NFC NEWS
Get involved locally it makes the difference !
Native Fish Conservancy Adds Additional Board Member
St. Paul Mn, September 21st 200-The Native Fish Conservancy (NFC) announced today that Florida State Senator John Laurent has joined the NFC Board of Trustees.Snator Laurent is an conservationist and his knowledge of the legeslative proccess will greatly aid or further conservation efforts.
About the NFC
The NFC is a Federal 501c conservation association, committed to supporting conservation activities across the country. The NFC’s website contains native fish related articles, photos, email lists, discussion groups and information about current conservation activities, including the Adopt-A-Tank Program, The Breeders Club, The Blue Pike Page, Kids Corner, The Exotics Removal Program, and an exclusive online store selling the artwork of Joe Tomelleri.
Contact:
Robert Rice, President
Native Fishes Conservancy
SOURCE: Native Fishes Conservancy
Native Fish Conservancy Implements Exotic Removal Program
St. Paul, MN, August 17, 2000 – The Native Fish Conservancy (NFC) announced today that it has implemented an unique program that helps the environment, raises funds for conservation and increases public knowledge about the destructive presence of exotic species in our watersheds. Throughout the Deep South, dozens of exotic species, mainly from aquarium releases or misguided stocking programs, are putting incredible pressure on our native fishes. Some native fishes are even being threatened to point of extinction.
NFC has a partial solution: Exotic Removal Teams (ERTs). Native Fish Conservancy members visit local bodies of water on a regular basis, collecting exotic species like oscars and jewel cichlids from the wild waters. Those fish that are small and suitable for shipping are sold to wholesalers and individuals above the Mason Dixon line. The remaining exotics are terminated humanely. On a typical collecting day, hundreds of exotics are removed and the waters are once again made safe for native fishes.
The NFC’s program is open to all interested parties. Individuals and groups who would like to start their own Exotic Removal Team will receive free online web support, including help doing online orders, technical support, collecting data, and the benefits of the NFC's non-profit status in aquiring collecting and equipment permits. In return, the NFC asks that ERTs provide reports on their activities activities, a voluntary quarterly donation, and adherence to existing state and federal laws. There is one final mandate from the NFC: Never release an exotic species into the wild.
To organize your own Exotic Removal Team, contact President at nativefish_org . This program is an excellent way for high schools and fish hobbyists to contribute to conservation efforts while earning extra money.
About the NFC
The NFC is a Federal 501c conservation association, committed to supporting conservation activities across the country. The NFC’s website contains native fish related articles, photos, email lists, discussion groups and information about current conservation activities, including the Adopt-A-Tank Program, The Breeders Club, The Blue Pike Page, Kids Corner, The Exotics Removal Program, and an exclusive online store selling the artwork of Joe Tomelleri.
Contact:
Robert Rice, President
Native Fishes Conservancy
SOURCE: Native Fishes Conservancy
Native Fish Conservancy Adds Board Member
St. Paul, MN, August 11,
2000 – The Native Fish Conservancy announced today that
Joe Tomelleri has joined its Board of Directors. Kansas City
Artist Joseph R. Tomelleri graduated with an Master’s Degree in Biology from
Fort Hays State University. After working briefly as a botanist, Joe turned full
time to illustration. Since that time, he has traveled more than 135,000 miles
to collect live fishes for his scientific renderings. His 750 plus illustrations
have appeared in more than 200 publications, including 25 books, scores of
magazines, advertisements, greeting cards, T-shirts, furniture, posters, trading
cards, newspapers, and identification guides.
In other news, the Native Fishes Conservancy recently
announced that it has undertaken full funding of Ray Katula's Crystal Darter
(Crystallaria asprella) breeding project. Ray is an expert in many facets of
unusual fishes, including their habitat requirements, characteristics, feeding,
and breeding techniques on unusual fishes. He has breed and reared over 100
native species. Katula’s results will be made public on the NFC
website at
www.nativefish.org.
About the NFC
The NFC is a Federal 501c conservation
association, committed to supporting conservation activities across the country.
The NFC’s website contains native fish related articles, photos, email lists,
discussion groups and information about current conservation activities,
including the Adopt-A-Tank Program, The Breeders Club, The Blue Pike Page, Kids
Corner, The Exotics Removal Program, and an exclusive online store selling the
artwork of Joe Tomelleri.
Contact:
Robert Rice, President
Native Fishes
Conservancy
president at nativefish_org
www.nativefish.org
SOURCE: Native
Fishes Conservancy
Press Release: April 28th 2000- The NFC has taken up full funding of Ray Katula's Crystal Darter (Crystallaria asprella) breeding project. Ray is an excellent amature in the field of life history work and breeding techniques on unusual fishes. He has breed and reared over 100 native species. His results will be made public on the NFC website at www.nativefish.org .
The Crystal darter is a large deep rivers Darter with virtually nothing known about its life History. Ths Project will help fill in the life history gaps and allow the species to be better known. If you have any questions about this project please contact the NFC president at president at nativefish_org
Press Release: The Native Fish Conservancy (NFC) Jan. 25 2000, http://www.nativefish.org
The NFC has received 3 suspect Blue Pike queries in the last 60 days as a result of our reward and increased publicity. We were rece ntly an integral part of an In Fisherman Blue Pike article in their Walleye section of the January 2000 issue. We are working with US Fish and Wildlife Service on this issue and will turn over all suspect fish to them for DNA analysis.
To recap the NFC is offering a 500$ reward to ANYONE who can produce a recently caught Blue Pike or hybrid. To win send a close up picture of the head of the suspect fish along with your collecting data to :
NFC BLUE PIKE HUNT
8436 Meadow Lane
Leawood Ks.
66206
To win you must have Fish or Fish parts to DNA analyze so freeze a whole pike if you can or at least the skin and fins. We will contact you for the fish/skin if your suspect looks promising. Check out the NFC website's Blue Pike page at www.nativefish.org for the latest Blue Pike news.
Press Release: The Native Fish Conservancy (NFC) www.nativefish.org Jan , 23 ,2000
The NFC and the Florida Freshwater Fish and Game commissions Richloam hatchery will partner together in lake restoration. The Richloam hatchery will donate 1000 Florida Flagfish to the NFC's efforts in Gainesville Florida's Mile Run subdivision. The ponds there have never been stocked and have been treated for years with herbicides to control algae. The result is a series of small ponds that support few fish and grow hai r algae at a epic clip. The NFC was brought in as a volunteer consultant and as a result the ponds are all going organic.The NFC is stocking suitable aquatic plants, ducks and native fish species that will consume algae while adding diversity to the ponds. The subdivision is paying all costs on this partnership.
Florida Flagfish are a colorful native member of the killie family that feed heavily on algae. Algae is that thick heavy green mat that often appears in shallow ponds and drainage ditches. With th e addition of suitable aquatic plants, mallard ducks and a broad based group of small fishes the cycle of algae to herbicide to algae again will be broken and all the wildlife in the area will benefit.
Blue Pike News:
September 10 1999-A suspect Blue Pike skin from Ontario Canada has
been turned over to the US Fish and Wild Life Service For DNA Analysis. The
Fisherman Involved learned about the Blue Pike here on this website. Contacted
the NFC and away we went.Analysis is ongoing.We have a
video of the capture
and expect to have stills up in a short time.Details to follow.
October
11 1999- The NFC in partnership with Joe Tomelerri Has set up a $500 minimum
reward for the first fishermen to provide a recently caught, live frozen Blue
Pike or Hybrid. Take a picture of your suspect fish
along with it's capture
location and date and mail the picture to