Our vision: Freshwater fishes sustained in their natural environments.
In August 2004 a new IUCN SSC/WI Freshwater Fish Specialist Group was initiated to be managed jointly by IUCN/SSC and Wetlands International. Prof. Gordon Reid, Executive Director of Chester Zoo, UK was appointed as the Specialist Group Chair. The group's inaugural meeting was held in 2005 in Chester, UK. Amongst the participants were experts from various organisations and regions including South America, North America, Central America, Africa, South Asia, Oceania, Europe, and Southeast Asia. During this meeting, the group drew up its Mission as follows:
Mission
To achieve conservation and sustainable use of freshwater fishes and their habitats through:
- generating and disseminating sound scientific knowledge;
- creating widespread awareness of their values; and
- influencing decision-making processes at all levels.
At this early stage the management structure of the group and its priorities are still being finalised and membership has been limited to a small core group. Links and modes of interaction with the two other freshwater fish Specialist Groups (Salmon and Sturgeons) are to be discussed shortly.
The Chair is Gordon Mc Gregor Reid.
Programme Officer is Claudine Gibson
News
Global Freshwater Fish Conservation: linking in situ and ex situ actions: 4th International Zoo and Aquarium Symposium in conjunction with the Annual Meeting of the Wetlands International-IUCN SSC Freshwater Fish Specialist Group
(Chester, UK, 4th – 7th November 2010)
The 4th International Zoo and Aquarium Symposium is being held in conjunction with the Annual Meeting of the FFSG. The symposium is being organised by Chester Zoo, ZSL and the FFSG and is endorsed by WAZA. The meeting will be held in Chester, UK from 4th – 7th November 2010 and will take place in the Crowne Plaza Hotel, which is located in the city centre. (Please note: this symposium has been re-scheduled after being postponed in April, due to travel disruption caused by the Icelandic volcano eruption).
Early registration deadline: 30th of July
Abstract Submission deadline: 1st of August
Please contact Claudine Gibson if you wish to register.
More news: Two new species of freshwater fishes discovered in Vanua Levu now internationally recognized. Two new scientific papers have been published in the last several months highlighting the discovery of two new species of freshwater fishes unique to Fiji and only known from two river systems in Vanua Levu. Wetlands International –Oceania staff Aaron Jenkins and Kinikoto Mailautoka, made the new discoveries as part of surveys for the Ecosystem Based Management project over the last several years. For more information, clickhere.