Minutes of the Business Meeting

Chairman's report on the November 13, 1993 Business Meeting of the Desert Fishes Council

The meeting was called to order by Chairman John Rinne at 1:00 p.m.

OLD BUSINESS

TREASURER'S REPORT: Phil Pister indicated that current balance in the DFC interest- bearing checking account is $13,059.27. However, this tends to be a misleading figure, inasmuch as checks to cover symposium expenses are yet to be written, and revenues from registration have not been included in this balance figure. [Note: balance at this writing (January 17, 1994) is $12,533.28. Our major obligation yet to be deducted from this figure is publication of the 1994 Proceedings.] The Treasurer/Executive Secretary feels that we have sufficient funds on hand to conduct the affairs of the Council for the forthcoming year (1994).

COMMUNICATIONS: Letters of regret at not being able to attend the 1993 meeting were received from the Dirección General de Aprovechamiento Ecológico de los Recursos Naturales (Dr. Exequiel Ezcurra) in Mexico City, Bill Kepner, Dave Galat (who survived the Midwest flood unscathed), and Jack Williams. We also received communication from Frances Chisholm, U.S. Vice Consul in Monterrey. Ms. Chisholm attended part of the symposium and the field trip to Cuatrocienegas, providing much- needed transportation for members who otherwise could not have attended. The Council also received a letter of inquiry from KRIM Mohamed, a high school biology teacher in Saida, Algeria, expressing interest in the affairs of the Council. He is organizing a group of his colleagues in an effort "Just to protect and to save animals, and all kinds of natural life." The Executive Secretary responded by greeting our new colleagues from Algeria and sending along a number of reprints, Proceedings Volume 24, and other material describing affairs of the Council. This admirable new group was welcomed into honorary membership, joining members (outside of North America) from the United Kingdom, South Africa, Russia, Italy, and Alabama. A large amount of correspondence was handled by the Executive Secretary in the form of communication to countless high school and elementary school students working on endangered species projects. A form letter describing activities and philosophical direction of the Council has been prepared, and this simplifies the operation. Looking at the big picture, this type of thing is probably the most important work we can accomplish. If we don't have supportive younger year classes, we had just as well pack up and go home! In addition, a strong letter was sent to Senator Dianne Feinstein of California endorsing Senate Bill 21 (the California Desert Protection Act) and requesting her support of a strong Endangered Species Act re-authorization, specifically Senate Bill 921 (Baucus and Chafee).

Bill Berg stated that he is now in a position to make good his 1992 offer to produce for us a DFC membership directory. Members should soon be receiving a letter from Bill in this respect.

NEW BUSINESS

RESOLUTIONS: Five resolutions were presented to the membership for action, as follows: 1. Proposed by W.L. Minckley: Relative to Conservation of Fishes in the Cuatro Ciénegas Basin. Moved by C.O. Minckley, seconded by Clark Hubbs. Passed without dissenting vote. 2. Proposed by Rob Huntley: Relative to Professional / Non- professional Cooperation in Aquatic Conservation. Because of relatively low attendance at the meeting, elements of controversy within the resolution, and a need for broader participation in its discussion, this resolution was tabled until the 1994 meeting in Death Valley. 3. Proposed by Jeff Whitney: Relative to Protection of Endemic Fishes of the Upper Verde River, Arizona. The intent of this resolution will be fulfilled on an interim basis by a letter. It will be suggested to Mr. Whitney that he prepare a broader resolution for presentation at the Council's 1994 symposium. 4. Proposed by Paul Loiselle: Relative to Endorsement and Support by the Desert Fishes Council of an Endangered Fishes Refugium Center at the Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León. Moved by Paul Loiselle, seconded by Bob Love. Passed without dissenting vote. 5. Proposed by Neil Armantrout: Relative to the Commendation of Salvador Contreras and Local Support Personnel in Monterrey for Providing an Excellent Meeting. Moved by Neil Armantrout, seconded by Phil Pister. Passed without dissenting vote.

Texts of the resolutions passed by the Council follow:

RESOLUTION OF THE DESERT FISHES COUNCIL, 1993-1: Relative to conservation of fishes in the Cuatro Ciénegas basin.

WHEREAS the Cuatro Ciénegas basin and its environs in central Coahuila, Mexico, has been internationally recognized as one of the most unique biological areas in North America for many years; and

WHEREAS extractive development within and adjacent to the area, and in the region, remains a threat to its integrity and well- being; and

WHEREAS conservation efforts on behalf of the area and region and its biota are making progress and considerable evidence exists that they will come to fruition; therefore be it

RESOLVED that the Desert Fishes Council, an international society dedicated to the protection of desert aquatic biota, commends and congratulates private, municipal, state, and federal individuals and agencies in Mexico for their efforts and progress to conserve and perpetuate the area; and be it further

RESOLVED that the Desert Fishes Council, as a unit and through actions of its individual members, offers any and all assistance it can muster to further this effort and thus assure maintenance of sustainable local and regional ecosystem(s) in the Cuatro Ciénegas area; and be it further

RESOLVED that the Desert Fishes Council further urges all private, municipal, state and federal individuals and agencies dealing with the Cuatro Ciénegas basin to redouble their efforts so that this showcase of biodiversity for Mexico, the Chihuahuan Desert, and for the World will not be damaged or lost, but will be conserved for future generations.

RESOLUCIÓN DEL CONSEJO DE PECES DEL DESIERTO, 1993-1: Relativo a la conservación de peces en la cuenca Cuatro Ciénegas.

CONSIDERANDO QUE la cuenca Cuatro Ciénegas y sus ambientes en Coahuila central, México, ha sido internacionalmente reconocida como una de las más únicas áreas biológicas en Norte América por muchos años; y

CONSIDERANDO QUE el desarrollo extractivo en Cuatro Ciénegas y áreas adyacentes, y en la región, representa una amenaza a su integridad y existencia; y

CONSIDERANDO QUE los esfuerzos de conservación en favor del área y la región y su biota están haciendo progresos y existe considerable evidencia que llegará a dar frutos;

RESOLVIO que el Consejo de Peces del Desierto, una sociedad internacional dedicada a la protección de la biota acuática del desierto, encomienda y felicita a individuos y agencias privadas, municipales, estatales y federales en México por sus esfuerzos y progresos para conservar y perpetuar el área; también

RESOLVIO que el Consejo de Peces del Desierto, como una unidad y acciones conjuntas de sus miembros, ofrece cualquier y toda la asistencia que pueda brindar para apoyar este esfuerzo y así asegurar el mantenimiento sostenible de el (los) ecosistema(s) locales y regionales en el área de Cuatro Ciénegas; y también

RESOLVIO que el Consejo de Peces del Desierto favorece y exhorta a individuos y agencias privadas, municipales, estatales y federales que se relacionan con la cuenca Cuatro Ciénegas a que redoblen sus esfuerzos para que esta muestra de biodiversidad para México, el Desierto Chihuahuaense, y para el Mundo no sea dañada o perdida, sino conservada para generaciones futuras.

RESOLUTION OF THE DESERT FISHES COUNCIL, 1993-4: Relative to support for the Centro de Resguardo para Peces en Peligro de Extinción and the Laboratorio de Ictiología of the Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León.

WHEREAS the desert region of México supports a speciose ichthyofauna of internationally recognized scientific interest; and

WHEREAS ongoing human activity in this region has resulted in the degradation or total destruction of numerous aquatic habitats and the consequent endangerment or extirpation of their associated fishes; and

WHEREAS promptly implemented captive breeding programs offer the most immediately practical means of conserving many of these endangered species and thus maintaining options for the future restoration of aquatic biodiversity of this region that would otherwise be lost, therefore be it

RESOLVED that the Desert Fishes Council, an international society of professional biologists dedicated to the protection of the aquatic biota of North American deserts, commends and congratulates the Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (UANL), and in particular the School of Biological Sciences for its support to date of the Centro de Resguardo para Peces en Peligro de Extinción and the Laboratorio de Ictiología; and be it further

RESOLVED that the Desert Fishes Council strongly urges the UANL and the School of Biological Sciences to continue its support of the Centro de Resguardo and the Laboratorio de Ictiología at levels that will allow them to respond effectively to the increasing threats to the survival of Mexican fishes with expanded husbandry efforts, and be it further

RESOLVED that this support be extended to the Centro's efforts to educate the Mexican public and thus build the political constituency essential to the implementation of any conservation program through the continuing display of representative desert fishes in the Museo de Historia Natural of the UANL.

RESOLUTION OF THE DESERT FISHES COUNCIL, 1993-5: Relative to the commendation of Dr. Salvador Contreras-Balderas, Dra. Lourdes Lozano-Vilano and the staff of the Laboratorio de Ictiología, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, concerning a most successful symposium on the 25th Anniversary of the Council.

WHEREAS THE Desert Fishes Council is an international professional organization of biologists interested in the conservation of aquatic resources of desert ecosystems, and

WHEREAS the Council has been successful in preserving such aquatic resources and will continue to strive toward the accomplishment of this goal, and

WHEREAS much of this success may be attributed to the international cooperation and information derived from the annual symposium, and

WHEREAS the 25th Annual Symposium was held at the University of Nuevo León in recognition of the role played by the University and the Laboratorio de Ictiología in the accomplishment of the Council's goals, and

WHEREAS Dr. Salvador Contreras-Balderas, Dra. Lourdes Lozano-Vilano, and the staff of the Laboratorio de Ictiología were instrumental in achieving the great success of the 25th Annual Symposium; therefore be it

RESOLVED that the Desert Fishes Council expresses its deep gratitude to all involved in bringing the 25th Annual Symposium to an extraordinarily successful conclusion.

OTHER ITEMS OF NEW BUSINESS: W.L. Minckley had just returned from a meeting of American Rivers in Washington, D.C. and suggested that Council affiliation with the group would be desirable and should be explored. This will be done and followed up on as appropriate.

The question was brought up concerning criteria to be followed for acceptance of papers for presentation at the annual symposium and eventual publication in the Proceedings. It was suggested that we should establish categories for papers, such as Colorado River, desert fishes generally, etc., and that such papers would be presented only at the annual symposium and nowhere else. Furthermore, if paper offerings continue to escalate, it may be necessary to restrict members to only one presentation each year, or each two years. It was the group consensus that concurrent sessions should be avoided. Utilization of posters will be emphasized and encouraged. A committee to handle this problem will be appointed by Chairman Rinne. The 1994 symposium will be held at Furnace Creek, Death Valley National Monument, during the period of November 16- 20, with early registration on the evening of November 16 and field trips to Ash Meadows and other locations on Sunday, November 20. The membership expressed much relief at the more relaxed agenda at Monterrey, with frequent breaks and the business meeting being held during the day (Saturday afternoon in 1993). This is in sharp contrast to the marathon sessions and intense schedule of previous years, which everyone agreed should be abandoned if at all possible. Location of the 1995 meeting was mentioned briefly, but decisions in this respect will be postponed until 1994. We have received two offers to date, and they sound like good ones: Reno, Nevada and Salt Lake City, Utah, both of which offer excellent meeting facilities, airports, potential field trips, and enthusiastic local support. More on this in Death Valley.

STUDENT PAPER AWARDS: As is the Council's custom, final item of the business meeting was presentation of student paper awards, as follows: Carl L. Hubbs Award for best student paper presented at the Symposium: Jose Abraham Cabrera Feregrino: Contribución a la ontogenia y reproducción del Poecilido Poecilia petenense / Contribution to the reproduction and ontogeny of the Poeciliid Poecilia petenense. Frances Hubbs Miller Award for best paper presented by a Mexican student: Javier Muraira- Alvarado: Comparación de cuatro poblaciones de Xiphophorus couchianus mediante la evaluación de parámetros biológicos / Comparison of four populations of Xiphophorus couchianus by means of biological parameters. The Council extends its heartiest congratulations to both students for their excellent contributions to the conservation biology of these two fishes!

The business meeting was adjourned by Chairman Rinne at 5:00 p.m.

Phil Pister, P.O. Box 337, Bishop, CA 93515

January 19, 1994

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