Roundtables

We had four topics on our schedule: The first has been about how international breeding groups could be performed. I began to lead over to the topic by starting to talk about the situation, that some people initiated on one's own responsibility to breed certain species. I mentioned, that we are going to introduce a breeding program for Characodon lateralis (or Characodon sp. by some authors) from Amado Nervo and for Skiffia francesae from the Rio Teuchitlán in France, and that some breeders started to talk about international cooperating in breeding certain species. 

Whilst discussing about international cooperations, we found out very quickly, that the two following topics are interconnected very closely with the first one, and that we would be able to treat all three as one. The following two topics on the list had been: "International maintenancy list: How could we do without them?" and "A better information-cooperation system between GWG, Fish Ark Mexico Project and Morelia respectively Mexico". 

We entered the talks by discussing the situation, that we do need maintenancy lists, but we do not have a finished one of species in captivity and breeders within the GWG, though this has been the first goal of the GWG when it has been founded two years ago. I admitted, that it is too much work for me to look after the lists when the corresponding regional coordinator is not transmitting the data lists. Sometimes, I had been simply fobbed off by some of them. I pointed out, that most of the coordinators are doing a good job, and the fact, that we do not have complete lists is only because of a very few of them. Though this list is a basic condition for our work, likewise for any breeding groups (For which populations we will need fast reacting breeding groups, when we do not actually know which species or population is endangered respectively existing in our tanks?), we decided, that we would need someone to act as a kind of supercoordinator, claiming and demanding the data from the coordinators, being even unpleasant some times. Though he isn't unpleasant at all, Nigel Hunter from our British regional group has been consent to do this, after Don Kenwood had suggested him. I promised to hand over to him any accounts of coordinators, as well as accounts of other important breeders and contacts very fast. I also promised to give him lists (as detailed and comprehensive as possible) of species and populations within the regional groups to ease his start. 

Concerning the situation of Goodeids in the wild, I stated, that more or less accidentally infomation about vanishing of habitats or populations is not enough for us, and that we need urgently a better information and cooperation system between the Aqualab in Morelia, other involved Mexican scientists and the supporting groups GWG and Fish Ark Mexico Project. Omar Domínguez remarked, that he is very willing to answer questions and give us information, but he is very occupied with work and is not always thinking about sending information on his own. He would prefer to be asked by the GWG about the situation concerning particular species. We understood his situation, accepted naturally his point of view and postulated, that we would need a kind of "red telephone" connecting the GWG with the Aqualab. Therefore, we would need someone to be on the GWGs end of the line (the Aqualabs end is up to Omar Domínguez). Without hesitating after being nominated by Alain Grioche, Fabien Liberge from the French regional group offered his forces. 

Furthermore we asked Don Kenwood to pass over an accounting of the Fish Ark Mexico work in the past year because at least one president of a hobbyists Aquarum club has been impatient about being not informed what happened last year. Don offered willingly to make a report and talk to this president via Email to smooth him. The cooperation between GWG and Fish Ark Mexico Project has been reinforced.

We postponed the decission about how to form international breeding cooperations till we have complete breeding and species lists from the regional groups. Therafter we will elect target species and populations to start breeding groups. 

I introduced briefly the coming book about Goodeids in German next spring and informed the participants of the Roundtables about the wish of us three editors to use the incoming money in Goodeid conservation. We asked Omar Domínguez to think of projects worth or necessary to be funded and he promissed to send us a list very soon thereabout, including the expected costs. 

With  making our last decision this day, one, we have postponed last year in Barcelona, namely about the status of the GWG - Working Group or association - we ended our Roundtables. The result in this voting has been clear: Working Group. 

The résumé: Within one hour, we made some important decisions for the future, unbureaucratically and ambitiously. A good sign for the future.