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 thues writes "
by Thue Grum-Schwensen, Poecilia Scandinavia
translated by Michael Larsen, Poecilia Scandinavia
This article was previously published in Poecilia Bladet no. 1 in 2006. Poecilia Scandinavia – the Scandinavian Society for livebearing fishes, publishes this magazine.
The large projects to save some of the endangered fish species in Mexico – not at least amongst the goodeids - are developing.
We have maybe heard a little bit about them: the Fish Ark, Aqua lab and so on. They are all located in the Mexican million city of Morelia approx 320 kilometers north west of Mexico City and are all closely related to the University of Michoacán in Morelia.
In Mexico biological institutes at three Universities are covering the local animal and plant life. But of course you have biological institutes at more universities.
The University of Michoacán covers the mountainous middle region of Mexico (by the way including the giant city of Mexico City). The middle region of Mexico is at the same time the region with the highest population density which happened to be one of the main causes that this special animal and plant life is highly endangered.
A lot of members of Poecilia or other societies might primarily think of livebearing fishes - but there are plenty of other fish in the area for other aquarists.
But for livebearer enthusiasts: A whole independent family (except from four egg laying species in USA) lives endemically in that part of Mexico, which the biologists in Morelia have under their area. It is the Goodeids (Goodeidae) which, amongst other things, are known for giving birth to young ones with umbilical cord and for being the fishes, in terms of reproduction biology, that comes closest to the mammals – the young ones develops inside the female, getting nourishment via a form of umbilical cord from something which resembles a placenta. Here ends the similarities with mammals then, but for the fish world it is pretty remarkable and unique.
A LOT OF ENDANGERED ANIMALS
This unique family is endangered – and this has been the starting point for the rescue operation, which was initiated by the University of Morelia. But the rescue operation is not just about these special fishes. Other fish species – amongst others livebearers from the family Poecilidae, but also small carps and others – are threatened. This also goes for amphibians, Axolotl's, special crayfish and many other water living animals, which is an increasing part of the University's work. Numerous of these animals are also endemic – and in the whole world only lives in this part of Mexico or maybe even only a part of this area.
The rescue operation includes research, breeding (in the before mentioned Aqua-lab) and attempts to change the conditions in nature so that the animals can survive – reduce the pollution or stop the draining so that the water levels in the lakes and streams will revert to previous levels. Some places with the intention of afterwards reintroducing the endangered fishes. The first reintroducing will according to plan take place later this year.
The operation is partly done in cooperation with aquarists from both Europe and the United States. In that work Ivan Dibble has been the pioneer and that part of the work was named "the Fisk-Ark" Here Poecilia Scandinavia is a part of that along with the other livebearer societies in the world.
It is very complex to work with nature restoration and the reintroduction of fish and other animals afterwards, says biologist Omar Dominguez from the University of Morelia, Mexico
Not of least because it interacts with the livelihood of people. If the draining of water from one of the great lakes is stopped that will lead to less water for irrigation and thus less production in agriculture – and here we are talking about a lot of small farmers. On the other hand the draining of water cannot continue infinitely. Several places all the water has already disappeared and then the small farmer gets hit again.
- That is why we under all circumstances have to think in alternative job possibilities and in different ways of producing food. We cannot just take the livelihood away from the poor people in Mexico – without giving them something to replace it with, says Omar Dominguez.
One of the possibilities that are being investigating in this respect is the possibility to change from for example agriculture to providing ecotourism.
The Success's
A lot have been achieved. The draining of some of the biggest lakes has stopped or reduced and the water levels are slowly recovering and are on the raise again. Not least in the biggest lake in Mexico, Lake Chapas on the border between the states of Michoacan (where Morelia is the capital) and Jalisco.
In some place it is even managed to minimize or remove the pollution.
To begin with the University participates in a project concerning a lake near Morelia where cooperation is established with the local fishermen, authorities and many others. It is here according to the plan where fish will be reintroduced (and amphibians also) during this year. But more projects further away from Morelia and the University are also under way.
I think that it is a very important project. Also because we can make a connection between us aquarists, which keeps fish as a hobby and the researchers, says Ivan Dibble who is the pioneer for the whole Fish-Ark project.
He emphasizes that he basically his whole life have worked with livebearers and other ornamental fishes.
- After I realized that some of the fish that we work with is faced with some serious problems in the wild and that there actually were scientists which worked both locally in Mexico and also beyond, it has been a goal of mine to create a cooperation between the hobby and research community, says Ivan Dibble and adds that he wants to give some of the many joys that he have had with the fishes back to the fish and the nature.
According to him the aquarists can help in two ways: Raising and maintaining strains of endangered fish species as fore instance the Goodeids species. This requires that you know the capture site and location as the same species can have great variations from one location to another. In some cases it has actually been the hobbyists which has been able to supply the biologists in fore example Morelia with the documented breeding materials for the breeding program (Aqua-Lab) that the University and the biologists have build up in Morelia.
The second way to help is to support the cooperation project "the Fish-Ark" – also financially. Aquarium societies and other likeminded people can do the latter by joining the project, which is easily done by contacting Ivan Dibble.
Omar Dominguez points to yet another area were aquarists could help
- We have places in Mexico where we have small indigenous populations of one species and where we have had so much success with the environmental side of our effort that the species now have a reel change of survival. We would like to appeal to the aquarists, which comes to Mexico to catch their own fish that these places are left alone and no fishes are caught there. In some cases they might be able to obtain the species through Morelia or else you might have to do without that specific species, he says and adds:
- Aquarists all over the world are very important for us in our work. They can be, and have in many ways been a great help for us. But worst-case scenario, it is going to be them, which ruins it all.
The Poecilia Bladet talked with Omar Dominguez and Ivan Dibble at the British Livebearers Associations meeting in Derby, England.
Picture text: Thue Grum-Schwensen is interviewing Omar Dominguez and Ivan Dibble. Photo: Kai Qvist
Picture text: Ivan Dibble has always wanted cooperation between hobby and science concerning endangered fishes – and he is halfway there. Photo: Kai Qvist
Picture text: Omar Dominguez from University at Morelia, Mexico, is deeply involved in work and research, especially goodeids. Photo: Kai Qvist
Picture text: A small glimpse from the breeding facility at the University at Morelia, Mexico. It is here that systematically breeding of fishes are being done, both endangered and not. Photo: Ivan Dibble
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Posted on Tuesday, June 06 @ 13:31:50 CDT by goodeids |
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