Meeting Announcement - Desert Fishes Council 1999

Location	Accommodations	Transportation	Registration	Presentations
Area Reports	Awards	Travel Grants	Resolutions	Field Trips

The 31st annual meeting of the DESERT FISHES COUNCIL (DFC) will be held 18 to 21 November, 1999 (Thursday - Sunday) in Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas, México. The local committee is chaired by Francisco J. García de León (Instituto Tecnológico de Ciudad Victoria). Registration begins Wednesday 17 November starting at 16:00, and there is an informal ice breaker (rompe hielos) that night. Thursday 18 paper sessions begin with an introduction and agency reports. Technical sessions and other social events continue through Saturday PM. The DFC banquet will be on the afternoon of Friday 19 and field trips are planned for Sunday the 21st. Hotel Everest will be the site of the event, in the center of Ciudad Victoria.

TRANSPORTATION - Ciudad Victoria is serviced daily by Mexican airlines from Matamoros and México City. AeroCalifornia (Tel (131) 4-25-00) y Aeromar (Tel (131) 6-93-55) have daily flights at 7:00 a.m. from Matamoros and there is an evening flight at 21:05 (AeroCalifornia). Aeromar flies at 7:05 am and 2:10 PM from México City to Victoria, and there's taxi service from the airport to the hotel. One can also travel by road from any Texas border city; Eagle Pass, Laredo (316 miles north of Victoria), McAllen (208 miles north of Victoria) or Brownsville (196 miles north of Victoria). The more easily traveled routes are from Laredo and Eagle Pass, passing through Monterrey on interstate highway 85 south, and from McAllen and Brownsville taking the recently repaired highway 180 south and continuing on 101 south to Victoria. Transpais has a toll free phone number, and provides excellent bus service. Ticket prices and schedules can be obtained at 01 800 713-1000 from any Mexican city. Those wishing to car pool should use the Bulletin Board to find or offer rides.

A Mercedes Benz first class 36-passenger bus with air conditioning, T.V., VCR and bathroom will be rented if an adequate number of persons reserve seats by sending their advance payment with pre-registration. The bus will travel from Brownsville, Texas to Cd. Victoria on the 17th of November, 1999 and return from Cd. Victoria to Brownsville on the 23rd of November, 1999 (after the field trips). Cost per person will be $30 round trip. Reservations will be made in order of receipt of payment, and refunds sent promptly should inadequate numbers make reservations to make this service possible. Details regarding how to get from the airport to the bus, departure times, etc. will be provided well in advance of the meeting to those who make reservations.

A REGISTRATION FORM must be received no later than 1 September to avoid paying late registration fees. Cancellations will be possible until 1 November with a $5.00 US charge. DFC membership and pre-registration are required for acceptance of abstracts.

Contributed papers and posters should be contributions toward the mission of the Desert Fishes Council. No oral papers or posters will be accepted or put on the program without an abstract submitted in the required format (see instructions in the following paragraph) prior to the deadline, preregistration, and dues payment for the 1999 calendar year by the 1 September 1999 deadline. Space in the program is limited. Papers will be scheduled in order of receipt until the program is filled.

ONLY DFC MEMBERS MAY PRESENT PAPERS OR POSTERS. Oral presentation will be limited to 15 minutes (including questions and answers). Each presenter is limited to only one presentation. Poster presentations are recommended. Abstracts will be received in electronic format until Wednesday 1 September. No presentations will be scheduled without receipt of a) a correctly formatted abstract, b) Pre-registration of the presenter, c) DFC membership dues payment for 1999. Space is limited and order of receipt will determine acceptance and programming of presentations. Use the Web form (http://www.desertfishes.org/meetings/dfc_abstract_form.html) to submit abstracts. Report any problems with the form to Dean Hendrickson (tel.: (512) 471-9774; FAX (512) 471-9775; e-mail: webmaster at desertfishes dot org ). Those without access to the WWW should send their abstracts by e-mail or on disk to:

Dr. Francisco Javier García de León
Presidente del comité local del 31ero. Congreso Anual del CPD
Laboratorio de Zoología
Instituto Tecnológico de Cd. Victoria
Blvd. Emilio Portes Gil. No. 1301. Pte.
Cd. Victoria Tamaulipas, México C.P. 87010
Tel. (131) 3-29-90 Fax: (131) 3-06-63
garciadl_at_tamps1.telmex.net.mx

Hard copy delivery of abstracts is limited to those without access to computers and must be approved by the local committee prior to submission.

SYMPOSIUM - Those interested in proposing symposia for the meeting are asked to send a brief proposal to the local organizer, Dr. García de León (address above).

AREA REPORTS are coordinated by eco-region. Agency offices and other organizations wishing to contribute information to these reports should contact the appropriate Area coordinator. Coordinators will also contact selected agency offices in their areas to solicit reports. For additional information contact Nadine Kanim (Tel (530) 842-5763; nadine_kanim_at_fws.gov).

AWARDS are given annually for the best paper presented by a student. STUDENT MEMBERS may compete in either or both of two categories: The Carl L. Hubbs (best student paper) and Frances Hubbs Miller (best paper presented by a Mexican student). Students competing for an award should indicate this when submitting their abstract.

TRAVEL GRANTS are available to help defray travel costs for presenters. Students and Mexican nationals are given preference. The number and amounts of awards vary annually, but generally 4 or 5 grants of $200 to $400 US are given. To obtain a grant application form contact Phil Pister (Tel./ fax: (760)-872-8751; phil at desertfishes dot org ) before 1 August 1999. Applications must be received by the 21st of August.

MEETING RESOLUTIONS should be submitted exactly as are abstracts (above) by the same deadline.

1.- The magnificent mountain cloud forest "El Cielo", which is a Biosphere Reserve and considered a high priority conservation area by the Mexican government. The trip includes round trip transportation from Cd. Victoria, meal, 2 days of explorations in the forest, guide, interpreter, housing in cabins and travel insurance. Space is limited to 30 persons. It's advisable to be in good physical condition for the walking that will be required. COSTS (per person): $100.00 US double room; $70.00 quadruple. DEPARTURE: 5:00 A.M. from Hotel Everest 21 November; RETURN: 10:00 P.M. to Hotel Everest 22 November.

2.- El Nacimiento del Río Frío (Río Frío Springs) in Gómez Farías and the caves above them. Near here are localities for cave fishes (Astyanax and Prietella). The excursion includes round trip travel to Cd. Mante, one day walking explorations with bathing in the large spring run possible, a fruit bag, dinner in a typical regional restaurant serving traditional freshwater shrimp, guide, interpreter and travel insurance. Space is limited to 38 persons. COSTS (per person): $40.00 US. DEPARTURE: 8:00 A.M. from Hotel Everest 21 November; RETURN: 10:00 P.M. to Hotel Everest the same day.

3.- Nacimiento del Río Corona (Río Corona Springs), also known as El Salto del Tigre en Santa Engracia, in the municipality of Hidalgo, Tamaulipas. The excursion consists of round trip transport to Sta. Engracia, a walking tour to different springs with the possibility of bathing in the pools, guide, interpreter, travel insurance and dinner at a famous restaurant, la Ex - Hacienda de Santa Engracia. Space limited to 38 persons. It's advisable to be in good physical condition for the walks. COSTS (per person): $35.00 US. DEPARTURE: 8:00 A.M. from Hotel Everest 21 November; RETURN: 10:00 P.M. to Hotel Everest the same day.

4.- Additionally, if you like angling for largemouth bass (lobina negra), bring your tackle because the widely renowned Vicente Guerrero reservoir, trophy bass habitat is just outside of Victoria. Visit on your own.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE MEETING will be distributed via the e-mail list of the DFC ( DFC-L). Subscribe by sending an e-mail to LISTPROC_at_MCFEELEY.CC.UTEXAS.EDU. The body of the message should contain only the line "subscribe DFC-L Firstname Lastname" (with your own name where indicated and without quotes). Subscribe now if you wish to receive updates.

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