A quick note to tell you all that myself and a couple of other members of
the Tropical Fish Society of RI, had dinner last night with Ivan Dibble and
Bob Cashin. Those of you involved with the American Livebearer Association
(ALA) will know Bob for his years of work there, he is currently the BAP
chairman.
Ivan Dibble (from the UK) is best known for his "Fish Ark Mexico" project.
See his website at http://home.clara.net/brachydibble/
Ivan spoke at our general meeting last night. He is very passionate about
the protection of the fishes of Mexico, especially the livebearers. His slide
show was a real eye-opener! To see the areas where some of these fish come
(or came from) was atrocious. Nearly pure sewage in some rivers, or other
highly polluted with fertilizers. I am an _Ameca splendens_ nut, and when
Ivan showed a slide of the only spot left where _Ameca splendens_ occurs,
everyone gasped. Are you ready for this...the last holdout for them is in a
large natural wading pool at the foot of a giant water slide at a water park!
People actually slide down right into _Ameca splendens_ habitat!
It's really important to keep these species in maintenance programs in
captivity, because they are fast disappearing. Ivan started "Fish Ark Mexico"
at the University of Morelia in Mexico to create a breeding and research
program for the fishes of Mexico. Please take a moment to look at his
website.
Rick Rego
MA/New England Regional Representative
President - Tropical Fish Society of Rhode Island
/-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
/"Unless stated otherwise, comments made on this list do not necessarily
/ reflect the beliefs or goals of the North American Native Fishes
/ Association"
/ This is the discussion list of the North American Native Fishes Association
/ nanfa_at_aquaria.net. To subscribe, unsubscribe, or get help, send the word
/ subscribe, unsubscribe, or help in the body (not subject) of an email to
/ nanfa-request_at_aquaria.net. For a digest version, send the command to
/ nanfa-digest-request_at_aquaria.net instead.
/ For more information about NANFA, visit our web page, http://www.nanfa.org