CARES Preservation Program
Introducion to CARES
Founded in 2004, the CARES (Conservation, Awareness, Recognition and Responsibility, Encouragement and Education, and Support and Sharing) Preservation Program is based on the critical and timely significance of conservation, educating the public and bringing awareness as hobbyists to the issues involved, public recognition of members, our responsibilities as fishkeepers, member encouragement, sharing of fish and data, and support for those who take part in playing a vital role in ensuring a positive future for species at risk. The purpose of the CARES Preservation Program is to encourage hobbyists worldwide to devote tank space to one or more species at risk and distribute offspring to fellow qualified hobbyists, while forming an information network where possible between aquarists, scientists, and conservationists.
Purpose
The purpose of the CARES Preservation Program is to create a base stock of conservation priority species through encouraging hobbyists worldwide to devote tank space to one or more species at risk and distribute offspring to fellow qualified hobbyists, while forming an information network where possible between aquarists, scientists, and conservationists.
CARES has four major goals:
1) to bring awareness to the critical situation of fish in nature, while educating the public and stressing the importance of our roles as responsible aquarists;
2) to recognize, encourage, and offer support to hobbyists who maintain species at risk;
3) to share fish as well as data and experiences through notes and manuscripts so that others may learn to maintain those identical and similar species; and
4) to preserve species at risk for future generations.
Conservation Awareness Program
The purpose of the Conservation Awareness Program is to work alongside the CARES Preservation Program to create a base stock of conservation priority species through encouraging hobbyists to devote tank space to one or more species at risk and distribute offspring to fellow qualified hobbyists, while forming an information network between aquarists, scientists, and conservationists.
Objectives:
1. to bring awareness to the critical situation of fish in nature, while educating the public and stressing the importance of our roles as responsible aquarists;
2. to recognize, encourage, and offer support to hobbyists who maintain species at risk;
to share fish as well as data and experiences through notes and manuscripts so that others may learn to maintain those identical and similar species;
3. to preserve species at risk for future generations.
Regulations:
1. Participants must be BFKA members in good standing
2. All information on the Species Registration Form must be complete. If you are missing information please contact the CAP Support Team.
3. A clear photo of your CAP Species must be submitted for identification.
4. You must submit a new form for each species you would like to register.
5. Each quarter you will be contacted by the CAP Support Team to see if you are still keeping your Registered Species. It’s ok if you’re no longer working with that species. This information simply needs to be updated regularly in the Master Database. Failure to reply to requests for a status of your registered species may result in losing your registration as CARES or CAP species.
6. Species may be eligible for both CAP and CARES registration while others may only be eligible for CAP registration.
7. Entities submitted to CAP that are deemed potentially eligible for CARES registration will also be submitted to CARES for approval.
8. CAP chairperson has final say concerning CAP. CARES team have final say on CARES registration.
9. The BFKA Conservation Awareness Program has a point system, similar to BAP:
Points System
Awards / Titles
