In the very last days of the 2022 CITES CoP, Brazil proposed listing Hypancistrus zebra, the Zebra Pleco, under Appendix II. This amendment was accepted and passed, meaning the Zebra Pleco will now be subject to international trade restrictions.
The 19th CoP occurs November 14-26, 2022, in Panama City, Panama. At this CoP, the government of Brazil has submitted a proposal to uplist H. zebra from the least restrictive CITES listing on Appendix III, to Appendix I, which is the most restrictive CITES listing. Some argue that the new proposals will lead to increased demand for illegally harvested and smuggled specimens of Zebra Pleco.
On the agenda for the meeting, which looks at ways to ensure the sustainable trade in wildlife, are several items that would affect the global ornamental fish trade, including plans to move Zebra pleco (Hypancistrus zebra) from Appendix III to Appendix I – the highest level of restriction – and to put a number of freshwater stingray (Potamotrygon spp.) onto Appendix II.
With the help of local children, a team of conservationists has released more than 1,000 golden skiffia (Skiffia francesae), a freshwater fish found only in Mexico, into the species’ native range in the Teuchitlán River, Jalisco.
More than two dozen years since the golden skiffia (Skiffia francesae) disappeared from its only natural habitat in Mexico, a team of conservationists will release the species back into the wild.
Now Streaming on Peacock – Follow BZ and I.M. Tiger, two tropical fish who accidentally land in the deep end of a magical pond. They soon meet Jam, a new friend who sweeps them away on a series of unbelievable adventures full of hidden realms, crazy monsters, and ancient mysteries. Along the way, these friends will learn that growing up is the wildest ride of all!
Aquarists, retailers, and the entire pet trade, may be able to relax for a minute with the news that proposed Lacey Act amendments may be tabled for the remainder of this current Congressional session.
Aquarists in Winnipeg, Canada were facing a near total ban on aquarium livestock under proposed revisions to the city’s Responsible Pet Ownership Bylaws. PIJAC Canada reports that these efforts were recently defeated.
We look back at the first-ever Aquatic Expo, hosted by the Marine Aquarium Societies of North America. The convention and show was held in Atlanta, Georgia, on April 2-3, 2022. The event was unique for MASNA in that it sought to include the freshwater side of the aquarium hobby.
Since the 2020 Global Pet Expo was the last aquatic event we attended before the COVID-19 Pandemic set in, it seems only fitting that the 2022 Global Pet Expo would be the first event that we attended in this post-vaccination world we now live in. What follows is a pictorial look at some of the aquatics-related highlights, as captured through the lens of Alex Rose.
