<1> 10/02/95 ag508 AQUATIC SURVIVAL Bulletin of the Aquatic Conservation Network Volume 3, Number 2 - June 1994 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 Henrik Hornhaver Skovengen 151 Kokkedal DK-2980, Denmark Tel: (009 45) 42 24 97 29 Dennis Hough 3626 Glenwood Springs Dr., Kingwood, Texas 77345, USA Tel: (713) 360-9549 Fax: (713) 360-0855 CompuServe: 73652,27 Roger Langton (President) 556 W. Cedar Place Louisville, Colorado 80027, U.S.A. Tel: (303) 673-0673 Fax: (303) 673-0673 Paul Loiselle Aquarium for Wildlife Conservation Surf Ave. & West 8th Street Brooklyn, New York 11224, U.S.A. Tel: (718) 265-3406 Fax: (718) 265-3420 Shawn Prescott Red Sea Fish pHarm Ltd. 5 Harness Court, Apt. T-4 Baltimore, Maryland 21208, U.S.A. Tel: (410) 484-2670 Fax: (410) 484-2713 Patrick de Rham Montolivet 27 1006 Lausanne, Switzerland Tel: (41) 21-616 4976 Fax: (41) 21-616 5036 Mark Rosenqvist (Vice President) Aquatic Research Organisms P.O. Box 1271, One Lafayette Rd. Hampton, Hew Hampshire 03842 U.S.A. Tel: (800) 927-1650 OR (603) 926-1650 Fax: (603) 926-5278 GENERAL MANAGER Rob Huntley 540 Roosevelt Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K2A 1Z8 Tel: (613) 729-4670 Fax: (613) 729-5613 Internet: rob@pinetree.org OR ag508@freenet.carleton.ca CompuServe: 71022,3537 MEMBERSHIP Sally Van Camp 923 Wadsworth St. Syracuse, New York 13208, U.S.A. *********** 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. Deadlines for submissions are the third Friday of the month preceding publication. 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> 10/02/95 ag508 ANNOUNCEMENTS ACN E-MAIL You can now send electronic mail to the ACN using one of the following addresses Internet: rob@pinetree.org OR ag508@freenet.carleton.ca CompuServe: 71022,3537 There are two sites where the ACN has electronic message areas and archive sites for back issues of Aquatic Survival and other documents: 1. Telnet: freenet.carleton.ca Login as: guest Type: go acn 2. CompuServe users see Library 7 in Aquaria/Fish Forum of FISHNET as well as the Aquatic Conservation message board *********** 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 *********** INTERNATIONAL DIRECTORY OF AQUARIST ORGANIZATIONS Published by the Aquatic Conservation Network Order your copy today! <3> 10/02/95 ag508 CONSERVATION AND THE LAKE VICTORIA BASIN: THE ROLE OF NORTH AMERICAN ZOOS AND AQUARIUMS Douglas I. Warmolts Introduction The purpose of this article is to provide a basic introduction into the history, organization, and activities of the Lake Victoria Species Survival Plan of the American Zoo and Aquarium Association. The Lake Victoria Basin Lake Victoria, located in central east Africa, is the second largest freshwater lake in the world and is bordered by the riparian countries of Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. The lake and its basin are home to one of the fastest growing human populations in the world of over 30 million people, as well as, home to over 400 endemic species of fish. This represents one of the richest, most biologically diverse assemblages of species in the world (Kaufman 1988a). For centuries the people living around the basin derived their living and their protein from the bountiful and vast fishery supported by the lake using traditional fishing methods. The recent history of Lake Victoria is one of dramatic changes in limnological parameters and native stocks (Ogutu-Ohwayo 1990). Overfishing, exotic species introductions, deleterious land use practices, and pollution from various sources have all contributed to the oxygen depletion and mass extinction of indigenous fishes now taking place (Kaufman per. comm.). Recent literature has documented these events which have led to the virtual collapse of this great ecosystem (see Achieng 1990, Barel et. al. 1985, Barel 1986, Kaufman 1991a, Kaufman and Ochumba 1993, Ligtvoet and Witte 1991, Wanink 1991, Witte et. al. 1992). Indications are that the eutrophication of Lake Victoria actually began circa 1930 (Worthington and Beadle, 1932). The increase in lake turbidity can be related to agricultural development, deforestation, and the increased use of fertilizers. A steady increase in turbidity and nutrient loading can be traced up to the point of the Nile Perch (_Lates niloticus_) population explosion in the late 1970s which were introduced into the lake under seemingly mysterious circumstances in 1954. (Newell 1960, Talling 1966, Kaufman per. comm., Kitka 1971, Ochumba and Kibaara 1989). The explosion of the Nile Perch population, which engulf the native fishes wholesale, along with accelerated eutrophication, widespread anoxia, and modernized fishing practices which results in overfishing, have all contributed to the lake's current demise. (Marten 1979, Witte et.al. 1992, Kaufman 1990, 1991a). The tragedy is a biological one - the extinction of species, and a human one, in that the loss of food fish has caused much malnutrition around the lake (Okemwa per. comm.). Why are we interested in the conservation of these fishes? The obvious answer to most of us is because of the intrinsic value we place on them for their beauty and uniqueness, much like we place on artwork. They play an important role in the flow of energy through the trophic levels of the lake's complex food web (Witte et al. 1992). The cichlid fishes of the African Great Lakes also provide a critical protein source for the people who live in these regions (Kaufman 1988a). Lake Victoria is the single most important food fishery in all of Africa (Kaufman per. comm.). The Great Lakes of Africa with all their species also represent an irreplaceable living example of vertebrate evolution. Of the approximately 400+ endemic species once found in Lake Victoria, around 120 species are described, about 100 are known but not described, and estimated 100 are still unknown. Sadly, of this group, 200+ are now thought to be extinct. (Kaufman, per. comm.). The Birth of an Idea Kaufman (1988a), during the 1989 AZA National Conference in Pittsburgh, argued the position that public aquariums must expand their mission statements to include survival plans for threatened and endangered aquatic species. He stated "At the Fifth Congress of European Ichthyologists in Stockholm, Sweden, it was resolved and recommended that the following course of action be taken (Balon and Bruton 1986): 'To win time for those species [regarding Lake Victoria haplochromines] which are at present facing extinction, as many species as possible should be placed in gene banks (using cryopreservation techniques and holding these species in aquaria)...The species held in gene banks should be reintroduced in the lake when the Nile Perch stock has been reduced to levels at which native populations may be maintained'...". In 1987, the IUCN (World Conservation Union) Captive Breeding Specialist Group called for the creation of fish conservation efforts for endangered species. (Kaufman 1988b, 1991b). Three faunas were identified at the time; the Lake Victoria haplochromine cichlids, the desert fishes of northern Mexico, and the stream fishes of the southeastern Appalachian mountains. From these beginnings, the formation of what is now the Lake Victoria SSP had its start. It is appropriate to acknowledge the individual in the context of this article who "gave birth" to the idea that such zoo/aquarium programs could be organized, let alone set in motion. Dr. Les Kaufman of The New England Aquarium, deserves credit as a visionary in the field and as the father of the Lake Victoria SSP. What is an SSP? The Species Survival Plan, or SSP is a cooperative population management and conservation program for endangered species at zoos and aquariums in North America. Its members are made up primarily of zoological institution personnel, however, can include private individuals and scientific advisors as appropriate and/or are approved by the SSP and the WCMC (Wildlife Conservation and Management Committee). The SSP manages the breeding of each species in order to maintain a healthy, genetically diverse, and demographically stable, self-sustaining population. It focuses the efforts of many different institutions into a single consistent program for conservation through research, education, reintroduction, and field efforts. The SSP is a program of the AZA -American Zoo & Aquarium Association (formerly called the AAZPA), which has 156 accredited zoos and aquariums. Each SSP has a species coordinator who is responsible for general organization and administration. The species coordinator works with a management group, which is elected by representatives of institutions which participate in the program. In annual meetings, the coordinator and management committee make decisions on the direction of the program. A species must pass a number of criteria to be selected for an SSP. It must be endangered or threatened in the wild and there must be qualified professionals with time and interest in conservation. Also SSP species are often "flagship species", well- known animals that arouse strong feelings in the public for the preservation and protection of their habitat. New SSPs are approved by the AZA's Wildlife Conservation & Management Committee (WCMC) with input from the appropriate Taxon Advisory Group (TAG), which manages and co-ordinates conservation programs for groups of species. In 1993, the AZA WCMC approved the Lake Victoria SSP (the first SSP for fish), as well as, the Freshwater Fishes Taxon Advisory Group (FFTAG). Another important component of the SSP is the studbook. The creation of a studbook is also approved by the WCMC and is used to store and track changes to the captive population of an SSP or captive breeding program. Important information such as trends and demographics are valuable tools in determining future breedings and distribution. The studbook is managed by an approved studbook keeper who also serves a member of the management committee. [Adapted from the AZA Conservation Resource Guide, see Wiese, et.al. 1993]. The Lake Victoria Research Team (LVRT) In 1987, a group of African, North American, and European scientists joined forces as the Lake Victoria Research Team (LVRT) to monitor the changing fisheries and environment of the lake and to build the international support base needed to carry out research, management, and restoration efforts in the lake basin. Species conservation (Lake Victoria Faunal Rescue Project) and education (Kenya National Aquarium and Center for Aquatic Conservation) projects were added in 1989 to create an umbrella initiative called the Lake Victoria Research and Conservation Program (LVRCP) (Kaufman 1991, Warmolts and McAndrews 1992). The VSSP represents a core activity of the LVRCP, which is being conducted under the direction of The New England Aquarium, and is in collaboration with the fisheries research institutes of the host countries, and other parties (Kaufman 1991, Warmolts et.al. 1993) The Lake Victoria Species Survival Plan (VSSP) The VSSP currently has 24 active participants/institutions and is managing 32 species of haplochromines and one species of tilapia, _Oreochromis esculentus_ (Hemdal per.comm. 1994). Joe Norton, St. Louis Zoo serves as program species coordinator and Jay Hemdal, Toledo Zoo, serves as program studbook keeper. Presently, the number of founders for each species stock is small, ranging from four individuals to about thirty. For some species, we expect that additional genetic stock will enter the program from nature. Populations have expanded quickly, which is possible because of the high fecundity of most of the species of these fish when breeding is successful. Broods are mixed within a generation, but random mating within a generational cohort is permitted in most cases. Because of high fecundity, space requirements, and the possibility of multiple broods per parent, strict pedigree tracking is considered uneconomical, however, the SSP will institute a pilot effort shortly to manage a smaller number of species using a more rigorous regime (Warmolts et.al. 1993). Consequently, the levels of inbreeding in each species is affected primarily by the initial size of the founder stock, and is estimated to be in the range of 0.15 or less for all species. (Fuerst per. Comm. 1993). Species are managed in a manner which extends the generation time, in order to reduce loss of genetic variation. Species population sizes are being rapidly increased to reach minimum viable population size in captivity of 200 per generational cohort (Warmolts, et. al. 1993). Genetic studies and continuing evaluation of program stock are currently being investigated by a molecular genetics laboratory at The Ohio State University and discussions have been initiated regarding germplasm cryopreservation studies for the haplochromines. Similarly, the European captive breeding program is managing approximately 24 species at 37 locations. These efforts are being co-ordinated by Dr. Pim Wilhelm (Artis Zoo, Amsterdam) for mainland Europe and Dr. Gordon McG. Reid (Chester Zoo) for the United Kingdom. Both the European and North American programs have close liaisons with the L.V.R.T, our African colleagues, and The Haplochromine Ecological Study Team (H.E.S.T) at Leiden University (Netherlands) from whom most of the original founders originated. Over the past few years, three important meetings have been held which have shaped the VSSP: The Jinja Resolutions - People, Fisheries, Biodiversity, and The Future of Lake Victoria. A collaborative project of The New England Aquarium and The Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, and funded by the National Science Foundation and the PEW Scholars Program in Conservation and the Environment. The meeting was hosted by the Uganda Freshwater Fisheries Research Organization in Jinja, Uganda, August 17-20, 1992. This important meeting brought together prominent scientists from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Europe, and North America on the shores of Lake Victoria to review the current understanding of the lake, focus on the multitude of issues and problems, and evaluate research and management needs with regards to the collapse of this great ecosystem. The five day workshop launched work toward a lake basin management plan, including provisions for environmental policy reform, biodiversity conservation and restoration, and fisheries management. Invited scientists were organized into five scientific working groups addressing biodiversity, lake ecosystems, riparian ecosystems, fisheries, and socioeconomics. Of primary concern were exploring ways to mitigate the collapse of vital food fisheries and ways of salvaging indigenous species, as well as, exotics which support the nutritional needs of the people of Lake Victoria. The decline of the lake has also provided an important scientific opportunity to study a mass extinction and bear witness to these events. Amongst the many holistic resolutions generated as a result of the workshop, one called for the rescuing and _ex situ_ captive breeding of the haplochromines, as well as, the important food fishes such as _Oreochromis esculentus_ and _Labeo victorianus_ (Okemwa per. comm.). This would be accomplished at lakeside aquaculture efforts, captive breeding programs in Europe and North America, and would protect stocks and provide time to evaluate options for the people of the lake basin. Ultimately, the hope is to re-create "mini" Lake Victorias within the basin where these stocks could be repatriated. Conservation Genetics and Evolutionary Ecology: A Case Study of the Cichlid Fauna of Lake Victoria. Held in Columbus, Ohio, October 30 - November 2, 1992 and hosted by the Columbus Zoological Gardens and the College of Biological Sciences, The Ohio State University. This international conference was supported, in part, by an Institute of Museum Services (IMS) conservation grant. The meeting was attended by over 180 participants from nine countries representing government agencies, including individuals from Uganda and Kenya, universities, zoos, aquariums, the AZA Conservation and Science Office (Washington, D.C.), and the private sector. A wide variety of papers focused on genetics, evolutionary relationships, husbandry, public education opportunities, role of captive breeding, ethics, reintroduction, and the current status of the African Great Lakes. The meeting also included sessions on the desert fishes of Mexico and the southern Appalachian fishes. This meeting was significant from the standpoint that it brought all the various parties who would have a role in the captive breeding program to one table. Vital information was exchanged, networks were established, attempts at organization began, priorities were identified and a direction was outlined. The meeting was fortunate to have the attendance of several Aquatic Conservation Network (ACN) members who contributed to the proceedings and provided valuable input and comment. As a result of the conference and over the following year, a formal petition to form the SSP was drafted and approved by the AZA, as well as, the formation of a Taxon Advisory Group for Freshwater Fishes (FFTAG). This provided structure and organization for the Lake Victoria program and for the co-ordination of all AZA freshwater fish programs respectively. (The proceedings of this conference are expected to go to press shortly and will be published in _The Journal of Aquariculture & Aquatic Sciences_, The Written Word, 7601 E. Forest Lakes Drive NW, Parksville, Missouri. 64152). Lake Victoria SSP Masterplan Meeting As an official SSP, the Lake Victoria program will now meet annually to discuss and set direction for the breeding program to follow over that coming year. The Lake Victoria SSP held its first comprehensive masterplan at the Columbus Zoological Gardens from January 21-22, 1994. The meeting was attended by 31 participants from four countries representing zoo, aquariums, universities, government agencies, and the AZA Conservation & Science Office. The meeting covered a broad range of topics including current _in situ_ efforts, management considerations for captive fish populations, population demographics, as well as, specific recommendations for the SSP program and population. The participation and contributions of Dr. Ezekiel Okemwa, Director - Kenya Marine & Fisheries Research Institute was the highlight of the meeting. Discussions regarding future efforts called for plans for experimental reintroduction attempts. The SSP developed a mission statement and a list of short term goals focusing on a holistic approach towards conservation within the lake basin. This included issues of biology, taxonomy, ecology, socioeconomic considerations, as well as, addressing the longterm support needs of our African colleagues to operate lakeside hatcheries and faunal surveys. Efforts in the coming year will focus on finalizing captive population management strategies, fundraising to support lakeside operations, and funding to support the training of African biologists in appropriate disciplines at North American zoos/aquariums and universities. This meeting was significant in that it finalized the SSP's organizational structure and allowed for its participants to start focusing on issues as outlined: LAKE VICTORIA SSP MISSION STATEMENT -DRAFT- The Lake Victoria Basin provides food for over thirty million people in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, and is the home of one of the world's most spectacular concentrations of fish species. It is the single most important freshwater fishery in all of Africa. The entire ecosystem, including over 400 hundred endemic fish species, mostly undescribed, is imperiled by a range of human impacts. Over 200 species are believed extinct. Essential food fishes are among the most severely endangered. The Lake Basin community has appealed for global support to stabilize the fishery and its supporting ecosystem, and to minimize further extinctions. Specific actions to accomplish these goals were resolved at the Jinja Conference of 1992. The mission of the Lake Victoria SSP (VSSP) is to focus AZA institutional resources, in collaboration with other conservation organizations, on those elements of the Jinja Resolutions best served by our unique capabilities. We shall achieve this mission through the following goals: Immediate Goals 1. The VSSP recognizes the urgent need for rescue efforts for endangered species persisting in satellite lakes to Lake Victoria. First priority is placed on Lake Kanyaboli due to the immediacy of the threat. The VSSP will assist by pursuing funds, providing equipment, expertise, and space for _ex situ_ conservation efforts. 2. The VSSP will adapt existing SSP protocols to rigorous multispecies management, beginning with a pilot program on an initial 5 species from among the species in the program at present. All other species in the VSSP remain high priority and will be managed under SIMS with the object of returning them to the lake as expeditiously as possible. Short Term Goals 3. The VSSP will assist in the rehabilitation, establishment, and continued operation of lakeside hatcheries. These sites will serve as "halfway houses" for designated species returning to the riparian countries for experimental reintroduction efforts, as well as, serve as aquaculture centers. 4. The VSSP will assist in the creation of protected experimental lakeside refugia, with the first three to be established by the year 2000. 5. The VSSP will arrange for timely return of selected species from participating institutions to suitable facilities within the riparian countries. 6. The VSSP will seek funding for the training of East African colleagues in appropriate disciplines (husbandry, taxonomy, aquaculture) for longterm management of Lake Victoria fishes. 7. The VSSP will encourage institutions to prominently display Lake Victoria fishes to educate the public regarding the ecology, conservation, and socioeconomic conditions within the Lake Victoria Basin, as a model for similar programs in the future. The Future? The future of Lake Victoria fishes, to state the obvious, is unknown. Returning the lake to its pre nile perch condition is probably impossible. Creation of "mini" Lake Victorias and lakeside refugia holds promise, but it must be emphasized - when it happens, it must be subjected to rigorous scientific review and experimentation. Questions of whether the nile perch population will stabilize or continue to decline will have great bearing on all future conservation efforts. Controlling pollution and other human factors contributing to the lake's eutrophication must be addressed. Curbing malnutrition and developing sustainable food sources for the people living around the lake, must be the cornerstone of any conservation effort if there is any hope of success. The list of challenges is incredible and overwhelming. The interest worldwide, as well as, the quality of and collaboration of scientists and conservationists, however, is encouraging. The VSSP is certainly a very small component of this vast picture, but has committed itself towards contributing as best it can with its available resources. We welcome the support of other conservation minded organizations who wish to contribute as well. Our most immediate needs are in terms of financial and in-kind contributions towards supporting our African colleagues. For example, the lakeside fish hatcheries lack basic aquarium equipment to operate. We need support to allow African biologists to travel to North America to train. Critical and immediate support is needed to conduct faunal surveys and rescues. If you or your society can help in anyway, no matter how small or large, it could make a significant impact on the future of Lake Victoria fishes. Important, as well, is the continued exchange of information and created awareness so that future Lake Victorias might be avoided. Conclusion The intention of the VSSP is to consolidate and focus support by the professional aquarium and academic communities of North America (and by extension, Africa and Europe) for the conservation and ultimate restoration of representative remnants of the unique endemic fish fauna of the Lake Victoria Basin. As demonstrated during the first few years of existence, a captive breeding program can play an important role by facilitating conservation, research, providing brood stock for experimental studies, and by providing brood stock for aquaculture and, ultimately, restoration of some species to the wild (Warmolts et.al. 1993). Literature Cited Achieng, A.P. 1990. The impact of the introduction of Nile Perch, _Lates niloticus_(L.) on the fisheries of Lake Victoria. Jour. Fish Biol. 37a:17-23. Balon, E.K. and M.N. Bruton. 1986. Introduction of alien species or why scientific advice is not heeded. Env. Biol. Fish. 16: 225-230. Barel, C.D.N., P. Dorit, P.H. Greenwood, G. Fryer, N. Hughes, P.B.N. Jackson, H. Kawanabe, R.H. Lowe-McConnell, M. Nagoshi, A.J.R. Ribbink, E. Trewavas, F. Witte, and K. Yamaoka. 1985. Destruction of fisheries in Africa's lakes. Nature. 315:19 -20. Barel, C.D.N. 1986. The decline of Lake Victoria's cichlid species flock. HEST Report 46. Fuerst, P. Personal Communication. The Ohio State University. Hemdal, J. Personal Communication. VSSP Studbook Keeper. Toledo Zoo. Kaufman, L. Personal Communication. New England Aquarium. Kaufman, L. 1988a. Caught between a reef and a hard place: why aquariums must invest in the propagation of endangered species. Proceedings of the 1988 AAZPA National Conference. Pittsburgh. Kaufman, L. 1988b. Challenges to fish faunal conservation programs as illustrated by the captive biology of Lake Victoria cichlids. In: _Proceedings - 5th World Congress on Breeding Endangered Species in Captivity_. Edited by Dresser, B.L. et.al. Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. Kaufman, K. 1990. Emergency studies of species extinction and limnological changes in Lake Victoria. Small Grants for Environmental Research. (SGER) Research Proposal. Unpublished. Kaufman, L. 1991a. Factors underlying ecosystem collapse in Lake Victoria: visual quantification of trophic exchange between epilimnion and hypolimnion. Results of NOAA/NURP Expeditions to Lake Victoria. Unpublished. Kaufman, L. 1991b. Progress in the conservation of endemic fishes from Lake Victoria. Proceedings of the 1991 AAZPA National Conference. San Diego. Kaufman, L. and P. Ochumba. 1993. Evolutionary and conservation biology of cichlid fishes as revealed by faunal remnants in northern Lake Victoria. Conservation Biology. Vol. 7 No. 3 pp. 719-730. Kitaka, G.E.B. 1971. An instance of cyclone upwelling in the southern offshore waters of Lake Victoria. Afr. J. Trop. Hydrobiol. Fish. 1:85-92. Ligtvoet and F. Witte. 1991. Perturbation through predator introduction: effects on the food web and fish yields in Lake Victoria (East Africa). In: _Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecosystems Perturbation and Recovery_. Ellis Horwood. N.Y. Marten, G.G. 1979. Predator removal: effect on fisheries yields in Lake Victoria. Science. 203:646-648. Newell, B.S. 1960. The hydrology of Lake Victoria. Hydrobiologia. 15:363-383. Ochumba, P.B.O. and D.I. Kibaara. 1989. Observations on blue- green algal blooms in the open waters of Lake Victoria, Kenya. Afr. J. Ecol. 27:23-24. Ogutu-Ohwayo, R. 1990. The decline in native fishes of Lake Victoria and Kyoga (East Africa) and the impact of introduced species, especially the Nile Perch, _Lates niloticus_ and Nile Tilapia, _Oreochromis niloticus_. Environ. Biolo. Fish. 27: 81 -96. Okemwa, E. Personal Communication. Kenya Marine & Fisheries Research Institute. Talling, J.F. 1966. The annual cycle of stratification and phytoplankton growth in Lake Victoria. Int. Revue. Ges. Hydrobiol. 51:545-621. Worthington, E.B. and L.C. Beadle. 1932. Scientific results of the Cambridge expedition to the east African lakes 1930-1931. J. Limn. Soc. 38:99-119. Waniink, J.H. 1991. Survival in a perturbed environment: the effects of Nile Perch introduction on zooplanktovorous fish community of Lake Victoria. In _Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecosystems, Perturbation and Recovery_ Ellis Horwood. N.Y. Warmolts, D.I. and R. McAndrews. 1992. Progress in breeding freshwater fishes. Proceedings of the 1992 AAZPA National Conference. Toronto. Warmolts, D.I., L. Kaufman, J. Norton, J. Hemdal, P. Fuerst, and R. McAndrews. 1993. AZA Lake Victoria cichlid species survival plan petition. American Zoo and Aquarium Association. Unpublished. Wiese, R., M. Hutchins, and K. Willis. 1993. The AAZPA conservation program: there is a method to our madness. AAZPA Conservation Resource Guide. AZA Publication, Washington, D.C. Witte, F., T. Goldschmidt, J. Wanink, M. van Oijen, K. Goudswaard, E. Witte-Maas, and N. Bouton. 1992. The destruction of an endemic species flock: quantitative data on the decline of the haplochromine cichlids of Lake Victoria. Envir. Biol. Fishes. 34:1-28. Correspondence can be sent to the author at: Columbus Zoological Gardens, P.O. Box 400, Powell, Ohio. 43065-0400. <4> 10/02/95 ag508 PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE The Aquatic Conservation Network Board of Directors recently passed a proposition that initiated the first official ACN captive breeding program. _Pachypanchax omalonotus_, a killifish from Madagascar, has been chosen as the first species designated for an aggressive captive breeding effort. The goal will be to maintain a viable population of from 300-500 individuals for 100 years. Eventually this breeding program will become part of the Madagascar Project. This program will also give us valuable experience as we learn how to organize this special effort. We are fortunate to have Mark Rosenqvist, a member of the BOD to provide leadership. The first specimens of _P. omalonotus_ have been sent to the Aquarium for Wildlife Conservation in Brooklyn, New York and other shipments are expected to be made within the next few weeks. Rob Huntley, the General Manager of the ACN, has recently put in an application that, if approved, will allow tax deduction status for donations to the ACN from citizens of the United States. The ACN has already obtained this status for Canada. It is our hope that those efforts will be helpful in fund raising efforts. At this point, the cost of running the ACN is not fully covered by dues alone. Fortunately, contributions from individuals and supporting organizations have kept us going. The BOD is currently discussing ways to encourage people and groups to help finance the ACN's current and proposed conservation efforts. Recent reports from West Africa indicate that many forest dwelling fish species, along with the thousands of other species dependent on these forests, are in serious trouble in Liberia, Ivory Coast and Ghana. The amount of deforestation since 1980 has been beyond reason. Knowledgeable people in the British Killifish Association have been informed that the habitats of _Fundulopanchax walkeri_ and _Epiplatys chaperi shcreiberi_ have been destroyed in Ghana. News of this nature is becoming more frequent as time passes. It is imperative that we keep informed and be prepared to act to save these marvellous creatures from extinction. Please take some time to consider the role you are willing to play in helping to maintain threatened fish species during the current extinction crisis. Roger Langton <5> 10/02/95 ag508 LETTERS Madagascar Aquaculture Project I am currently a graduate student in natural resource economics at Duke University. I have been working in Madagascar since 1989, primarily in the southeastern rain forests. Since 1991, I have been collaborating with a Malagasy ecologist, Daniel Razafimamonjy, from the Centre National de Recherche sur L'Environnement, on an applied ecology and economics project. The goal of the project is to work with residents around a protected area (Parc National de Ranomafana) to create new economic activities which depend upon some degree of biodiversity conservation for their profitability. One of the components of the project is an aquatic species management component (the other two are (1) secondary forest management and (2) apiculture and melliferous plant management). To date, we have created an aquaculture technique which combines the planting of semi-aquatic rushes, _Scirpus corymbosus_, and the culture of fish. The rushes are used to weave mats and baskets for sale and subsistence use. The fish are used for commercial and subsistence use. The technique is geared towards reducing the demand for several species of _Pandanus_ (similar to a palm) which are used for weaving and are located within the dense forests and towards increasing the supply of _Scirpus_ which has been overharvested. The technique has also been a way in which we could introduce aquaculture to the residents and begin to incorporate them into the research process. It also provided quick successes in comparison to something like secondary forest management. We are currently using exotic fish (carp and tilapia), but we are also examining the potential of endemic species aquaculture. We have begun small-scale trials with the endemic genus of crayfish, _Astacoides_. This genus already has a strong local market as a food and may have national and international (e.g., S. Africa) potential. Wild species of crayfish are being overharvested in our region at a very rapid rate. We have also started a small trial with the endemic freshwater fish _Paratilapia pollenii_. _P. pollenii_ is not really overharvested, but exotic species are outcompeting it for the available resources. We thought that if the aquaculture of this species could be profitable, one could augment the currently dwindling wild populations. We were thinking that the aquarium trade may be one potential market for this species, but we are not familiar with the market for ornamental fish. I would be very interested in receiving information on the ACN's work in Madagascar. Thanks for your help. I look forward to hearing from you in the future. Paul Ferraro Box 90328 Duke University Durham, North Carolina 27708-0328 U.S.A. 919-613-8051 (voice) 919-684-8741 (fax) Internet: pferraro@acpub.duke.edu Lake Magadi Cichlids I just received a pamphlet from Patrick de Rham on the ACN, and would like to find out some more about your organisation. I met Patrick in Kenya about 6 years ago and he had given a slide show, at the Aquarist Club of Kenya, on some of the indigenous fishes of Kenya that he had collected. I was born in Kenya and grew up over there but have since left and am now a citizen of Canada. Before I left, I was working on putting together as much information as I could gather on the indigenous fish of Kenya. The main reason for this was that most aquarists in Kenya only keep fish like guppies, swords, Asian and South American fish - stuff that had to be imported. This was disappointing because Kenya had such a wealth of fish that no one knew about or had the time to collect. Just as important, there are a lot of fish over there that may be disappearing due to pollution and no one will know the better of it. I was 17 at the time and although I got some work done, limited time due to school work, and lack of transportation, kept me from doing too much. I did return to Kenya to collect and photograph some more fish about 4 years ago, but since then, everything has been on hold. I hope to get a lot more information and slides from Patrick and maybe work on the fish of Kenya in my spare time. I am currently doing my Masters in Zoology at the U. of Guelph and my advisor is Dr. Pat Wright. My main reason for working with her is that she did some work on the Lake Magadi cichlids, a group of fish that I used to keep in Kenya and would eventually like to study in greater detail. These fish are one of the only known teleosts to excrete 100% urea instead of ammonia as their waste products, a process that was thought to have evolved in higher vertebrates from amphibians upwards. I have since met a lot of Canadian physiologists who have also done work on this cichlid and have increased my desire to find out more about this strange fish. One of the disturbing things that I did find out from one of these physiologists, Dr. Chris Wood from McMaster University, is that the Kenyan government is planning to drill wells around L. Magadi to provide water for the Maasai herdsmen and their cattle and so try to settle them in one place. This may in turn drop the water table and dry out the springs supporting this very delicate system . Many people would question whether it is right to save these fish at the expense of the Maasai herdsmen, but I believe that drilling wells and making waterholes around L. Magadi is not the solution. The Magadi ecosystem is not suited to sustaining a large number of cattle in one location. That is why the Maasai move from one location to another. The water holes I have visited around Magadi are surrounded by overgrazed and eroded land because the land never gets a chance to rest and rejuvenate as used to occur when the Maasai moved on. I believe that drilling more wells around Magadi will further degrade this fragile ecosystem and also endanger the L. Magadi tilapia. Dr. Wood mentioned that a conference was in the planning stages to maybe do something about this problem and I was wondering if your organisation may have anything to do with this. Dr. Wood is on sabbatical so I have not been in touch with him in the last two months and don't know anything new about this conference. I believe that I will eventually return to L. Magadi to study these and neighbouring L. Natron's fish, be it as a funded project or during a vacation after I finish my Masters. I still have family and a lot of friends in Kenya. I hope to bring back some fish to set up a colony here in Guelph, but I believe that the true solution remains with preserving the habitat from which they originated and will continue to evolve in. Apart from my interest in fish due to my Masters, I am also an avid aquarist. My setup presently is not as big as it was in Kenya, but I will eventually have more tanks and fish (as all aquarists dream). In the pamphlet that I do have about the ACN, it mentioned about becoming a volunteer. The above is a description of my skills/interests and resources (monetary, none, unfortunately). I would be interested in volunteering some help (if i can work it around my busy Masters schedule) as well as becoming a member of your organisation. Please feel free to contact me either through email or at my address. I look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely Erle Noronha Department of Zoology University of Guelph Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 1V3. Internet: enoronha@uoguelph.ca Anabantoid News from David Armitage Since I last wrote, I have managed to get to Canberra, Australia. I was extremely glad to get this opportunity and of course took the chance for a stop-over in Singapore for some anabantoid business under the guidance of Peter Ng at NUS who is doing some sterling ecological and taxonomic work in the region. My main aim was to visit some peat-swamp habitats of the _Betta coccina_ group and of the licorice gouramis, _Parosphromenus_. I went up to North Selangor in Malaysia first, just north of Kuala Lumpur where I caught a pair of _Parosphromenus harveyi_ in only me second location and as a bonus _Sphaerichthys osphromenoides_ at the same place. The water was beautiful clear, slowly flowing and about thigh-deep black water. You had to see it to believe it - the colour of Cola and apparently pH 3.5. Unfortunately the forest here is under attack and there is escalating logging and drainage. The other swamp-forest habitat I visited was near Ayer Hitam in Johore, a tiny forest remnant by the motorway. With the help of Heok-Hui Tan, one of Peter Ng's undergraduate students, I caught _Trichogaster trichopterus_, _Betta bellica_, _Anabas testudineus_, and most importantly _Betta persephone_. These were all in shallow puddles on the floor of the wrecked forest fringe. At least the tangled lattice of branches gave us something to stand on! The motors of chain-saws could be heard in the near distance and I'm afraid large drains could be seen, from which the vital black-water was bleeding away. In other habitats, we found _Betta imbellis_, _B. pugnax_ and the pikehead, _Luciocephalus_ in or around plantations which is presumably what the forest will become before long, so the more adaptable anabantoids will survive in developed Malaysia but I worry about the tiny (1.5") specialised fish like the _Betta coccina_ group and the licorice gouramis (_Parosphromenus_). Mind you, it is not for me as a European to criticize, we've destroyed our natural habitats more thoroughly. In fact, the south- east Asian development is probably fuelled by attempts to emulate our non-sustainable life-styles and the proceeds from the development may well be necessitated by the need to pay back interest on loans from the west! I just hope that the Malaysians will prove more intelligent than us and stop before its too late. David Armitage 2, Close End, Robert Road Hedgerley, Bucks. England, U.K. SL2 3XY Canadian Aquaculture Institute I'd appreciate information about the efforts and plans of your organization with respect to the ornamentals. The idea of a pilot project in Madagascar is of particular interest to me, since the country has intrigued me for many years and of course since I kept a number of fish species from Madagascar during my days as an amateur tropical fish breeder. I would certainly be interested in assisting &/or participating in your project, both from the standpoint of my commercial experience in several types of aquaculture (including the culture of some ornamentals) and through my most recent work in establishing the Canadian Aquaculture Institute through the Atlantic Veterinary College of the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI). I returned quite recently from Trinidad, where there is great interest in culturing ornamentals. The logistics of commercial culture seem promising in Trinidad, both for freshwater and marine species. A body of expertise is growing, required services are in place (including subsidized air transport to North America) and some commercial culture is already underway. The Canadian Aquaculture Institute is a new initiative of UPEI (primarily the Atlantic Veterinary College) and Holland College. The prime focus of the Institute is to deliver advanced education in fish health to veterinarians and fish health specialists worldwide. A series of twenty advanced short-courses is being developed. Four of these six-day courses will be delivered this summer: - Introduction to Aquaculture for Veterinarians and Biologists - Basic Fin-Fish Disease Diagnosis - Aquaculture Epidemiology for Veterinarians and Health Professionals - Pharmaceuticals in Aquaculture More courses will be developed over the next two years; we plan to offer all courses annually. Although the focus is on fish health (fin- and shell-fish), I suspect that other functions will emerge, which is partly why we chose the generic name "Institute"! I have been at UPEI since October preparing the Operational Plans and the Business Plan for the Institute. We have just recently learned that our seed funding is coming through (from private and public sources) so now the real work begins!! I am in a mad rush at the moment trying to get course promotional brochures out. I will be sure that you are on the mailing list. One of our requirements for course delivery is the establishment of key linkages with universities and commercial interests worldwide. It is in this way that I feel we may be able to assist you with the Madagascar project (and perhaps others). What do you think? Cheers, Nigel Robbins, Canadian Aquaculture Institute University of Prince Edward Island Tel: (902) 628-4336 Fax: (902) 566-0420 Internet: NROBBINS@upei.ca The Margined Madtom The margined madtom (_Noturus insignis_) is listed as threatened on the Canadian Endangered Species List. There are no legal provisions in Canada for the protection of its Canadian habitat. Last year I travelled to the Fall River in Lanark County and caught a specimen, then rereleased it at the same location in the river. I did this because ichthyologists were not sure whether the species was still extant in Canada. While travelling in this catfish's habitat I noted that my GSC maps did not show the full extent of human impact on the area. This I took as an indication that human development in the area is underway. I observed the following impacts directly effecting the fast running sections of the river. (Fast shaded water is the Madtom's preferred habitat.): - New housing construction on the banks of the river. - Garbage from the a highway falling directly into the river. - Cattle watering enclosures directly in the river. What may be needed: - A moratorium on building on the land surrounding the river. - Closure of a section of highway bypassing Maberly, Ontario. - Money and education to allow local farmers to water their cattle away from the river. Eric J.P. Saumur Internet: aj047@FreeNet.Carleton.CA Paul Revere Society for the Liberty of Fish (excerpts only - for more information contact the author) The Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) Task Force wishes to make individuals acquire permits for pet fish on a species by species, state by state, basis. Meanwhile, the FDA hopes to remove drugs for fish from your local pet stores. You should read my analysis of these plans in the February _Freshwater and Marine Aquarium_ (FAMA) or the January/ February _Buntbarsche Bulletin_. You may also have read Terry Fairfield (_Apistogram_ 12/93) or Elizabeth Mckey (_Pet Business_ 11/93) on the FDA, or PIJAC's (Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council) _Pet Alert_: "FWS Proposed Nonindigenous Species Policy Could Cripple Aquarium Industry". Skeptics should dial (703) 358-1718 for the (free) _ANS Report_. Devoted aquarists have formed the Paul Revere Society for the Liberty of Fish because we felt that we were the only group willing and able to respond rapidly and effectively to legislation which unnecessarily ignore's hobbyist's legitimate interests as it aims to achieve legitimate environmental goals. We have prepared individualized petitions for over two hundred clubs around America, directing petitions to every Congressman who will receive the ANS Report. We have also mailed blank petitions out to 400 wholesalers with hopes that they will pass these petitions on to retailers. Please appeal to the members and leaders of your club to do its part to stop ANS excesses, to save the joy of fish and the love of fellowship for years to come. Clubs in at least twenty-one states have already begun petition drives! They need help from every club. Robert C. Arne Paul Revere Society for the Liberty of Fish 5435 S. Albany Chicago, Illinois 60632, U.S.A. Tel: (312) 778-3938 Scuba in a Bunker The Canadian Military is planning to close an underground bunker outside the city of Ottawa. It is a square, four story building approx 150 feet per side. One of the options being considered for its use, when abandoned by the military, is to flood the bottom two levels (to a depth of approx. 20 feet) to use as a commercial scuba diving resource for both technical and recreational diving. One issue concerns the potential for some level of fish and plant life to enhance the dive experience and possibly to contribute, in some modest fashion, to the cleaning or stabilization of the water environment. Regardless of whether plant or animal life (other than scuba divers) are introduced in any substantial way - we recognize that we have to deal with a number of water management issues - circulation, filtering, lighting, venting divers expelled gases, etc. We are casting about for potential resources to contribute to a study of the facility. Anybody with expertise in freshwater fish artificial habitats, large aquaria or the like, is invited to forward to me their address, professional (or hobby) credentials/expertise, the areas in which they think they could contribute and the capacity in which they would offer to participate. We are exploring a number of avenues in order to put together a team capable of exploring these issues thoroughly - including polling universities, government organizations and aquaria and zoos. Where appropriate, we would expect to contract with professionals to complete all or portions of these studies. If there is sufficient interest in our efforts - particularly vis-a-vis the notion of fish and animal life in this enclosure, we are willing to try to keep interested people informed as to the status of the project, the hurdles, pitfalls and beartraps that we encounter. Blaine Williams 20 Jarlan Terrace Kanata, Ontario, Canada K2L 3L6 CompuServe: 73672,604 <6> 10/02/95 ag508 TENNESSEE AQUARIUM SPONSORS CONFERENCE ON SOUTHEASTERN AQUATIC FAUNA IN PERIL The Tennessee Aquarium recently sponsored a two day (March 31 - April 1) conference, "Aquatic Fauna In Peril: The Southeastern Perspective", which was held in Chattanooga, Tennessee. This conference grew from a number of needs, some of which were internal and directly linked to the mission of the Aquarium, while others were more global in nature. Having both an educational and conservation mission, the Tennessee Aquarium (a 45 million dollar facility located along the Tennessee River in Chattanooga, Tennessee) is unique within its industry by virtue of its concentrated focus on freshwater habitats, and in particular, local habitats of the southeastern United States. Beyond its exhibitry which has attracted over 2.5 million visitors since May 1992, the Tennessee Aquarium has an established education program and intentions of developing a conservation program that extends outside its physical facilities. The concept of a conference dealing with local imperiled aquatic faunas was formulated as a component of the Aquarium's education program and as a means of identifying possible conservation initiatives that the Aquarium might wish to become involved in. Initially the conference was being organized to focus solely on imperiled fishes; however, through conversations with biologists it soon became apparent that a broader scope was desirable. The southeastern United States is regarded by biologists as the center of biodiversity in North America. Unfortunately, the pollution and habitat loss which currently threaten this region suggest that this rich natural heritage has been taken for granted and not adequately protected. Environmental research throughout the past several decades has provided information necessary to properly manage, conserve and restore much of nature, however, patterns of resource use have been slow to change. An increasing human population presently is placing significant pressures on nature, and has altered many of the rejuvenating cycles which historically have preserved the southeastern aquatic environments. Traditionally, most state and federal agencies mandated to protect and preserve the environment have been staffed of biologists with specific training regarding particular animal and plant groups. Often these specialized professionals have worked toward particular conservation goals in relative seclusion from one another. Decades of research now indicates, however, that because of the amalgamated nature of the environment, conservation efforts require the coordinated input of many different specialists and non specialists to achieve desired results. With the above in mind, the conference sponsored by the Tennessee Aquarium was designed to gather environmental specialists from many different disciplines to collaboratively paint an information portrait of the current state of affairs and philosophies concerning the imperiled aquatic fauna of the southeastern United States. Twenty-five presentations were given during the two day conference, with fourteen authors and co-authors contributing information. The conference followed a format that presented historical perspectives of major aquatic faunas from a natural history perspective on the first day of the conference and from a resource management perspective on the second day of the conference. A keynote address (presented by Dr. George Folkerts, Auburn University) linked the regional conference with the plight of aquatic faunas throughout the world, and a closing session of the conference considered the activities of scientific research, private citizens and governments in addressing the problem of threatened aquatic faunas and environments. The conference was attended by over 300 people, and the Tennessee Aquarium intends to publish the conference proceedings. For further information contact: Dr. George W. Benz, Curator of Fishes, Tennessee Aquarium, One Broad Street, P.O.Box 11048, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37401, U.S.A. <7> 10/02/95 ag508 AMERICAN AQUARIST SOCIETY by John Benn In the past year the aquarium hobby has seen the advent of several potentially adverse actions which impact the future enjoyment of the home aquarium. These actions include issues involving non-indigenous species of fish, regulation of aquatic drugs and treatments, and restrictions on the collection of live rock to mention a few. The response to these issues by the aquarist or the organized hobby has been fragmented and piecemeal....until now. Amidst this whirlwind of regulatory and legislative challenges, the aquarium hobby now has a new ally - the American Aquarist Society. The American Aquarist Society (AAS) is a nationally-based, nonprofit corporation established to gather, organize and disseminate information on the moral, ethical and legal issues facing the aquarium hobby. Another objective of AAS is to educate non-hobbyists as to the goals and interests of the aquarium hobbyist, especially on matters involving legislative or regulatory proposals. AAS will give the aquarium hobbyist a credible voice. In one effort AAS will provide valuable and understandable information to the aquarium hobbyist on what is meant by various state and federal statutes and regulations. In another effort, AAS will ensure that other groups (often governmental bodies or environmental organizations) are properly advised of the interests of the myriad of aquarium hobbyists throughout the country. AAS is governed by a Board of Directors which holds monthly meetings via an electronic network. An annual meeting will be held each year at varying locations to report to the membership and to solicit public input on the organization's operations. Members are encouraged to choose to work with any of several specially established Select Committees which are being organized to develop expertise on specific issues. As a departure from other hobby organizations, AAS will have the services of a practising attorney to providing continuous legal advice on the various legal matters. Through the position of AAS General Counsel, the organization expects to develop the specialized expertise needed to understand both the legal and practical aspects of the challenges facing the hobbyist. This appointed staff position will coordinate daily with the Board of Directors and Committee Chairs to ensure that the organization is both responsive and timely. To accomplish its objectives, AAS will develop the hobby's first database to monitor regulatory and legislative proposals. The database will acquire information from sources like STATNET, WESTLAW, the Federal Register, as well as contributions from members and other allied organizations. This database will serve as a comprehensive source of timely information and details about government activities affecting the hobby. Membership in AAS is open to any individual aquarist. Annual dues for members having an electronic address (serviceable through Internet/CompuServe) are $10.00 while dues to standard postal addresses are $20.00. A Charter, life-time membership is available to the first one hundred (100) interested members for $100.00. Additional non-voting and supportive memberships are available. Members will receive a monthly Aquarium Letter reporting information about government actions and other activities impacting the hobby. The quarterly publication American Aquarist will be mailed to all members in which special articles of interest to aquarists will appear. Members will also be eligible to serve on the Select Committees focusing on specific issues confronting the aquarium hobby. A comprehensive Technical Library is also being developed from which members can order reprints of specialized materials. The American Aquarist Society has its business offices at 3901 Hatch Blvd, Sheffield, Alabama 35660. The office phone number is 205-386-7687. Facsimile items can be sent to 205-386-7615. <8> 10/02/95 ag508 ENDANGERED ISLANDS AND ANCIENT LAKES: ACHIEVABLE CONSERVATION GOALS FOR THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY by Paul V. Loiselle Part 2 - Appendix: Synopsis of Data on Conservation Priority Ichthyofaunas [This is second and final part of a paper which was presented at the 3rd International Aquariology Conference held at the New England Aquarium, 25-29 April, 1993 and will appear in the forthcoming Proceedings of that meeting. The Conference organizers have given their kind permission to preprint it herein.] Madagascar With a surface area of 597,607 square kilometers, equal to that of France and the Benelux countries combined, Madagascar is drained by 42 river systems and boasts half a dozen large lakes. Temperature and precipitation vary along a north to south gradient, the hot wet tropical climate of the northeastern coast giving was to cooler, dryer conditions in the extreme south of the island. The climate of the central plateau is strongly influenced by altitude, but tends to be more warm temperate than tropical in character. Precipitation along the western slope of the island is sharply seasonal in character, with predictable effects upon the hydrological regimes of the major westward-flowing rivers. Water conditions are highly variable. Blackwater conditions characterize many small creeks flowing through more or less intact forest cover along the east coast, while karst conditions with their associated hard, alkaline waters can be found in the south and along the west coast. Because of extensive forest loss, erosional runoff is very high. The major rivers of the west in particular carry tremendous silt burdens. For a more detailed description of aquatic habitats, see Keiner (1963), Nourrisat (1992) and Reinthal and Stiassny (1991). Madagascar boasts 31 non-anadromous fishes belonging to 12 families, of which the Bedotiidae, is endemic. Though none are primary division freshwater fishes, all are endemic at the species level. The Cichlidae are the dominant group, with 11 species in 5 genera [_Paratilapia_, _Ptychochromis_, _Ptychochromoides_, _Oxylapia_ and _Paretroplus_], followed closely by the atherinomorph family Bedotiidae, with 10 described species in two genera [_Bedotia_, _Rheocles_]. Other notable groups are the families Eleotridae, with 8 described species in 5 genera, Gobiidae, with six species in three genera, the Cyprinodontidae, with three species in two genera and the Ariidae, with 4 species in 2 genera. See Reinthal and Stiassny (1991) for a complete species list. The freshwater fishes are the most severely threatened Malagasy vertebrates. Habitat loss due to deforestation has resulted in the extinction of three of the five described species of _Rheocles_ and several nominal species of _Bedotia_ (Stiassny, 1990). The cyprinodont _Pachypanchax sakaramyi_ has not been collected subsequent to its description in 1928. The cichlid _Ptychochromoides betsilianus_ has been extirpated by black bass, _Micropterus salmoides_ and other native fishes have been virtually eliminated from the central plateau by exotic competitors and predators (Nourrisat, 1992; Reinthal and Stiassny, 1991), while the successful naturalization of the Asian snakehead, _Ophiocephalus striatus_, puts their survival in the tropical coastal lowlands in jeopardy. Three distinctive _Bedotia_ phenotypes, the cyprinodont _Pachypanchax omalonotus_, two distinctive phenotypes of _Paratilapia polleni_, one of the three recognized "races" of _Ptychochromis oligoacanthus_ and five species of _Paretroplus_, two undescribed, have been bred and are presently being maintained by amateur aquarists. Specialist hobbyist organizations such as the American Killifish Association, the British Killifish Association and the Deutsche Killifische Gesselschaft are the best sources for _P. omalonotus_. The Madagascar rainbowfish, _Bedotia geayi_, is available from commercial suppliers of ornamental fish on both sides of the Atlantic and in Asia. Most of the remaining Malagasy fishes are to be had from European wholesalers. New Guinea With a surface area of 836,171 square kilometers, New Guinea is the second largest island in the world, exceeded in size only by Greenland. The independent nation of Papua-New Guinea occupies the eastern half of the island, while the western comprises the Indonesian province of Irian Jaya. The island is divided physically by extensive mountain ranges that run from east to west. New Guinea is drained by 6 major and numerous minor river systems. Three of these, the Mamberamo, the Sepik and the Markham, flow northward into the Coral Sea. The remainder, the Digoel, the Fly and the Parari flow south into the Arafura Sea, the Gulf of Carpentaria and the Torres Strait. Both the northern coastal plan and the interior highlands boast numerous lakes. Precipitation is heavy throughout the island but sharply seasonal in character. Temperature vary along an altitudinal gradient, the hot wet tropical climate of the coastal plains giving was to much cooler conditions in the highlands. Moderately hard, alkaline water chemistries characterize the larger rivers and most lakes. However, blackwater conditions characterize many small creeks flowing through swamps or intact forest along the coast. For a more detailed description of aquatic habitats, see Allen (1992), Allen and Cross (1982), Bleher (1987), Munro (1967) and Roberts (1978). One hundred forty-two species of fish have been recorded to date from the fresh waters of New Guinea, of which 106 are non- anadromous. This tally should be considered highly provisional. Papua-New Guinea is reasonably well explored ichthyologically (Allen 1984, 1985; Allen and Cross, 1982; Allen and Hoese, 1986, 1991; Crowley and Ivanstoff, 1992; Munro, 1967; Parenti and Allen, 1991; Roberts, 1978). However, due to both administrative and logistic difficulties, the freshwater ichthyofauna of Irian Jaya remains to be fully inventoried and the discovery of additional species can confidently predicted once it has been more intensively studied. The New Guinean ichthyofauna is dominated by 7 families of secondary division or peripheral division freshwater fishes. In descending order of species richness, these are the Melanotaeniidae [42], the Gobiidae [29], the Eleotridae [19], the Centropomidae [9], the Plotosidae [6], the Apogonidae [6] and the Teraponidae [5]. None is endemic to New Guinea alone, but three atherinomorph families, Craterocephalidae, Pseudomugilidae and Melanotaenidae are endemic to Australasia in the broad sense. At the species level, 73% of New Guinea's non-anadromous freshwater fishes are endemic, with many of these restricted to a single river basin or lake. See Allen and Cross (1982), Allen and Hoese (1991), Crowley and Ivanstoff (1992), Munro (1967), Parenti and Allen (1991) and Roberts (1978) for a full inventory. The freshwater ichthyofauna of New Guinea is substantially intact, but several families are disproportionately vulnerable to the effects of habitat degradation. The atherinimorph species feed significantly on terrestrial insects. The elimination of this allocthonous food source due to deforestation would be likely to effect these fishes the most immediately. Given the restricted distribution of many species, even localized degradation of the surrounding habitat could result in significant erosion of aquatic biodiversity. The most serious threat to New Guinea's freshwater fishes comes from the successful establishment of five exotic species, among them _Gambusia affinis_, the mosquitofish (Bleher, 1987; Coates, 1987), a snakehead of the Asian genus _Ophiocephalus_ and _Oreochromis mossambicus_, the Mozambique mouthbrooder (Munro, 1967; Parenti and Allen, 1991; Roberts, 1978). The size of this insular ichthyofauna would complicate the implementation of a comprehensive captive breeding program by even a consortium of public aquaria. However, a more tightly focused effort, directed at conserving the fauna of one of the highland lakes is certainly an achievable goal for even a single institution. The ichthyofauna of Lake Kutubu in the central highlands of Papua-New Guinea, for example, comprises 14 species, all endemic. The lake supports the only know species flock of eleotrids [6 species], as well as the spectacular Lake Kutubu rainbowfish, _Melanotaenia lacustris_. Timely implementation of such an effort is essential given the presence in the lake basin of _Gambusia affinis_, a prolific, ineradicable and highly efficient fry predator that poses a threat to the survival of all of Kutubu's native species. Eighteen species of the melanotaeniid genera _Iriatherina_[1], _Glossolepis_[3], _Chilatherina_[2] and _Melanotaenia_[12], three species of the pseudomugilid genera _Pseudomugil_[1] and _Popondetta_[2] and one species each of the eleotrid genera _Morgunda_ and _Tateurndina_ have been bred and are presently being maintained by amateur aquarists. A few of these species are popular ornamental fish and as such are commercially available. The majority can be obtained through specialty hobbyist groups such as The Australia-New Guinea Native Fish Association, the American Rainbowfish Association and the International Rainbowfish Group in Europe. Enough is known of the reproductive behavior of the other important families of New Guinea freshwater fish to suggest that a successful outcome would probably grace any serious attempts to breed them under aquarium conditions. Malili River Lakes, Sulawesi, Indonesia This designation applies to five lakes of the Malili River drainage, which empties into the head of the Gulf of Bone in east central Sulawesi. These tectonic lakes are partially isolated from one another and completely isolated from other freshwater habitats. Lake Matano is situated 383 m above sea level. It is drained by the Patea River, which flows into Lake Mahalona whose basin sits 310 m above sea level. A single major waterfall effectively isolates the two lakes. Lake Mahalona is drained by the Tominanga River, which enters Lake Towuti. A major stretch of rapids partially isolates Lakes Mahalona and Towuti. The smallest of the five lakes, Wawantoa lies 586 m above sea level. It is drained by the Malili River, which flows into the Tominanga River just above the aforementioned rapids. Situated 293 m above sea level, Lake Towuti is drained by the Malili river, whose course takes over eleven separate waterfalls before in enters the Gulf of Bone. The last of the five lakes, Masapi, lies 434 m above sea level. It is drained by the Pogkeru River, which enters the Malili River just below the lowermost of the system's numerous waterfalls. The lakes are situated in a region with a tropical lowland climate. Precipitation, while heavy, is seasonal, causing water levels in the lakes to vary by as much as a meter a year. Water conditions are moderately hard [total hardness 6o DH] and alkaline [Ph 7-9 - 8.2]. As is typically the case in oligotrophic lakes, water clarity is high, with underwater visibility ranging from 15 m to 20 m (Kottelat, 1989a-c; 1990b). Table 3 summarizes additional pertinent physical and biological data on the Malili Lakes. Thirty species belonging to 5 families of secondary division or peripheral freshwater fishes have been reported to date from the Malili Lakes. All save the symbranchid eel _Monopterus albus_ are endemic. As collections have yet to be made from Lake Masapi, Lake Wawantoa has been only superficially investigated and the depths of the three large lakes remain poorly sampled, it is quite likely that this inventory is far from complete. The sailfin silversides of the Family Telmatherinidae are the dominant group, with 15 species in 3 genera [_Telmatherina_, _Paratherina_ and _Tominanga_]. Indeed, the Malili Lakes are home to 88% of the described species of sailfin silversides. Telmatherinids are followed in importance by the Gobiidae [9], the Oryziidae [3] and the Hemiramphidae [2] (Kottelat, 1990a,c; 1991; Larson and Kottelat,1992). The most serious long-term threat to the Malili Lakes is deforestation. This process appears inevitable given the Indonesian government's policy of relocating people from the Greater Sunda Islands to less densely populated regions such as Sulawesi. The increased erosional run-off following loss of forest cover in the watershed would produce significant eutrophication. Significant changes in community structure would inevitably follow. As the endemic fishes of these lakes have evolved under a highly oligotrophic regime, their survival in such a changed environment would be problematic. The immediate threat posed to the fishes of the Malili Lakes comes from the _portmanteau_ biota of aquaculture fishes translocated settlers have carried with them from Java and Bali. These include the effectively ubiquitous _Oreochromis_ _mossambicus_ and such predatory Southeast Asian species as walking catfishes of the genus _Clarias_ and the snakehead, _Channa fasciata_. Despite its considerable potential as a source of ornamental fishes, the ichthyofauna of the Malali Lakes has been largely overlooked by the aquarium trade. A few of the sailfin silversides endemic to the Malili Lakes have been bred by German aquarists, but to date none is available through commercial channels (H. Bleher, pers. comm.) Lago Catemaco, Estado de Veracruz, Mexico Lago Catemaco is a volcanic crater lake located on the Atlantic coastal plain of Mexico [17o 24' N, 95o 04' W] 176 kilometers to the south of the city of Veracruz. The lake lies at an altitude of 335 m above sea level in a basin eleven kilometers long by eight kilometers wide. A number of small streams flow down the interior face of the crater into the lake, which has an outlet to the northeast into a river known locally as the Rio Grande. Twelve kilometers downstream of the outflow, a 45 meter high waterfall, the Salto de Eyiplanta, effectively isolates the lake from the lower reaches of the Rio Papaloapam system. The climate along the coastal plain in the State of Veracruz is tropical, with heavy but seasonal precipitation. The lake is extremely turbid due to suspended particles of basaltic dust. Its water is alkaline [pH 7.8 - 8.0] and moderately hard, with CO3-- hardness varying seasonally between 3o and 5o DH. (Artigas Azas, 1992; Contreras and Rivera-Teilery, 1985; Mayland, 1984). The ichthyofauna of Lago Catemaco comprises 16 species, 44% of them endemic. The most important families are the Cichlidae[6], the Poeciliidae[3] and the Characidae[2] (Contreras and Rivera-Teilery, 1985; Mayland, 1984; Miller, 1975; Rosen, 1960 ). The lake's endemic cichlid, an undescribed sister species of the widespread fluviatile _Theraps fenestratus_, is characterized by color polymorphism. In addition to the preponderant normally pigmented individuals, both orange-pink and white oligomelanic morphs have been reported (Artigas Azas, 1992; Hernandez-Rolon, 1984). Five exotic species, among them _Oreochromis aureus_, the blue tilapia, are established in the lake basin (Artigas Azas, 1992; Contreras and Escalante, 1984). However, the principal threat to this ecosystem is anthropogenic eutrophication. The interior of the crater is heavily settled, the city of Catemaco on the northern shore of the lake boasting a population of 250,000. The lake is a popular vacation spot and the focus of ongoing real estate development (Artigas Azas, 1992). The endemic Catemaco _Theraps_ species and the non-endemic cichlids found in the lake are pond-bred in Florida for the ornamental fish trade and thus readily available through commercial channels in North America, Europe and Japan. One of the three endemic poeciliid species, _Xiphophorus milleri_, the Catemaco platyfish, is being maintained on a long-term basis by the Aquarium for Wildlife Conservation in New York. The remaining two species can be obtained through specialty hobbyist groups such as The American Livebearer Association, The Livebearer Information Service in Great Britain and the Deutsche Gesselschaft fur Lebendegebaerende Zahnkarpfen. La Medialuna, Estado de San Luis Potosi, Mexico La Medialuna is the name given to an extensive system of constant temperature aquifers, marshes and outflows that lie in the Rio Verde intermontane basin some ten kilometers south-southwest of the town of Rio Verde in the State of San Luis Potosi [20o 55' N, 101o 10' W] at an altitude of c. 1000 meters above sea level. In its unmodified state, La Medialuna enjoyed only intermittent contact with the remainder of the Rio Verde-Rio Panuco drainage during periods of exceptionally heavy rainfall. Its name derives from a large crescent-shaped laguna fed by six spring holes that provides drinking and irrigation water for three adjacent towns. The climate of the Rio Verde intermontane basin is subtropical, with moderate, markedly seasonal precipitation. Spring water has a marked sulfurous odor as it leaves the ground and has a salinity of 1.3 ppt. It is neutral to slightly alkaline [pH 7.0 -7.3] and moderately hard [CO3-- hardness 5o DH] (Williams _et al._, 1985). The ichthyofauna of La Medialuna comprises 8 species, 63% of them endemic. The numerically dominant families are the Cichlidae[2] and the Cyprinidae[2], but the Cyprinodontidae and the Goodeidae are each represented by an endemic, monotypic genus (Williams _et al._, 1985)). La Medialuna is the only locality where representatives of the three biogeographic assemblages that make up the Mexican freshwater ichthyofauna occur syntopically (Mayland, 1984). The greatest threat to the integrity of La Medialuna is the large- scale pumping of groundwater for commercial agricultural use. Attempts to pump water directly from the main laguna have to date proven unsuccessful for technical reasons. However, the economic pressures driving the commercialization of Mexican agriculture continue unabated and further efforts to tap the aquifer that feeds La Medialuna directly in the near future are highly likely. Such efforts, if met with success, would lead to an immediate loss of the peripheral marsh habitat occupied by the cyprinodont _Cualac tesselatus_ and the goodeid _Ataeniobius toweri_. Since 1972, five exotic species have become established in the La Medialuna system (Williams _et al._, 1985). _Oreochromis aureus_ was deliberately introduced (Contreras and Escalante, 1984). Three poeciliids and a cichlid, _Herichthys carpintis_, all native to the Rio Panuco basin and appear to have entered the basin via a series of canals dug to divert a portion of the spring flow for irrigation. While both the lagunas and their effluents now support large populations of the exotic poeciliids, numbers of the endemic cyprinodont and goodeid have declined precipitously (C. Stowell, pers. comm.; Williams _et al._, 1985). Numbers of both endemic cichlids declined dramatically following the establishment of the blue tilapia and _H. carpintis_ (G. W. Barlow, pers.comm.; Williams _et al._, 1985). Their populations appear to have rebounded somewhat since 1985 and now appear to be stable. However, hybridization between the endemic _Nandopsis labridens_ and _H. carpintis_ has been documented (Artigas Azas, 1992). In the absence of precise data on the extent of such miscegenation, it is impossible to estimate how much of a threat it poses to the genetic integrity of _N. labridens_. Both endemic La Medialuna cichlids are pond-bred in Florida for the ornamental fish trade and are available through commercial channels on both sides of the Atlantic and in Japan. _Ataeniobius toweri_ can be obtained through specialty hobbyist groups such as the American Livebearer Association, the Livebearer Information Service and the Deutsche Gesselschaft fur Lebendegebaerende Zahnkarpfen, while _Cualac tesselatus_ is being maintained by members of the _Cyprinodon_ Study Group of the American Killifish Association. Barombi Mbo, Cameroon Barombi Mbo is a volcanic crater lake located in the rainforest belt of the South West Province of Cameroon [4o 38' N, 9o 22' E] approximately 60 kilometers north-northeast of Mount Cameroon. The lake lies in an elevated basin two and a half kilometers in diameter and 110 meters deep. A single small stream flows down the interior face of the crater into the lake, which has an outlet to the southeast into the Kake River, a tributary of the Mungo River. The crater walls effectively isolate the lake from the lower reaches of the Mungo drainage. The climate in this region of West Africa is tropical, with heavy but seasonal precipitation. This causes water levels in the crater to vary c. l meter seasonally. The lake is extremely clear, its water is slightly alkaline and quite soft, with a conductivity of 39 microSeimens/cm at 20o C. (Green and Corbet, 1972; Reid, 1990). The ichthyofauna of Barombi Mbo comprises 17 species, 71% of them endemic. The most important families are the Cichlidae[11] and the Cyprinodontidae[2] (Trewavas, E. _et al._, 1972). The lake's cichlid fauna, a micro-species flock derived from one or two tilapiine ancestors, represents a remarkable instance of adaptive radiation to exploit a full spectrum of trophic opportunities, includes 4 endemic genera. Of these, the sponge-eating _Pungu maclareni_, is the only known cichlid in which all adult individuals sport a yellow and black heteromelanic color pattern. The ichthyofauna of Barombi Mbo is essentially intact, although one predatory species, _Stomatepia mungo_, has not been seen by local fishermen for several years and one benthic invertebrate feeder, _Konia dikume_, has become quite rare (Reid, 1990). The most immediate threat to the lake's fishes is overharvesting. The Barombi people traditionally exploited this fauna with relatively inefficient basket traps that permitted the escape of juveniles (Trewavas, E. _et al._, 1972). The introduction of efficient gill nets has substantially increased fishing pressure on a fauna characterized by greatly reduced fecundity (Reid, 1990). The translocation of predatory species into the lake from adjacent drainages remains a constant threat. There appear to be no cultural obstacles to such activity, as there is reason to believe that the Barombi have already introduced a number of decapod crustaceans into the lake (Trewavas, 1962). The inadvertent introduction of the cichlid _Hemichromis elongatus_, an efficient fry predator commonly found in adjacent streams would have a particularly devastating effect upon the endemic tilapiine species. A controversial proposal to introduce the malacophagous East African cichlid _Astatoreochromis allaudi_ as a means of controlling the snail vectors of schistosomiasis (Slootweg, 1989) appears, at least for the present, to have been blocked (Reid, 1990). The construction of a small dam at the outflow of Barombi Mbo has effected water levels within the crater. It has been suggested (Reid, 1990) that this has interfered with the reproductive patterns of the two species previously cited, thus accounting for the decline in their population sizes. A more serious potential threat to this small, highly oligotrophic ecosystem is posed by deforestation and cultivation of the inner face of the crater. Any increase in nutrient levels would be likely to result in significant eutrophication, with a concomitant loss of biodiversity. The inflow of such agrochemicals such as chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticides would have equally harmful consequences. Although Barombi Mbo enjoys protected status, there is pressure from government officials resident in the neighboring town of Kumba to clear the inner face of the crater for the culture of cocoa (W. Dominey, pers. comm.). Captive-bred specimens of two of Barombi Mbo's four endemic _Sarotherodon_ species, two species of the predatory genus _Stomatepia_, _S. mariae_ and _S. pindu_, the invertebrate feeding _Konia eisentrauti_ and the pelagic planctivore _Myaka myaka_ are available from European ornamental fish suppliers. The lacustrine population of the cyprinodont _Epiplatys sexfasciatus_ can be obtained through such specialist aquarist groups as the American Killifish Association and the Deutsche Killifische Gesselschaft. Lake Bermin, Cameroon Lake Bermin is a volcanic crater lake likewise located in the South West Province of Cameroon [5o 09' N, 8o 30' E]. The lake lies in a steep crater with an average rim height of 60 meters above the surface of the water. Its basin is 875 meters in diameter and has a maximum depth of 14.5 meters. A single small outflow stream drains northward into the Mbu River, a tributary of the Cross. Lake Bermin enjoys the same climatic regime as Barombi Mbo. The lake is clear, with dry season underwater visibility of 4.5 meters. Its water is alkaline [pH 7.5] and soft, with a conductivity of 80 microSeimens/cm at 20o C. (Schliewen, 1991; Stiassny _et al._, 1992). The ichthyofauna of Lake Bermin comprises 11 species, 82% of them endemic. The dominant family is the Cichlidae[9] (Stiassny _et al._, 1992). In contrast to Barombi Mbo, whose species flock is _Sarotherodon_-derived, Lake Bermin's cichlid fauna, consists of a micro-flock of _Tilapia_ species. Though none of these endemics is sufficiently aberrant in morphology to warrant recognition at the generic level, Lake Bermin's adaptive radiation parallels to a uncanny degree that of Barombi Mbo, even to the extent of having produced phytoplankton and sponge-eating representatives. Three of the lake's 11 species are characterized by color polymorphism. The ichthyofauna of Lake Bermin is intact. A small village of the Bakossi people is present on the crater rim just opposite the lake's outflow. However, difficulty of access, coupled with the availability of alternative sources of drinking and bathing water and the small size of the lake's fishes have kept human impacts to a minimum (Stiassny _et al._, 1992). Its distance from major population centers shields Bermin from many of the threats confronting Barombi Mbo. However, the small size of its catchment basin and its modest depth make this lake even more susceptible to the effects of deforestation. Furthermore, the absence of an indigenous fishery is likely to invite fisheries development schemes that center upon the introduction of larger, often predatory species. Though all of Lake Bermin's cichlids are biparentally custodial substratum spawners, their reduced fecundity makes them as vulnerable as their mouthbrooding counterparts in Barombi Mbo to the depredations of translocated fry predators. Five of Lake Bermin's 11 _Tilapia_ species have been bred in captivity. Three of these are presently obtainable from European ornamental fish suppliers and the availability of additional species can be expected to follow shortly (H. Bleher, pers. comm.). Literature Cited References were included with Part 1 of this article which was published in the Volume 3, No. 1, March 1994. Paul V. Loiselle is the Curator of Freshwater Fishes at the Aquarium for Wildlife Conservation, Surf Ave. & West 8th Street, Brooklyn, New York 11224, U.S.A. <9> 10/02/95 ag508 NOTEBOOK - Paul Loiselle is participating in three weeks of field work (June/July) on Lake Kanyaboli in Kenya. Efforts are being made to rescue founder stock of _Haplochromis maxillaris_, _H. phytophagous_ and _Oreochromis esculentus_ from this formerly isolated satellite of Lake Victoria. Further information on the Lake Kanyaboli issue was provided in the previous issue of _Aquatic Survival_ (March, 1994). - Oscar Iribarne will start teaching an upper undergraduate level Ecology class at the University of Mar del Plata (Argentina), and one of the major problems is the lack of literature. Unfortunately, Argentina suffers from a stringent economic situation which has resulted in poorly furnished libraries. He is requesting help to build a library. If you have reprints of your own work, or of others that you not longer use, you will help many students by sending them to Argentina. We will also welcome books and serial publications not longer needed in your laboratory. He indicates that the University of Mar del Plata will properly acknowledge any donation. The address is Oscar Iribarne, Departamento de Biologia Fac. Cs. Exact. Nat., Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Funes 3250, 7600 Mar del Plata, Argentina. Internet: iribarne@FISH.WASHINGTON.EDU - Gladys Asencio G. works on the ecology of the harpacticoid copepods of the tidal flat and tidal pools of the intertidal rocky shores and is seeking information about this topic, and the names and addresses (particularly email addresses) of ecologists or copepodologists working in the field. Contact: Gladys Asencio G., Instituto Ecologia y Evolucion, Universidad Austral de Chile, Casilla 567- Valdivia, Chile (South America). Internet: gasencio@valdivia.uca.uach.cl - Peter Unmack has an interest in desert fish, particularly those inhabiting springs. He is presently working on arid zone or desert springs in the South Australian outback. This work includes: a survey of all springs to ensure we know what fish are present; an analysis of genetic diversity within each species; a classification scheme for springs based on biological, hydrological and geomorphological characteristics; determination and quantification of impacts, particularly grazing impacts. He would welcome any discussion on springfish including their ecology, unique characteristics and conservation needs. Contact: Peter J. Unmack, Inland Waters Section, SARDI Aquatic Sciences, P.O. Box 120, Henley Beach, SA, 5022, Australia. Tel: +61 8 200 2439; Fax: + 61 8 200 2482; Internet: unmack.peter@pi.sa.gov.au - There is a new electronic mailing list called CITES-L for the purpose of discussing issues relating to the trade in wildlife and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). The World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC), where the list will be maintained, has had over 12 years of experience in dealing with wildlife trade issues and maintains a database of all reported trade in CITES-listed species on behalf of the CITES Secretariat. WCMC has regular contact with the CITES Secretariat in Geneva, which will also be a source of up-to-date information. To subscribe send a one line message to LISTPROC@WCMC.ORG.UK with the command line (in message body): SUBSCRIBE CITES-L . For further information contact the list manager: Helen Corrigan, Wildlife Trade Monitoring Unit, World Conservation Monitoring Centre, 219 Huntingdon Road, Cambridge CB3 0DL, U.K. Tel: +44 223 277314; Fax: +44 223 277136; Internet: helen.corrigan@wcmc.org.uk - The International Fisheries Gene Bank (IFGB) is a new joint venture conservation program for the Vancouver Aquarium with projects in Venezuela, Colombia, China and British Columbia. A Canadian government grant of $98,000 supports the training of local teams for cryopreservation of sperm from endangered food fishes using field technology developed in Canada. (Source: J. Marliave, Vancouver Aquarium & reported in _Communiqu‚_). To contact the IFGB, write to Brian Harvey, Executive Director, International Fisheries Gene Bank, Vancouver Aquarium, P.O. Box 3232, Vancouver, British Columbia V6B 3X8, Canada. Tel: (604) 685-3364; Fax: (604) 598-2047. <10> 10/02/95 ag508 THE ACN'S FIRST BREEDING PROJECT THE MALAGASY KILLIFISH, _PACHYPANCHAX OMALONOTUS_ by Mark Rosenqvist ACN Madagascar Breeding Project Coordinator. The ACN Madagascar Breeding Project will be getting underway this summer. The fish chosen to start off this project is the Malagasy killifish, _Pachypanchax omalonotus_. This project will help launch the Aquatic Conservation Network into the world of conservation science. Our success in setting up and maintaining this program will be watched closely and will determine how our organization is accepted by the conservation community. The ACN is looking for members who would like to participate. Volunteers must be highly motivated and willing to go the distance in what will most likely be a very long journey indeed. Roger Langton holds the founder stock of _P. omalonotus_ and he has begun producing animals for distribution to participating members. The first fish produced have been sent to Paul Loiselle at the Aquarium for Wildlife Conservation in New York and a second shipment will soon be sent to John McLain at the San Antonio Zoological Gardens. These two facilities will serve as the professional anchors for this project. As more fish are produced, they will be made available to members. Any member wishing to participate in this, or any other ACN breeding project will be required to purchase a copy of the _ACN Captive Breeding Guidelines_. This publication gives prospective ACN breeders several pieces of information. A review of husbandry practices, some genetic theory and a sample breeding program are presented. Most important, however, is the section on the rules that must be followed to become and remain a member of any ACN breeding program. Anyone interested in purchasing a copy of the _ACN Captive Breeding Guidelines_ should send their name, address, and phone number (fax number and email too, if applicable) to: Rob Huntley, Aquatic Conservation Network, 540 Roosevelt Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K2A 1Z8. The publication will be available for shipment in the late summer. The price is $12 per copy (Canadian or U.S. currency) and includes shipping (Ontario residents add $.96 Provincial Sales Tax) and should be made payable to the Aquatic Conservation Network. For now, the _Guidelines_ will only be available in unbound format, ready for a standard 3-ring binder (copies sent to addresses outside North America will not be hole punched due to potential incompatibility). If, after reading the _Guidelines_, you have decided to jump in with both feet and become a breeding project member, contact the breeding project coordinator (address will be provided with the _Guidelines_) and an application/ questionnaire will be sent to you. This imposing bit of paperwork will help the Breeding Project Coordinator and the Species Coordinator evaluate your talents and resources. After completing the questionnaire, return it with a cheque in the amount of $15 (Canadian or U.S. currency) made payable to the Aquatic Conservation Network. This $15 fee will cover the cost of shipping you your first fish as well as costs associated with the administration of the project. This fee will be refunded if your application is not accepted. This is the moment that we, as members of the Aquatic Conservation Network, have been waiting for. To all of you who have the talent an commitment to make the ACN Madagascar Breeding Project a success - Please Join Today! BACKGROUND NOTES ON _PACHYPANCHAX OMOLANOTUS_ Although not critically endangered, _Pachypanchax omolanotus_ has disappeared from some parts of its former range. However, captive populations of the species have been previously lost and it is sufficiently difficult to obtain them from the wild. Therefore, aquarists should try their best not to lose the species again. It is a good choice for the first breeding effort by the ACN, since there is still a possibility to obtain more founders in the event of problems with the program. The species is not extremely colourful but it is still an attractive fish and needs proper lighting to show well its blue colour. There would appear to be at least three colour forms which may ultimately necessitate keeping separate populations in the breeding program. It has been found in a very diverse range of natural habitats including both fast running and stagnant water; rocky, sandy or mud bottoms; heavy aquatic vegetation to no aquatic vegetation at all; 0ø hardness to 14ø GH; and pH from just under 6 to 8. However, they are always found in shallow water with a preference for shady habitats with many sheltered places to hide. The species is relatively easy to maintain, eats a wide variety of foods, and is easily bred. However, they appear to be susceptible to disease if the nitrate level is allowed to climb too high. Thus, frequent water changes are essential. _P. omolanotus_ can be rather aggressive with other species and with themselves and should be kept in a group of 6 or more to prevent one individual from becoming very dominant. They do not seem to coexist well with other killies. rh Source: Personal communication(s) from P. de Rham (? and R. Langton). RECRUITMENT NOTICE Anyone interested in becoming the Species Coordinator for the Malagasy killifish (_Pachypanchax omalonotus_) should contact Mark Rosenqvist at Aquatic Research Organisms, P.O. Box 1271, Hampton, New Hampshire 03843-1271, U.S.A. The person filling this volunteer position will be responsible for supervising activities of project members. This will include collecting spawning information from project members, coordinating transfers of fish between project members, maintaining a project studbook and making periodic reports to the Madagascar Breeding Project Coordinator. This is the perfect position for an ACN member who would like to participate in a breeding project but who might not have the time or resources to care for the fish themselves. As efforts will be made shortly to standardize data management, persons with computer skills and access to an IBM compatible computer will be preferred. Although access to a computer will make things easier in the long run, it is not absolutely necessary at this point. Please write today if you would like to be involved at this level. <11> 10/02/95 ag508 "GLOBAL MARINE BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY" - NEW BOOK In anticipation of the Earth Summit (UN Conference on Environment and Development) in Rio in 1992, a _Global Biodiversity Strategy_ was released by the World Resources Institute. At the same time, a realization was made that the marine sphere would be insufficiently represented in this work. A companion to this "strategy" was developed by the Center for Marine Conservation (CMC) and recently published. Edited by CMC Chief Scientist Elliot Norse, _Global Marine Biological Diversity: A Strategy for Building Conservation into Decision Making_ claims to be the "first and most comprehensive examination of global marine ecosystems, providing the most current information, views, and recommendations on how to meet the challenge of conserving the living sea". The book is naturally very heavy on conservation but at the same time serves as a primer for those persons who desire a crash course in marine ecology. The book is divided into the following chapters: 1. Conserving the Living Sea 2. Marine Biological Diversity: Definition and Importance 3. Marine and Terrestrial Conservation 4. Threats to Marine Biological Diversity 5. Impediments to Marine Conservation 6. The Goal and the Strategy 7. Tools for Conserving Marine Biological Diversity 8. Existing Marine Institutions and Instruments 9. Recommendations for Implementing _The Strategy_ Although written by nearly 100 experts in marine biology, oceanography, economics, anthropology, and law, the book is relatively easy to read and provides many examples, case studies and anecdotes which make the issues very clear. The book goes sparingly on technical aspects and gives many citations for "further reading". For ordering information contact Island Press, 1718 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 300, Washington, DC 20009, U.S.A. Tel: (202) 232-7933; Fax: (202) 234-1328. The price is $50 (cloth) and $27.50 (paper). Review by Rob Huntley, Aquatic Conservation Network <12> 10/02/95 ag508 BRINGING BACK THE KILLIFISH The Columbus Zoo and State of Ohio Work to Revive an Endangered Species by Julia Bowdoin Killifish, belonging to the family Cyprinodontidae which includes such well-known species as the guppy, can be seen by the thousands flashing in streams, ponds, and lakes around the world. Recently, the people of Ohio have joined efforts to preserve the western banded killifish, an endangered subspecies found in the northern central United States and southern Canada. It plays a critical ecological role supporting many larger species in the food chain, including economically important game fish and a variety of birds and mammals. In addition, Doug Warmolts (Columbus Zoo) and Jerry Gallant (Ohio Division of Wildlife, Department of Natural Resources) who direct the conservation project, both emphasize the importance of the killifish as an "indicator species" that is particularly sensitive to alterations in the environment. The decline of a killifish population may well signify disturbances in water quality or other factors that could lead to deterioration of the entire ecosystem. Such was the case in Ohio, where the western banded killifish (_Fundulus diaphanus menona_) was placed on the endangered species list in 1974, the first year it was possible to do so. Once plentiful, their existence is now tenuous, due to habitat loss as the result of large-scale agriculture development in the northwestern part of the state. In 199O, the Ohio Division of Wildlife and Columbus Zoological Gardens outlined a ten-year recovery plan for the western banded killifish involving experimental captive breeding and reintroduction. Doug Warmolts describes the plan's major objectives as (1) to improve the wild status of the endangered fish, and (2) to increase awareness and appreciation of the endangered fish. Remarkable progress has been made toward each of these objectives. In the fourth year of the project, their work is ahead of schedule; and Warmolts anticipates that by the end of this summer, 25OO fish will have been bred at the Columbus Zoo. Reintroductions have also been successful. Over the past three years, killifish have been reintroduced to three sites within their former historic range, where their numbers have promptly multiplied. The public is able to learn about western banded killifish through an exhibit created by the Columbus Zoo. Consisting of a live-animal display, map of killifish habitat in Ohio, and video describing the fish and its recovery plan, the exhibit has been well received and will be expanded for inclusion in a 1.5 acre North American wetlands exhibit. Warmolts explains that "the killifish has emerged as an unlikely flagship species for us." While aquatic biologists at the zoo study and breed the killifish for reintroductions to the wild, the public is educated about the intrinsic value of the local species as a unique thread in the web of life. The first such cooperative conservation project in the state, the effort to bring back the killifish is remarkable for a number of reasons: it involves a zoo and state wildlife agency pooling resources and talents to conserve a local endangered species; it has a strong public education component; and its objectives are realistic and affordable. "We are very proud of it," says Warmolts, adding that "as a result of this project, we have already started discussions with the Ohio Division of Wildlife to determine the next candidate species whose conservation we plan to collaborate on in a similar fashion." For more information about this program, contact Doug Warmolts, Aquarium Curator, Columbus Zoological Gardens, 9990 Riverside Drive, Box 400, Powell, Ohio 43065, U.S.A. Julia Bowdoin, Program Assistant, AZA Conservation and Science. Source: _Communiqu‚_, June 1994. <13> 10/02/95 ag508 COMING EVENTS 1994 AZA Annual Conference The American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA - formerly AAZPA) will hold its 1994 annual conference in Atlanta, Georgia from September 18 to 22, 1994. The program includes a diverse range of topics pertaining to both zoos and aquariums and the following are just a few highlights that may be of particular interest to ACN members. There is a two part session on "Reproduction and Larval Rearing of Marine Organisms" and the whole program is listed below.: Part 1: Invertebrate and Algal Food Culture - moderated by Doug Warmolts - Historical Perspective on Captive Breeding of Marine Fish - Stephen Walker; - Simple and mass Techniques for Culturing Micro Algae and Rotifers - Frank Hoff; - Culture Methods for Rotifers - Mark Rosenqvist; - Propagation and Rearing of _Neomysis mercedis_ for Use as Food - David De Nardo; - The Production, Storage, and Use of Oyster Trochophores for Larvae Food; Part 2: Marine Larval Rearing Advances - moderated by Stephen Walker - Nutritional Benefits or Optical Effects - Jeffrey Marliave; - _Pseudochromis sp._ and Other Opportunistic Spawning Events at the Aquarium for Wildlife Conservation - Paul Sieswerda; - Advances in Breeding Marine Fish for the Commercial Industry - Thomas Frakes; - Experiences on the Controlled Reproduction of Two Species of Caribbean Reef Fishes at the National Aquarium in Baltimore - Alan Henningsen; - Progress of the International Working Group for the Propagation of Ornamental Marine Fishes and Invertebrates - R. Leroy Creswell A couple of highlights from the sessions titled "The Role Zoos in _In Situ_ Conservation in Africa and Madagascar" include: - Lake Victoria Indigenous Fish Fauna: The Link Between Research and Conservation - Les Kaufman; - Saving the Freshwater Fish Fauna of Madagascar - Paul Loiselle There is also a session titled "Live Coral Management Program". The complete list of presentations for this session includes: - The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary: A Critical Balance of Resource Protection with Multiple Uses in One of This Nation's Most Fragile Environments - Bill Causey; - Coral Reefs, Coral Rock, and Non-Indigenous Fishes: Regulatory Policies and Options - N. Marshall Meyers; - Coral Farming and Networking with the Hobbyist Industry - Bruce Carlson; - Captive Husbandry and Networking Between Aquariums and Hobbyists: A Private Opportunity for Public Aquariums - Julian Sprung; - Diets for feeding Light Invertebrates - Pete Mohan. For information contact Jeff Swanagan, Zoo Atlanta, 800 Cherokee Avenue, S.E., Atlanta, Georgia 30315, U.S.A. Tel: (404) 624-5600. Amazon Expedition - Rio Negro, Brazil This expedition takes place from September 19 to October 3, 1994. Details were reported in the March 1994 issue of _Aquatic Survival_. For further information contact Scott Dowd, Senior Aquarist, New England Aquarium, Central Wharf, Boston Massachusetts 02110, U.S.A. Tel: (617) 739-6430. Watersheds '94: Creating the Links...People, Politics, Science, and Stewardship This event will occur from September 28 to 30, 1994 in Bellevue, Washington, U.S.A. Details were reported in the March 1994 issue of _Aquatic Survival_. For more information, call Andrea Lindsay at (206) 553-1896 or toll-free 1-800-424-4EPA (ext. 1896). Sixth Annual Meeting of the South American Aquatic Mammal Specialists To be held in Florianopolos, Santa Catarina, Brazil from October 24 to 28 1994. For further information contact Secretary, 6ø Reuniao de Trabalhos de Especialistas em Mamiferous Aquaticos da America do Sul, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Caixa Postal 5151, Florianapolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil. Tel: 10 55 482 31 9626; Fax: 01 55 482 31 9672. CITES - 9th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties The Office of the U.S. Management Authority has informed the CITES Secretariat that COP9 is scheduled to take place at Fort Lauderdale, Florida, November 7 to 18, 1994. For more information contact 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. Fish and Their Habitat: Theories, Methods and Applications International Symposium organized by the Environment Programme (PIR) of CNRS and the Group for Investigation and Management of Hydrosystems (GIP) will take place from December 6 - 8, 1994 in Lyon-Villeurbanne (France). For several years and in many countries, researchers have been studying the relationships between environmental factors and the structure of freshwater fish communities. In France, several teams (CEMAGREF, CNRS, INRA, ORSTOM, Universities, Museum) have been working on this topic and the aim of this symposium, which is open both to scientists and managers, is to check and compare all these works at an international level, in order to best exploit their results. Fish-Habitat relationships will be considered at different scales, also taking into account temporal aspects. Invited international keynote speakers, and oral or poster contributions, will address the following topics: 1. Habitat on a local scale: hydrodynamics and modelling of habitat choice, deterministic and stochastic approaches, habitat preferences of different fish taxa. 2. Habitat on a broad scale: influence of geological and climatic events, colonization and extinction, introduction of new species, stability and resilience, long-term changes, comparisons between catchments and between continents. 3. Structural and functional aspects of fish diversity: reproduction and feeding guilds, life history strategies, allocation of resources, ecomorphology, local and regional diversity. 4. Transmission of concepts and methods to management: knowledge bases, regional models, local models, fish indices of environmental quality, monitoring of environmental change, rehabilitation, conservation, consideration of the habitat in the management of freshwater systems. For information contact: "Fish and their Habitat" Symposium, Universite Lyon-I, Batiment 401 C, URA CNRS 1451, 43 Bd. du 11 Novembre 1918, F-69622 - Villeurbanne - Cedex, France. Tel : (33) 72 44 84 55; Fax: (33) 72 43 11 41. International Larval Fish Conference An International Larval Fish Conference will be held in Sydney at the University of Sydney and the Australian Museum, from 26-30 June 1995 with the annual meetings of the Australian Society for Fish Biology (ASFB) held the following weekend (1-2 July). The following Symposia and Workshops are planned but the titles are tentative, as is participation of some conveners, pending funding. SYMPOSIA - Contrasting larval biology (from different environments) - Population dynamics & oceanography - Development and behaviour (including sensory abilities) - Condition and growth - Biology of Pomatomus saltatrix larvae in two hemispheres - Aquaculture - Fish larvae and systematics: ontogeny and relationships WORKSHOP - Ichthyoplankton research for fishery science - Fishery-free methods for estimation of population size and extent. For information contact: Jeff Leis, Australian Museum, PO Box A285, Sydney South 2000, Australia, Tel: +61 2 339 8242; Fax: +61 2 339 8360; Internet: jeffl@amsg.Austmus.oz.au Molecular Biology in Fish, Fisheries and Aquaculture The Fisheries Society of the British Isles will hold this symposium at the University of Plymouth, England from July 10 to 13, 1995. Details were reported in the March 1994 issue of _Aquatic Survival_. For further information contact Dr. Colin Munn, FSBI Symposium, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Plymouth, PL4 8AA, United Kingdom. Tel: +44 752 232900; Fax: +44 752 232927. 4th International Conference on Aquatic Ecosystem Health, and International Symposium on Microbial Food Web Dynamics in Marine and Freshwater Environments To be held in 1995 in Coimbra, Portugal and sponsored by the Aquatic Ecosystem Health and Management Society. Contact: A.M.V.M. Soares (Portugal) - Tel: 351-39-24226; Fax: 351-39-28611 or P. Ross (U.S.A.) - Tel: (803) 792-7875; Fax: (803) 792-7084. International Symposium on Large Freshwater Ecosystems of the World and their Management To be held in Cairo, Egypt in the Winter, 1995 and sponsored jointly by Environmetrics and the Aquatic Ecosystem Health and Management Society. Contact: A. El-Shaarawi (Canada) - Tel: (416) 336-4584; Fax: (416) 336-4989. <14> 10/02/95 ag508 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Thanks to the following publications for publishing an ACN advertisement for the _International Directory of Aquarist Organizations_. These were published as a free service in support of the ACN and include the following publications: - _Freshwater and Marine Aquarium Magazine_, Vol. 17, No. 5, May 1994, p.208 - _Glaucus_, British Marine Life Study Society, Vol. 5, No. 1, Spring 1994, p.28 - _Hobby Zoo_ (Italy), April, 1994, p. 79 and May, 1994, p. 47. - _RINKO_, the International Nishikigoi Specialists Magazine, Vol. 19-12 (No. 202), April 1994, p.41 - _F.A.A.S. Report_ of the Federation of American Aquarium Societies, May/June 1994, p.16 - _Aquarist and Pondkeeper_, Vol. 59, No.2, May, 1994, p.80 and Vol. 59, No. 3, June, 1994, p. 88. - _Sea Wind_, Vol. 8, No. 1, January - March 1994, p. 33 (and the favourable review on p. 31-32. - _Fish Tales_ (Issue 19 - April, 1994), Newsletter of the Bermuda Fry-Angle Aquarium Society for reprinting John Fisher's article, "The Environment, the Hobby and You!" from the December, 1993 issue of _Aquatic Survival_. Thanks to Don Dewey of _Freshwater and Marine Aquarium Magazine_, Vol. 17, No. 6, June 1994, p.3 (editorial section) for including information from the ACN press release concerning the _International Directory of Aquarist Organizations_. - _Tropical Fish Hobbyist_, Vol. 42, No. 11, July, 1994, p. 202 for the summary of Jaime Baquero's article titled "How Environmentally Friendly is the Marine Aquarium Hobby?" from _Aquatic Survival_, Vol. 2, No. 1, p. 12. _FishKeepers' Advocate_, newsletter of the Tropical FishKeepers' Exchange, Vol. 1, No. 1, p. 1 (January, 1994) for reprinting Mike Hansell's article "Conservation and the British Killifish Association" from the September, 1993 issue of _Aquatic Survival_ and for including the ACN survey letter for the _International Directory of Aquarist Organizations_. _FishKeepers' Advocate_, newsletter of the Tropical FishKeepers' Exchange, Vol. 1, No. 2, p.12 (April, 1994) for promoting the ACN. Rod Harper for including mention of the ACN (p. 64) in his April '94 article in _Aquarium Fish Magazine_ (Vol. 6, No. 7) titled "Aquariculture - Techniques and Theory". <15> 10/02/95 ag508 ACN ELECTION - CALL FOR NOMINATIONS This is a call for nominations for three of the seven ACN Board of Director positions which are up for renewal at the end of this year. These positions are currently held by Henrik Hornhaver, Shawn Prescott, and Mark Rosenqvist. The newly elected or re-elected Directors will serve for two years, commencing on January 1, 1995. The four other Directors, Patrick de Rham, Dennis Hough, Roger Langton and Paul Loiselle, will continue into the second year of their terms in 1995. If you wish to be considered as a candidate in the election, and you are 18 years of age or older, 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 October 7, 1994. 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 October 7, 1994. The ACN Elections Policy was published in the September, 1993 issue of _Aquatic Survival_. A copy of the Policy is available to ACN members upon request. Rob Huntley <16> 10/02/95 ag508 AQUATIC CONSERVATION NETWORK 1993/94 CORPORATE SPONSORS Aquarium Systems, Inc. Charles River Laboratories Red Sea Fish pHarm Ltd. Rolf C. Hagen, Inc. 1993/94 AQUARIST SOCIETY SPONSORS Association Romande des Clubs Aquariophiles et Terrariophiles Capitol Aquarium Society Minnesota Aquarium Society 1993/94 INDIVIDUAL DONORS Frank Anderson David Armitage Eric Bjornson Scott Dowd William Edge Michael Florez David Forsyth Robert Hall Jan Huus Eizo Kimura Dr. Ang Kok-Jee Marian Lea Kenneth Nordby Allen Scher James Schroeder Osamu Someha Stephen Somermeyer Mike Zach NEW MEMBERS Frank G. Anderson Contributing Editor, FAMA Saudi Aramco P.O. Box 6112 Dhahran 31311 Saudi Arabia Aquarium Society of Winnipeg Box 301 Winnipeg Manitoba R3C 2H6 Canada Jeff Bilbrough NY-Penn Council B-6 Evergreen Circle Liverpool New York 13090 U.S.A. Theodora Carroll-Foster Coordinator/Advisor, Agenda 21 Unit International Development Research Centre 250 Albert St. P.O. Box 8500 Ottawa Ontario K1G 3H9 Canada Oded Cohen MAG NOY LTD. Israel Ornamental Fish Kibbutz Hazorea 30060 Israel Winfield S. Frazeur Pet Industry Advisors P.O. Box 70 Grants Pass Oregon 97526 U.S.A. H.D. Goodin Wairarapa Aquarium Society Park Rd., RD 2 Carterton Wairarapa New Zealand Laurie A. La Chance 27393 Park Court Madison Heights Michigan 48071 U.S.A. Manuel Aresti Larrauri Secretario Club Acuari¢filo de Getxo Apartado de Correos no 359 Algorta (Vizcaya) 48990 Espa¤a Milo Manden President Greater Chicago Cichlid Association 41 W 510 Rte. 20 Hampshire Illinois 60140 U.S.A. Louis McCann Executive Director PIJAC - Canada 7400 boul. Taschereau, Suite 105 Brossard Qu‚bec J4W 1M9 Canada Geoffrey McNall 1664 Estevan Road London Ontario N5X 2G9 Canada Motor City Aquarium Society P.O. Box 60 Roseville Michigan 48066 U.S.A. Julie Packard Director Monterey Bay Aquarium 866 Cannery Row Monterey CA 93940 U.S.A. S. See Moore Water Gardens Highway 4, Box 70 Port Stanley Ontario N5L 1J4 Canada Melanie L.J. Stiassny American Museum of Natural History 79th Street @ Central Park West New York NY 10024 U.S.A. Doug Sweet Detroit Zoo P.O. Box 39 Royal Oak Michigan 48068-0039 U.S.A. Vancouver Public Aquarium Attn: T. Ricou Robin Best Library P.O. Box 3232 Vancouver British Columbia V6B 3X8 Canada Philip R. Wilgus, Jr. South Jersey Tropical Fish Association 5739 Whitman Terrace Pennsauken New Jersey 08109 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. 3, No. 2 - AQUATIC SURVIVAL *******