RE: NANFA-- Aug 72 TFH
Jay DeLong (thirdwind_at_att.net)
Sat, 16 Sep 2000 22:38:22 -0700
Here's why I'd like that issue of TFH. It predates NANFA and contains
an
article from John Bondhus about the upcoming establishment of NANFA.
Here's
an article from AC in 1978 where I read about it:
Thank You, John Bondhus
By Mark Gottlob
The Winter Weekend Workshop 1978 was such a success for NANFA that it
caused
Dick Stober and myself to reflect on the organization's history. As
charter
members we both remember our meager beginnings and realize just how
far
NANFA hascome in the last six years. We also remember who we have to
thank
for making our organization a reality: John Bondhus. The general
consensus
at the workshop was that John was the most missed member. Many of us
were
meeting each other for the first time. It was so much fun meeting people
who
we had worked with and read articles by for many years it is not hard
to
understand why John was missed.
Like many of us who collect native fish, John wished that there were a
guide
to native fish with color photographs, keys, range and habitat
descriptions,
and maintenance and breeding information for each North American
species.
With determination John organ-ized a national society to make his desire
a
reality. The result is the North American Native Fish Association. I
first
heard about John's idea for an organization when I read a one page
article
in the August, 1972 Tropical Fish Hobbyist by John. After an
introduction
extolling the virtues of several native fish, John stated his and
other
aquarists' desire to start an association dedi-cated to native fish.
Since that time John has organized NANFA, served as its first
president;
published the first American Currents; written many fine articles; made
his
extensive personal library available to the membership; is serving as
secretary; started a slide collection; and copied and mailed, at his
own
expense, hundreds of pages of information to interested members. In
other
words, there wouldn't be a NANFA without John Bondhus. John's greatest
feat
of leadership occured in the four months between the time his article
appeared in TFH and the first of 1973. In that short period of time
John
gathered forty-eight charter members, or-ganized them with an active
Board
of Directors and eight com-mittees and with a newly purchased offset
press
published the inaugural issue of the American Currents. John opened
his
first president's report with this apology: "Hello there, well we
finally,
got our first issue to the world of aquarists. Having had a slow start,
this
inaugural issue will be the only issue in 1972." That was enough to
get
things started.
This first issue also included a detailed and illustrated article on
the
northern pike. Since then John has published many articles including:
"Catfish and Bullheads" (vol. 1 no. 1), "Collecting Native
Fish" (vol. 1 no.
2), "Native Sunfish and Bass in Aquariums" (vol. 1 no. 4),
"Locating
Literature Sources" (vol. 3 no. 1) and "Distribution of
Fishes" (vol. 3 no.
2). John's articles are always thorough and well written. It is worth
completing your set of American Currents just to read them.
I know I speak for all of our growing membership new and old timers
alike
when I thank you for NANFA, it has meant a lot to all of us.
--
Jay DeLong
Olympia, WA
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-nanfa_at_aquaria.net On Behalf
> Of Jay DeLong
> Sent: Saturday, September 16, 2000 4:35 PM
> To: nanfa_at_aquaria.net
> Subject: NANFA-- Aug 72 TFH
>
>
> Does anyone have the August 1972 Tropical Fish Hobbyist for sale
> or loan? I would VERY much like to see that
issue.
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