Our Speaker this evening will be Michael Lucas

Title of Presentation:  Collecting Native Fish

About the Speaker:

Keeping, breeding, collecting and appreciating fishes began as a young child under the influence of my parents and uncle who were all tropical fish keepers and breeders. My favorite pastime was sitting in my uncle’s fish room reading TFH and Aquarium Magazine articles on expeditions all over the world. Not imagining that I might ever get to the Amazon, I started sampling my local water bodies and found our natives were as amazing as any tropicals with the benefit of no head hunters to contend with.  Eventually I discovered and joined NANFA, shocked that there were others keeping natives.

I’m currently the Eastern NY NANFA Rep. and have contributed several articles for “American Currents” our group’s publication. I’m also the president of UNYKA, Upstate NY Killifish Association and member of several national and regional Aquarium Associations.  I’ve collected in most states east of the Rockies.  Finally on my retirement, I fulfilled a lifelong dream of a collecting expedition to the wild Amazon.  While I enjoy the great diversity of aquatic life worldwide, I remain amazed at what can be found in our native waters and how relatively obscure our native fishes seem to be.