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Andrew Blumhagen and Dave Snell of the Potomac Valley Aquarium Society (PVAS, my home club) contacted me with the idea of having the PVAS sponsor a Catfish Convention. I would like to get a feel for the general level of interest. The meeting would be held in the greater Washington DC area which is pretty central for the East Coast and easy to get to from anywhere in the country. Also, non fish spouses and and other friends could spend the weekend exploring DC.
I also want to know who you would like to see as speakers. Dave suggested 5-7 total speakers. I look forward to your responses. Can the US catfish hobbyists support a national convention? Could we do the catfish equivelant of the American Cichlid Association's annual meeting?
-Shane

Are the speakers from within the US only. or are they thinking of inviting speakers from overseas ?
Will try my best to make it (depending on my wife's schedule), but after three iterations of trying to start a North American catfish club, I'm a little skeptical.

Heok Hee,
I share your skepticism, as the US catfish hobbyists seem to fail at everything they try with regrads to organizing. The difference here is that we have a large well organized fish club that is willing to host the event. We are not trying to start something from scratch. I think a few speakers from overseas would be possible, but there are funding issues to be overcome if we are talking about many (or most) speakers coming from overseas.
-Shane

Well, I'll try my darndest to make it. Always wanted to go back to That Fish Place. You going to be there, Shane?
Here's a suggestion for a speaker: Ian Fuller.

Hey Guys

I'm already booked for Brooklyn, April 11th and Ohio C*****d in November 20 -23.

But I'll come anyway If I can

Ian

Ian,

My dad and I are looking forward to seeing you at the Brooklyn meeting!

Rusty

HH,
My plan is to be there as a speaker (I was asked). I would love to see you give a presentation as well. What about a joint Bagridae presentation? I have lots of slides.
-Shane

Hope my name wasn't mentioned as a speaker to the organizers . It's not that I don't want to give a talk, it's just that I'm afraid of committing and then not be able to make it.
I have enough slides to be able to give a general Asian catfish presentation, or on any of the Asian catfish families. Better yet, I should have slides of my field work to China/India by then and can give a talk on Chinese/Indian catfishes.

Rusty

I am lookingforward to the trip and meeting some of you guys.

Ian

The Dignalls should be able to make it and I will be happy to speak on various collecting trips, planetcatfish topics.

Jools

You guys ever thinking about organizing such a thing on mainland Europe, somewhere in the future?
greetings
Sid

SG_Eurystomus wrote:You guys ever thinking about organizing such a thing on mainland Europe, somewhere in the future?
greetings
Sid

Why mainland Europe? Given that most people would probably fly in, why exclude the CSG convention as the logical gathering point. It is after all only a short distance from Manchester airport?

Jools

I think It'd be a great idea, but Washington DC has me a bit concerned as I'd prefer not to go there. But I do understand it's central local for those on the coast. Don't suppose anything further west could be in order to help out all of us in the Midwest I suppose Chicago, Milwaukee, Detroit, Indianapolis and Cleveland are all too far West but what about something like Pittsburgh, Columbus or Charleston? But I understand if the Potomac club wishes to have this event then it'd be probably impossible to move it outside of their range
I'd like to see Ingo as I was unable to make it to this years OCA extravaganza.

There's my 2 cents
Andy

Hello all,
I've been kind of sneaking around to kind of keep the email volume down, but I this is something that I've dreamed about for several years now. You could definitely count me in. You can also feel free to get in touch if the club is interested in a presentation.
P.S. It's nice to finally get a chance to get back into the community. Keep me posted.

Larry Vires

I'll be there.

Andy (CARTMAN) you really have no excuse, Northwest Airlines flys direct from Mpls to DC!

Larry, good to see you back in the loop. Don't know if you've noticed, Cat-L is mostly static. All the traffic seems to haved moved here.

BTW: The general consensus at the OCA Extravaganza (nonscientific poll at Midnight in the hospitality suite mind you!) is that you'll likely draw most of the ACA/OCA (even ALA) regulars as most of them keep cats too. This has huge potential! Have they settled on a date/location yet?

Paul (and others),
This is the latest I have but, I keep pestering Andrew for the "Official" news release so that I can post here. I have seen the "tenative" schedule and it looks awesome. They are trying to put together several excursions in conjunction with the event. Some ideas are a madtom collecting trip, behind the scenes at the Smithsonian, and behind the scenes at the National Aquarium in Baltimore. I know all the PVAS folks are working hard trying to nail everything down so that they can get a final schedule out.
I too think that this has massive potential both nationally and internationally.
Besides, who does not want to put down a few pints with Lee, Ian, Ingo, and the rest? If Jools makes it we will have the entire crew of Expedicion Corroncho (Venezuela 2002). Now I will have to do something special for that reunion. I am just jealous that you'll all be enjoying the banquet while I have to stand up there and be entertaining!
-Shane


Speakers for the convention and most likely presentations:

Lee Finley: A History of Catfishes in the Aquarium Hobby

Ian Fuller: (topic yet to be determined)

Ng Heok Hee: 1. Asian Hillstream Catfishes AND 2. Collecting Catfishes in Sumatra and India

Ron Nielson: Catfishes of Africa

Ingo Seidel: 1. The Mouthbrooding Catfishes of Loricariid Subfamily Loricariinae AND 2. The Loricariid Catfishes of Subfamily Ancistrinae: Ecology, Care and Breeding in Captivity

J.R. Shute (not yet confirmed): North American Madtom Catfishes

Stan Wietzman: Hearing in Catfishes: The Remarkable Ear Horn of Otocinclus

Shane Linder: Collecting Catfishes in Venezuela and Colombia (Banquet Talk)

Forum: Breeding Corydoras featuring Eric Bodrock, Ian Fuller, Don Kinyon and Mark Soberman

Dates are 15-17 October 2004 and PVAS is looking at trying to put together a number of very cool excursions and an auction on Sunday.

This may be one of the best speaker line ups ever to appear at one convention. I am also looking forward to seeing some old friends and hopefully meeting many of you in the flesh.

I'll keep the updates coming.
-Shane

I'll be there too. This sounds great! Keep the info coming.