleagues and other sources. Access to the literature is facilitated by an exhaustive bibliography and careful citation. The book sells for $95 U.S. (Library Cover - Cloth) or $78 U.S. (Lab Cover - Laminated). For more information or to purchase a copy write to Foresta Institute, P.O. Box 41567, Tucson, Arizona 85717, U.S.A. <11> 17/02/94 ag508 A FEW POINTS CONCERNING ENVIRONMENTAL FRIENDLINESS IN THE MARINE AQUARIUM HOBBY by Jaime Baquero (This article follows on from two previous articles on this topic, one by Jaime Baquero (_Aquatic Survival_ - Volume 2, No. 1, March 1993) and the subsequent article by Frank Greco (_Aquatic Survival_ - Volume 2, No. 2, June 1993)). I appreciate Frank Greco's honest opinion on "How Environmentally Friendly is the Marine Aquarium Hobby?" I would like to add some information to this valuable ongoing discussion. As reported by Ocean Voice International (OVI) at the PIJAC (Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council) symposium "Exploring the Depths of the Aquarium Industry" on June 3-4, 1993, Washington, D.C., we believe that the trade of marine fish and invertebrates has the potential to become a sustainable activity if corrective measures are taken in the near future. OVI's approach is to define problems, identify workable options, choose the most effective solution(s) and work as closely as possible with those involved in implementing the solution(s). This has been our approach to the sustainable commercialization of natural resources for the marine aquarium trade, in response to concerns resulting from the increased collection of marine fish and invertebrates in the waters of tropical countries, over the last decade. Investigating the effect of this activity on coral reefs as well as the trade's sustainability and responding to urgent needs for protective measures are activities that are long overdue and can help the industry. OVI's articles in _Sea Wind_, and in the Netsman Project proposal and reports, emphasize that the aquarium fish trade is one of many (and not necessarily the largest) factors or agents impacting on coral reef environments. Nevertheless, the aquarium industry is not any less responsible for what it has done and should not therefore discount its obligation to become environmentally friendly. In fact, we believe it is in both the short- term and long-term interests of industry to do so. This requirement extends to the collection of wild coral reef fishes, live rocks and marine invertebrates. OVI is clearly taking an active role in finding practical solutions and in reconciling conflicts between the aquarium trade and marine conservation needs. Sodium Cyanide Concerning Mr. Greco's perception about the degree of contribution of sodium cyanide to reef destruction, there is conclusive evidence of the damage that "IT" causes to each component of coral reef ecosystems, whenever and wherever this chemical is spread. Studies and research conducted in the province of Palawan, Philippines reveal that only five per cent of its corals can claim to be in excellent condition as habitats for marine coral dwelling aquatic organisms. According to this government's resolution No 33 (February 19, 1993), "it cannot be gainsaid that the destruction and devastation of the corals of our province were principally due to illegal fishing activities like dynamite fishing, sodium cyanide fishing, use of other obnoxious substances and other related activities". In order to protect and preserve the existence of the remaining corals and allow for the recovery of those that have been devastated, the provincial government has banned the collection of aquatic organisms dwelling in living corals and of some species of tropical aquarium fishes. In 1986, Peter Rubec (International Marinelife Alliance-USA) presented a paper at the First Asian Fisheries Forum which reviewed effects of sodium cyanide on coral reefs and marine fish in the Philippines. Further, Don McAllister (OVI) has compiled a bibliography about cyanide impacts on coral fishes and reefs. Marine Fish Mortalities Aquarium hobbyists, retailers and importers are recording high mortality values for "most" species of butterfly fish and "some" species of angelfish. The reasons are many and are related to biotic and abiotic conditions that cannot be fulfilled by the fishkeepers. Other factors no less important are linked to harvesting, handling and holding procedures, from the moment the fish are removed from their natural habitat. Circumstances could be different for animals in display at public aquariums, which sometimes use other channels to obtain their specimens. Personally and professionally, after eight years of intimate involvement with this activity as a hobbyist, import consultant, retail consultant and aquarium hobbyist consultant, I have seen negative results in relation to mortality values for species of these two (2) groups, as for many others, as discussed in the previous article. The IUCN Species Survival Commission's Coral Reef Fish Specialist Group and OVI are developing an inventory of marine aquarium fish of the world, with standardized common and scientific names, and ornamental fishes graded according to ease of keeping (some not recommended). Drafts of this list will be circulated to international scientific and industry specialists and the final product will serve as a guide to those in business and in the hobby. Frank Greco's List of Marine Aquarium Fishes (931 species) is considered as a valuable tool for this inventory. However, in my article, I refer to an average of 400 species of fish that are traded in North America for the aquarium hobby, fish that are found regularly in pet shops. This average was calculated from price lists of exporters in Asia and importers in the U.S and Canada. ****************** Jaime Baquero can be contacted c/o RECIFS, 10 Henri Lessard, Gatineau, Quebec, Canada J8T 3G6. Tel: (819) 243-1334. <12> 17/02/94 ag508 ACN AND INTERNET by Rob Huntley For all those fish enthusiasts who somehow manage to take time away from water changes to become computer literate as well, here is an update on recent ACN activities in the world of electronic communications. For some time the ACN has been taking part in CompuServe's FISHNET with its own electronic message and library areas. This has been discussed in previous articles in _Aquatic Survival_. Now the ACN also has an Internet resource area and discussion group which is a component of the rapidly growing "freenet" network. The ACN's freenet site is with the National Capital Freenet (NCF), administered through Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada. Currently there are two ways for Internet users to access this area - to dial in directly, or to connect via the Internet. (The Internet Gopher is unfortunately "not" a means by which our area can be reached at the present time.) Dialing In To call in directly, long distance rates apply to users outside the immediate Ottawa area. Your modem should be set to dial (613) 780-3733 (Set modem to N-8-1). There will be no immediate response after the NCF has 'picked up the phone'. You will have to press a series of 3, 4 or maybe even 5 hard returns ("Enter" or "Return" key) about one second apart to prompt the NCF computer into action. Then login as a guest and have a look around. Please register as an NCF user if you would like full privileges of the system (there is no cost to registering, just a bit of paperwork to complete and mail in). Connecting Via Internet To connect via internet, you will need access to a host system on the internet that supports telnet. You may have to ask your local System Operator (SYSOP) for advice. If you have access to telnet, then you telnet to the following NCF (National Capital Freenet) address: freenet.carleton.ca and at that point you should simply login as a guest. Then you are operating just as if you dialed in. The option of registering as an NCF user is also open to people coming in via the network. That will then give you the full privileges of any user. (For anyone requiring it, the IP address is 134.117.1.25) NCF Registration As a "guest" you are not able to send email, not able to post messages in discussion groups and not able to access the Internet Gopher. Therefore, it is useful to register and get full access (and it won't cost you anything - this is freenet). To find the NCF registration package, starting at the Main Menu: - Press 2 - for "Administration" - Press 4 - for "Getting an Account" If your modem software allows you to "capture" text, you can copy the registration package to a file on your computer. Instructions are clearly spelled out. Before leaving from your first visit it would be a good idea to take a copy of the "Survival Guide for New Users" for you to look at while your registration is being mailed and processed. To find the "Survival Guide for New Users", starting at the Main Menu: - Press 2 - for "Administration" - Press 1 - for "Survival Guide for New Users" Then, the easiest way for newcomers is to again have your own modem software "capture" the text. Start "capture" and: - Press 1 - for "About the Survival Guide for New Users" and keep scrolling through the text to the end of the document. There are better ways but that seems the easiest if you have never used the NCF before. This document is useful because it tells you, among other things, some important steps about letting the NCF system know how to relate best to your computer setup. Aquatic Conservation Network To find the Aquatic Conservation Network section, at any menu when you are prompted with "Your Choice ==>" simply type "go acn" (without the quotation marks). Alternatively you can track through the various menus to get a feel of where the ACN is actually located in system, discovering other interesting facets of NCF along the way. To find the ACN using the menus, start at the Main Menu: - Press 5 - for "Social Services, Health and the Environment" - Press 1 - for "the Environment" - Press 4 - for "Non-Government Organizations" - Press 2 - for "Aquatic Conservation Network" Note: the numbers could change due to NCF restructuring of menus as new areas are added, so look for the titles. In the ACN area you will find background information files on the ACN, back issues of _Aquatic Survival_, other information files, and a public discussion group. These are freely available to anyone, and have been placed into freenet with the purpose of enhancing public awareness of aquatic conservation issues as well as participation in aquatic conservation initiatives. ****************** Rob Huntley can be contacted at the Aquatic Conservation Network, 540 Roosevelt Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K2A 1Z8. Tel: (613) 729- 4670; Fax: (613) 729-5613; CompuServe: 71022,3537; Internet: rob@pinetree.org OR ag508@freenet.carleton.ca <13> 17/02/94 ag508 COMING EVENTS Desert Fishes Council The 25th Annual Meeting of the Desert Fishes Council will be hosted by Universidad Aut¢noma de Nuevo Le¢n (Monterrey, Nuevo Le¢n, M‚xico) on 11-13 November (Thursday - Saturday) 1993. The local committee is chaired by Dr. Salvador Contr‚ras-Balderas. Registration will begin on Wednesday evening (10th), followed on Thursday morning by two and one- half days of technical and agency reports, special symposia (one of which will be "Bioecology of Cuatro Ci‚negas"), and other societal and/or social events. For information contact Phil Pister, Desert Fishes Council, P.O. Box 337, Bishop, California 93515, U.S.A. Tel. & Fax.: (619) 872-8751. Biological Diversity in African Fresh and Brackish Water Fishes An International Symposium will be held to focus on biological and ecological aspects of African fresh and brackish water fishes. This symposium will be held at Dakar (Senegal) from November 15 to 20, 1993. Details were provided in the March 1993 issue of Aquatic Survival. For information contact Jean-Fran‡ois Gu‚gan or Didier Paugy, ORSTOM, DEC, 213 rue La Fayette, 75480 Paris c‚dex 10, France. Tel: 40-79-37-31; Fax: 40-79-37-71. Predator-Prey Relationships in Fishes The Fisheries Society of the British Isles will hold their annual international symposium, "Predator-Prey Relationships in Fishes", on July 11 to 15, 1994 in Glasgow, Scotland. It is being organized by the Dunstaffnage Marine Laboratory, Oban and the Zoology Department, Glasgow University. The symposium will consider fishes as both predators and prey and the morphological, physiological (including sensory) and behavioral processes resulting in prey capture and the avoidance of predation. It will examine the ecological and evolutionary consequences of predator-prey interactions and the constraints imposed by being predator and prey simultaneously. Studies with a functional or developmental perspective will be especially welcome. The aim is to bring together workers studying different aspects of the subject in order to describe recent developments, exchange ideas and promote a greater understanding of the basic principles involved. The programme will consist of contributed papers, posters and keynote addresses by: Horst Bleckmann (Institut fur Zoologie, Darmstadt; lateral lines and prey detection), Lawrence Dill (Simon Fraser University; effects of predation risk on behaviour), Lee Fuiman (University of Texas; fish larvae as prey), Frietson Galis (Leiden University; mechanics of prey capture), Anne Houde (Lake Forest College, Illinois; evolution of prey populations), James Kitchell (Madison University; food webs and ecosystems), Andrew Sih (Kentucky University; behaviour of fish as prey). The deadline for submission of abstracts is December 1, 1993 and the deadline for payment of registration and accommodation fees is April 1, 1994. For information contact Dr. R.N. Gibson, FSBI Symposium Organising Committee, Dunstaffnage Marine Laboratory, Oban, Argyll, Scotland PA34 4AD. Tel: 0631 62244; Fax: 0631 65518; Internet: S_RG@UK.AC.NSM.VA <14> 17/02/94 ag508 RARITAS/ICLA BREEDING PROGRAM The ICLA (International Committee on Livebearer Associations) will start an international breeding programme in order to breed, maintain and spread threatened / endangered livebearers. The programme will be according to the list published by Jack E. Williams et al. of the American Fisheries Society Endangered Species Committee. This list was first issued in _Fisheries_, vol. 4, no. 2, March/April 1979 and updated in vol. 14, no. 6, November/December 1989. A summary of this list has been compiled by Derek Lambert (Livebearer Information Systems - Viviparous) and published in the name of the ICLA. There are already single persons supporting the programme in several associations within the ICLA. ICLA is looking for breeders to join in this project. Participants in the ICLA Breeding Programme are supposed to "maintain one or more species of the list of endangered livebearers for at least two years, and to submit to the ICLA Breeding Programme information on their stock twice a year". All information will be exchanged with the participants and will be published in the ICLA Newsletter. All breeders of endangered livebearers, interested in participating in this project are asked to send the following information to the coordinator of the breeding programme: Name, address, telephone number, plus a list of the endangered livebearers you breed, including locality and the number of fishes. The information can be sent to: RARITAS / ICLA Breeding Programme Mr. Henrik Hornhaver Skovengen 151 DK-2980 Kokkedal, Denmark Tel: 009-45-42249729 <15> 17/02/94 ag508 PIJAC HOSTS PRODUCTIVE SYMPOSIUM BETWEEN AQUARIUM INDUSTRY AND ENVIRONMENTALISTS More than 80 participants representing a broad cross section of the aquarium industry recently immersed themselves in an intense two-day symposium where they discussed and debated the industry's need to conserve and sensibly manage its renewable resources to ensure its future health. "The very fact that we had fish importers, wholesalers, and farmers talking with aquarium-related manufacturers, distributors, and retailers about the health of the industry was, in my mind, most significant," said Marshall Meyers, executive vice president and general counsel of the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC), which sponsored the symposium on June 3rd and 4th. Among the issues addressed in depth by invited scientists and experts were those having a significant impact on the industry, including: - federal policies under the Non-Indigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act; - the fate of reef fishes, live rock, corals and other invertebrates; - the use of antibiotics for ornamental fishes and potential regulation by the Food and Drug Administration; and - the use of cyanide and the alternative Haribon program to train collectors in net capture of reef fishes. In exploring the next steps for the industry to take, a number of ideas were generated for further consideration, including getting involved in wildlife conservation management projects, launching an advertising campaign to promote the aquarium industry, educating the aquarium trade regarding federal regulations that affect it, and organizing strategic planning sessions that will allow the industry to set goals and priorities and make action plans accordingly. PIJAC will schedule small working group sessions to create strategic plans to move ahead and build upon the symposium discussions. PIJAC will make available for purchase transcriptions of the presentations for those who were unable to attend the symposium. (Reprinted from _Sea Wind_ 7(2), April - June 1993, publication of Ocean Voice International, 2883 Otterson Drive, Ottawa, Ontario Canada K1V 7B2. The contact for PIJAC is Marshall Meyers, Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council, 1710 Rhode Island Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036, U.S.A.) <16> 17/02/94 ag508 ACN Captive Breeding Guidelines The ACN is developing a document aimed at providing aquarists with a handbook of captive breeding guidelines and protocol. The work has been progressing under the direction of Roger Langton with the assistance of Mark Rosenqvist, Phil Sponenberg and Rob Huntley and a first draft is nearing completion. A number of people have recently been sent letters asking them to participate in a peer review of the document in order for the writing team to get a sense of the shortcomings, improvements needed and specific information or direction that the reviewers can offer to enhance the product. It is anticipated that the first draft will be sent to the review committee in November. If this is an exercise in which you feel you could contribute, please indicate your interest at your earliest convenience (ACN address). <17> 17/02/94 ag508 NOTEBOOK This is a new section devoted to brief notes of interest to the aquatic conservation community. It is not always necessary to include an entire letter to put forward the basic message. Also, important information often surfaces in telephone conversations and in email messages. Please, if you have an important fact, observation or theory to report, but never seem to have the time to put it into a letter or article, just send along a few lines or give me a call. It takes only a minute or two to spread the word. RH - The first issue of the Killifish Conservation Newsletter came out in the month of September. This newsletter is published by the Killifish Conservation Committee of the American Killifish Association. For information contact Roger Langton at 556 W. Cedar Place, Louisville, CO 80027 U.S.A. - Roger Langton has found that there are two colour varieties of Pachypanchax omalonotus (a killifish from Madagascar). He is calling one the blue form and the other the orange form. They are both attractive. It is not clear whether they are found in the same habitat or from separate habitats or if both forms can come from the same parents. He has one male of the blue form and several pairs of the orange form with some offspring from the latter. He finds them easily bred and hardy. Are they the same species? - David Armitage (Anabantoid Association of Great Britain) relayed the following information from the IGL (Internationale Gemeinshaft fur Labyrinthfische). Known habitats of the Betta coccina group in peninsular Malaysia are being lost at an alarming rate. There is a desperate need to insure their future by organised captive breeding and to contribute to the conservation of their habitats, peat swamp forests. - Mr. Armitage also reports that both the AAGB and the IGL are contributing to the conservation of the air-breathing fish, _Sandelia bainsii_, in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. - Shawn Prescott of Red Sea Fish pHarm (Israel) reports that their marine hatchery, under the guidance of Dr. Robert Brons and assisted by Dr. Miles Robbins, has begun operation and is successfully breeding four marine fish species. Of special note is _Pseudochromis diadema_ which, it seems, has not been previously reproduced in captivity. Dr. Brons, from Holland, has recently joined Red Sea. His prior expertise includes the successful breeding of the marine betta, _Callioplesiops altevelis_, and prospects for producing this species at Red Sea look promising. - A study of the genetic consequences of inbreeding and outbreeding is starting at the University of Nevada, Department of Biology. Gary Vinyard and his graduate students wish to use some easily reared species of poeciliid, (guppies, mosquitofish, swordtails, and the like) as test organisms. They seek sources for stocks of these fish which have known breeding histories and which they could secure for their work. Gary Vinyard can be contacted at University of Nevada, Department of Biology, Reno, Nevada 89557-0015, U.S.A. Internet: gvinyard@unssun.nevada.edu - The Federaci¢n Ib‚rica de Sociedades Acuari¢filas (FISA) has launched a campaign against the artificial colouring of aquarium fish. FISA would also like to invite aquarists of the Hispanic world to contact the federation by writing to Manuel Aresti Larrauri, presidente de la FISA, Apartado de Correos no. 359, 48990 Algorta (Vizcaya), Espa¤a. - FISA is also promoting "Proyecto Amazonas" (Project Amazon) of one of their member organizations, the Sociedad Acuari¢fila Valenciana. A preliminary itinerary has been developed for a group of aquarists to visit Brazil sometime during the winter of 1994. For information contact Jos‚ Martinez Lloret, Presidente, Sociedad Acuari¢fila Valenciana, c/ Salvador Sastre 16, 46007 Valencia, Espa¤a. - The Cyprinodon and Related General Study and Maintenance Group recently reported that they now have the following species in their maintenance program: _Adinia xenica_, _Cyprinodon alvarezi_, _Cyprinodon eximius_ (Rio Chuviscar), _Cyprinodon fontinalis_ (Ojo Del Carbon), _Cyprinodon hubbsi_, _Cyprinodon nevadensis shoshone_, _Cyprinodon sp. veronicae_ (Charco Azul), _Cyprinodon variegatus ovinus_, _Cubanichthys pengelleyi_, _Jordanella floridae_, and _Megupsilon aporus_. Several of these species have the requirement of a scientific study and maintenance permit before they can be kept, which CRGSMG members have obtained. Information about this group can be obtained from Al Morales, 2808 S. Madison, Denver, Colorado 80210, U.S.A. - Ascot International Tropical Fish Databank is compiling a list of all commercial and private breeders of fishes in America and abroad. Each breeder has been asked to provide their name, address, phone/fax number, the species they are currently breeding (scientific names please), their method of sale (wholesale or retail), and whether or not they are a commercial organization. The intention is to publish the list on a quarterly basis and make it available to all participants, universities, international organizations, retailers, and those involved in the aquaculture field. Contact: Jim Hensinger, Ascot International, P.O. Box 77, Marlton, New Jersey 08053-2704, U.S.A. - The AAZPA has had a name change. Formerly the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums, it now is known as the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). - The periodical publication Canadian Biodiversity has also had a name change. Now known as Global Biodiversity, it's motto is "An International Forum on the Diversity of Life on Earth ... research, conservation and wise use". For information contact the Canadian Centre for Biodiversity, Canadian Museum of Nature, P.O. Box 3443, Station D, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1P 6P4. - The CITES Secretariat (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) has relocated. The new address is CITES Secretariat, United Nations Environment Programme, 15, chemin des An‚mones, Case postale 456, CH-1219 Chƒtelaine, GenŠve, Switzerland. Tel: 41 22 979 9111, Fax: 41 22 797 3417. CITES has recently contracted a preliminary study of "The Socio- Economic Value of Trade in CITES Species". For information on how to obtain a copy of the report (cost $35 Cdn.) contact Outspan Group, 2313 Whitehaven Crescent, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K2B 5H2. Tel: (613) 596-8800; Fax: (613) 596-5110. - The April - June issue of Sea Wind reports the recent formation of Schutzgemeinschaft Korallenriff (Association for the Protection of Coral Reefs). The address is Geologisch-Pal„ontologisches Institut und Museum, Universit„t Hamburg, Bundesstrasse 55, D 2000 Hamburg 13, Germany. - Dr. Ang Kok-Jee indicates that one of his students will be working on breeding and larval rearing of _Labeo bicolor_. If you can contribute information to this study please contact him at the Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science, University Pertanian Malaysia, Serdang Selangor 43400, Malaysia. - Jim Cambray is studying the early life history (ELH - eggs to larval fish) of African freshwater fish. He has a collection of these stages and needs more. Proper identification of the eggs and young fish requires urgent attention and aquarists who breed African species can help. Dr. Cambray uses the ELH information to relate back to the natural environment. Knowing how vulnerable these early stages are, conservationists needs to home in on this type of work. If anyone can assist Dr. Cambray, please contact him at the Department of Ichthyology, Albany Museum, Somerset Street, Grahamstown, 6140, Republic of South Africa. Tel: 0461-22397; Fax: 0461-22398; Internet: plad@hippo.ru.ac.za - The Lake Victoria Species Survival Plan (VSSP), being considered by the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums, was recently approved and announced at the September meeting of the AAZPA in OMAHA. <18> 17/02/94 ag508 INTERNATIONAL DIRECTORY OF AQUARIST ORGANIZATIONS by Rob Huntley The ACN currently maintains a database of approximately 600 aquarium organizations in 30 countries. We intend to further develop this information base and publish an international directory. This was briefly discussed in a previous issue at a time when Jar‚ Sausaman and myself were still formulating the project. I am now happy to announce that this project has, in the last few weeks, received part funding from several companies. These include Rolf C. Hagen Inc. as a major sponsor, Aquarium Systems, Inc. as a contributor and a pledge for a contribution from Red Sea Fish pHarm Ltd. Several organizations are still considering our proposal and I hope to report additional sponsorship in the next issue. Through regular and systematic updates, this directory will have considerable utility to the hobby and industry. Further, the process of regularly updating the directory will provide the ACN with an ongoing linkage with the international hobby community, vital to promoting public awareness and facilitating amateur involvement in aquatic conservation. Ultimately, it is hoped that this initiative will be self-financed through sales of the directory, and perhaps even be a fundraiser. In the short term, however, the success of the project is dependent on the contribution of the start-up funding we have been receiving. There is still an opportunity for additional corporate sponsors to affiliate their name with this project, although they should do so quickly if they expect their company to be acknowledged in the first round of surveys going to international federations and currently listed aquarium clubs. Sponsors will be identified as contributors (less than $1,000) or major sponsors ($1,000 or more). Several ACN members have already provided me with the contact information for their local aquarium club. If you have not done so, or if the information has been updated within the last few months, you should send me the contact's address so that the club is included in the mailing. Please send society information to the ACN, 540 Roosevelt Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K2A 1Z8. <19> 17/02/94 ag508 BEHAVIOUR OF TELEOST FISHES - 2ND EDITION In 1986 the first edition of this extremely important and well received book was published and an ever growing demand, together with the availability of much new information, has prompted the production of this thoroughly revised, rewritten and updated second edition. As well as there being an increasing interest in fish biology and fisheries for commercial reasons, fish behaviour is providing interesting data for workers in animal behaviour generally. Although constrained by the same general evolutionary and ecological rules as birds and mammals, the details of teleost behaviour intimately reflect unique and efficient adaptations to their three-dimensional aquatic environment. Behaviour of Teleost Fishes, second edition, reviews major topics in the subject, ranging from genetic and motivational inputs to behaviour, through the main sensory modalities, to behavioural ecology and case studies. The book also includes important information relating the behaviour of fish to their commercial exploitation. The book should be bought by all those with an interest in animal behaviour and should appear on the shelves of all workers in fish biology and fisheries. The book is edited by T.J. Pitcher, Director, Fisheries Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. For further information or to purchase this book contact the publisher, Chapman & Hall, 2-6 Boundary Row, London, England SE1 8HN. The price is œ75.00 hardback and œ29.95 in paperback plus postage and handling fees. Source: Publisher Announcement <20> 17/02/94 ag508 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS - The Discus Study Group for publishing information about the ACN in Volume 1993, Issue II of Discus Talk; - The Ascot International Tropical Fish Databank for reproducing Russ McAndrew's article "Keeping Victorian Cichlids" from the March 1992 issue of Aquatic Survival in the August 1993 issue of Ascot Aquatic Monthly; - The Killifish Conservation Newsletter of the American Killifish Association for acknowledging their support of the ACN; - Shawn Prescott for giving a presentation on behalf of the ACN at Aquarama '93 in Singapore; - Frank Greco for assistance with typing/word processing; - Al Seaman of the National Capital Freenet for the assistance in setting up the ACN electronic discussion and archive area; - Gordon Dewis of pinetree.org for ongoing commitment to providing an Internet link for ACN electronic mail and aquarium and aquaculture related newsfeeds; - Jim Lawson for distributing brochures at a recent convention; - Doug Warmolts for distributing brochures and to both he and Paul Loiselle for promoting the ACN's Madagascar project at the AAZPA conference in Omaha; - David Armitage for placing an ACN advertisement in "Labyrinth", newsletter of the Anabantoid Association of Great Britain; and - Roger Langton for advice regarding ACN elections policy. <21> 17/02/94 ag508 ACN ELECTION NOTICE by Rob Huntley The time has come to enhance the management structure of the ACN and to move from three provisional founding directors to a democratically elected board of seven persons. The ACN was incorporated in Canada in 1991 and in that process certain bylaws for the organization were adopted. However, within that framework there remains considerable flexibility as to how we organize ourselves. An elections policy and process are outlined below whereby existing elements from the bylaws are integrated with current management objectives for the organization. I welcome prospective Board members to read the following thoroughly and submit an application as soon as possible, and before November 12, 1993, according to the process described. ACN ELECTIONS POLICY 1. The Aquatic Conservation Network will be represented by an elected board of seven persons. Each board member will serve for two years. Elections will be conducted annually with four positions determined one year and three positions the following year. This process will help to provide for stability, assuring that experienced persons are carried forward every year. Board members are entitled to run for re-election. 2. All candidates for elected positions must be members of the Aquatic Conservation Network and be at least 18 years of age. Prospective candidates will register their interest with the appointed Nominations Chairperson by a specified date. 3. The officers of the corporation shall be president, vicepresident, secretary and treasurer. All officers of the corporation shall be appointed by resolution of the Board of Directors. The officers shall hold office for two years (see exception of treasurer below) from the date of appointment or election or until their successors are elected or appointed in their stead. The president and vicepresident will be members of the Board of Directors. The treasurer may be any qualified individual (member or non-member) and may be appointed as permanent treasurer. 4. The Board of Directors shall appoint a General Manager, who shall also serve as secretary to the Board. 5. Other appointed positions may include Membership Chairperson, Nominations Chairperson, Advisory Directors, and other positions as deemed appropriate by the Board. 6. Officers and persons holding appointed positions shall be subject to removal by resolution of the Board of Directors at any time. 7. Elections will take place in the last quarter of each calendar year. Details of election procedures and timing will be published in the previous June or September issue of _Aquatic Survival_ allowing sufficient opportunity for candidates to make their applications. Mail ballots shall be sent to members by regular mail (air mail for members outside of Canada and the United States). To be eligible to vote, membership fees must be up-to-date prior to the distribution date of the ballots. Returning ballots must be received at the address of an appointed individual (address to be included on the ballot) who is preferably someone who is independent from the organization. Returning ballots must be received no later than 45 days after the distribution date, and at least 14 days in advance of the annual meeting (if there is one). New membership applications or overdue renewals which are received during the balloting period will not qualify the individual for voting. 8. Votes will be tabulated by the appointed individual indicated on the ballots. The results will be conveyed in writing to the General Manager. This letter and the ballots will be kept on file at the head office for a minimum of five years. Successful candidates will be notified in writing by the General Manager and the results will be announced in the ACN bulletin _Aquatic Survival_. ELECTION PROCESS FOR THE 1994 BOARD OF DIRECTORS With this being our first election, seven new board members will be elected. Candidates obtaining the four highest vote counts will begin two year terms and the three next highest will begin one year terms. In order to provide continuity during this transition, I will continue to serve as General Manager and therefore I will not be a candidate in the election. Normal procedures for appointment of the General Manager will commence with the 1995 Board of Directors. I will also be the Nominations Chairperson for this first election. If you wish to be considered as a candidate in the election, please provide a brief biography (maximum 250 words) including information about your interest and experience, to the ACN (540 Roosevelt Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario Canada K2A 1Z8) prior to November 12, 1993. Please make sure your membership is current. Separate correspondence with voting procedures, candidate biographies and ballots will be sent out shortly thereafter to ACN members only. In order to take part in the vote, you must be a "paid in full" member on or before November 12, 1993. An independent authority has been appointed for counting votes. The address will be included on the ballot. Rob Huntley <22> 17/02/94 ag508 AQUATIC CONSERVATION NETWORK 1993 CORPORATE SPONSORS Aquarium Systems, Inc. Rolf C. Hagen, Inc. 1993 AQUARIST SOCIETY SPONSORS Association Romande des Clubs Aquariophiles et Terrariophiles Capitol Aquarium Society 1993 INDIVIDUAL DONORS David Armitage Eric Bjornson Eizo Kimura Dr. Ang Kok-Jee Marian Lee Allen Scher James Schroeder Osamu Someha Mike Zach NEW MEMBERS Paul D. Adelizi c/o Jim Harris 1816 N. 15 St. Lafayette Indiana 47904 U.S.A. David M. Armitage Editor, AAGB Anabantoid Assoc. of Great Britain 2, Close End Robert Road Hedgerley Bucks SL2 3XY U.K. Thomas A. Frakes Vice President Aquarium Systems Inc. 8141 Tyler Blvd. Mentor Ohio 44060-4889 U.S.A. Stuart M. Grant Collector of African Tropical Fishes P.O. Box 123 Salima Malawi Rodney Harper International Goby Study Group 11450 Boe Road Ext. Grand Bay Alabama 36541-4326 U.S.A. Timothy A. Hovanec Director, Aquatic Research Aquaria, Inc. Marineland Aquarium Products 6100 Condor Drive Moorpark CA 93021 U.S.A. David K. Kawahigashi San Francisco Bay Brand 8234 Enterprise Dr. Newark California 94560 U.S.A. Dr. Ang Kok-Jee Faculty of Fisheries and Mar. Science University Pertanian Malaysia Serdang Selangor 43400 Malaysia David A. Lass 19 Phillips Road Nahant MA 01908 U.S.A. Jim Lawson Tropical Fishkeeping Exchange - USA 9521 River Road Sacramento California 95832 U.S.A. Joshua Levy 777 West Middlefield #155 Mountain View California 94043 U.S.A. John Rundle Chairman Plymouth and District Aquarists and Pondkeepers Society 87 Crossway Plympton Plymouth Devon PL7 4HY England Charles Schmid Vice President ARCAT Primeveres 28 Le Locle 2400 Switzerland Osamu Someha Japan Livebearer Association 4-104 Keneidanchi 2-4-19 Shimomataminami Kakegawa Shizuoka 436 Japan Ferdinand T. Velasco, M.D. Cichlasoma Study Group 435 East 70th Street, Apt. #16M New York NY 10021-5345 U.S.A. Marc Weiss World Wide Fish Farm - USA 90 Lexington Avenue, Suite 7F New York New York 10016 U.S.A. MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONS CAN BE SENT DIRECTLY TO Sally Van Camp, 923 Wadsworth St. Syracuse , New York 13208, U.S.A. or to Aquatic Conservation Network 540 Roosevelt Avenue Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K2A 1Z8 The annual membership fee is $25 (Canadian of U.S. currency). ******* End of Vol. 2, No. 3 - AQUATIC SURVIVAL *******