Hi Michael, Yes, I am interested in joining the SCRFA. Please send me info about the meetings in Bali in October. Thanks, Jenny O
Dr Jenny Ovenden, Molecular Fisheries Laboratory Southern Fisheries Centre, PO Box 76 (13 Beach Road) Deception Bay 4508 Qld AUSTRALIA email [log in to unmask] Ph (07) 3817 9585; Fax (07) 3817 9555
> -----Original Message----- > From: [log in to unmask] [SMTP:[log in to unmask]] > Sent: Friday, 25 August 2000 9:41 > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Society for the Conservation of Reef Fish Aggregations > > THE SOCIETY FOR THE CONSERVATION OF REEF FISH AGGREGATIONS > > On 21 June 2000, La Paz, Mexico, was the venue for a symposium entitled > The > Importance of Spawning Aggregations in the Lives of Reef Fishes. The > symposium, as part of the annual meeting of the American Society of > Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, drew experts from around the world's > oceans. It was the first opportunity in many years for scientists working > in > this area to gather and share their knowledge and experience. This > gathering > proved to be the catalyst for several informal meetings where scientists > and > marine resource managers voiced their collective concern for the dire need > to > better manage reef fish spawning aggregations. By the end of the > symposium, > this group had decided to join in a formal partnership based on the idea > that > together we can raise awareness and develop initiatives to better manage > reef > fish spawning aggregations as a valuable and irreplaceable resource. This > new partnership, the Society for the Conservatio > n of Reef Fish Aggregations > (SCRFA), has formed based on a common belief in the following Mission > Statement. > > Mission Statement: > > The Society for the Conservation of Reef fish Aggregations (SCRFA) strives > to > promote and facilitate the international conservation and management of > reef > fish spawning aggregations. > > Through the announcement of SCRFA, we hope to recruit a diverse > membership, > attracting representatives from regulatory bodies, NGO's, scientists, > fishery > managers, educators and the private sector. Together this membership will > directly support, promote, influence and facilitate relevant initiatives > as > an independent body. Activities to be developed, or promoted by SCRFA will > range from ongoing documentation of aggregation status throughout the > tropics, facilitation of the development of appropriate fishery specific > management approaches, conservation and management policy, and awareness > raising. Fundraising initiatives will be directed to these various > activities. For those who may have an interest in SCRFA, we have provided > below some basic background information regarding reef fish spawning > aggregations. A second meeting is now being scheduled to take place in > October during the 9th ICRS meetings in Bali, Indonesia. If you are > interested in participating in SCRFA, please reply to this message and > provide your contact information to be placed on the email list. > > > SPAWNING AGGREGATIONS: DEFINITION, IMPORTANCE AND VULNERABILITY > > Many reef fishes are known to aggregate in large numbers at specific times > and places to reproduce. These spawning aggregation sites are often > located > at the outer reef edge or reef passes. Some sites may be used by many > species, either simultaneously or at different times of day, month or > year. > Once they have been discovered, the predictable nature of these > aggregations > makes them extremely vulnerable to overexploitation. Overfishing has > already > depleted a substantial number of such reproductive gatherings in the > Caribbean. Although scientific documentation is lacking for Asia-Pacific, > considerable anecdotal evidence also suggests that many spawning > aggregations > of groupers (Serranidae) are systematically being destroyed by the live > reef > food fish trade, especially in Indonesia and the western Pacific. Many > remaining aggregations throughout the tropics are seriously depleted and > may > soon disappear if they are not quickly protected. These aggregations are > bottlenecks in the lives of many reef fish species, their conservation is > critical for the persistence of the populations that form them and many > are > in urgent need of protection. > > Aggregating species of reef fish could be protected by site-based > management > or by incorporating the aggregation site into marine protected areas. > Alternatively, fishing closures during the brief annual spawning > aggregation > periods might be an effective approach. There is presently little > awareness > of this problem, very little incorporation of the aggregation phenomenon > into > fishery management plans, and no comprehensive global conservation > strategy > to address aggregation protection. Improvement in these areas is the > founding strategy of SCRFA. > > Contact: Michael L. Domeier, Ph.D., President, Pfleger Institute of > Environmental Research, 1400 North Pacific Street, Oceanside, CA 920554 > USA > [log in to unmask] (760) 721-1440 > > ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> > To leave the Fish-Sci list, Send blank message to: > mailto:[log in to unmask] > For information send INFO FISH-SCI to [log in to unmask] > ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> To leave the Fish-Sci list, Send blank message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] For information send INFO FISH-SCI to [log in to unmask] ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
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