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NANFA Regional Outreach Program
Charlie Nunziata
Read about the
January 30- February 3, 2003 collecting trip to
Florida that brought together 21 people from 5 states! For a letter Charlie sent NANFA's regional representatives discussing the future of the program and an exciting native fish display, click HERE! Q&A with Charlie Nunziata NANFA: Can you tell us about your background and interests, and why you volunteered to be a regional representative? Charlie: I have maintained an interest in fish since the age of 7 and have, more or less, keep them since that time. Going through the normal process of tropical fish interests, I settled on the specialty of killifish some 30 years ago, and this is still my primary interest. I joined NANFA in 1975 but left after a number of years, rejoining after a conversation with B. G. Granier at one of the AKA conventions. Moving to Florida also helped to renew my interests in native fishes because of the much greater variety of fishes available to the collector, and the various habitats that Florida provides. I became interested in the regional outreach program after being encouraged by Elmer Guerri to start a group in central Florida. The substantial interest in native fishes in the Tampa Bay area provided a rich base on which to build promote NANFA and its good works. Perhaps because of age or maturity, my interests are more and more concerned with conservation. This and my abiding interest in fish naturally combine, resulting in both my interest in the NANFA regional program and my current post with the American Killifish Association as Chairman of their conservation committee. Ultimately, I hope to make some small contribution to an interest that has sustained me for a lifetime. Central Florida, and especially the gulf coast region, offers an exquisite variety of habitats and species for the native fish enthusiast. The mild weather allows access to most habitats throughout the year, and the extensive infrastructure facilitates collecting and field study activities. If interested in freshwater environments, central Florida is home to river, pond, lake, stream and bog habitats, and boasts an incredibly diverse estuary system. For the marine enthusiast, our marine habitats are known throughout the world for their ease of access, and for their diversity and productivity and for the extensive entertainment resources available. Contact us if you plan to visit central Florida. You will find an array of NANFA members that are active in local field and conservation activities and are pleased to guide, host or otherwise aid anyone sharing our dedication to this magnificent area of the U. S. If you plan to visit other parts of our state, we can provide the names of experienced contact people to help plan your collecting or field study project. NANFA: Please describe the boundaries of your region. Charlie: The Central Florida Group draws members throughout the state, simply because there are few members south of the Tampa Bay area, and no organized region north of it. Most members are in fact concentrated in the greater Tampa Bay area, bounded along the Gulf Coast from the Homosassa River in the north, to Port Charlotte in the south, and extending eastward to the approximate center of the state at the Florida Turnpike. Originally, Elmer conceived Florida to be divided in three regions, North, Central and South, and there is no question that geographically, this is the best plan. There are insufficient members in the south, so an organization there is not likely. However, one located near Tallahassee would serve both northern Florida and the panhandle, a prime collecting area, and presumably, a good potential for new members. I’m trying to recruit a representative from that general area. South Florida however, cannot support a group. We do have a network of guides and advisors however which have proved very effective. Andy Borgia is well known for his expertise and cooperation as a guide in the keys, Ken Normandin is equally well known in northern Florida, and I’ve used two non-NANFA members to act as guides for visitors to southeastern Florida. The central region supplies guide services for the gulf coast to Alligator alley. So we have virtually all of the state covered by either a formal regional activity or by guides who can direct and advise visitors. NANFA: What regional activities have you been involved in? Charlie: The central Florida region is not only active in collecting and fieldwork, but is a project oriented group as well. The major project of the group, and the one that continues to be its major focus is the research for, and the publication of the Florida Collecting Guide. We have assembled a group collecting kit designed to be used by layman and professional alike. In addition to the normal fare, it includes a GPS receiver and university grade preservation and recording supplies. Because of the 4 year drought, it was not possible to collect at the sites planned this last winter. A group meeting as well as one marine oriented and one freshwater collecting trip are planned for this fall. Given a normal rainfall, two major trips next spring; one to the panhandle to try to solve the mystery of the F. notti type fish we have been seeing in the north of Florida, and one to collect the population of the supposedly unique Elassoma reported in the Orlando area. At least one meeting and possibly two will also take place. We are trying to forge a relationship with the University of Florida with the eventual goal of hosting a NANFA convention. NANFA: That all sounds wonderful. Thanks, Charlie! |