113 replies to this topic

[Drew]

<p>NANFA invites you to attend the 2011 NANFA Convention beingheld at the Holiday Inn-Roanoke in the beautiful Roanoke Valley. This area of Virginia allows for a great diversity of species with the New River, James River, and Roanoke River in close proximity.</p>
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Registration
<p>Registration for this year's event is $70.00, which includes attendance at the presentation, dinner, auction, and the weekend fields trips. Door registration and late registration after April 25 will be $80.00. Student and spouse registration is $35.00. A special rate of $15 is also available to those that just wish to attend the daytime presentations.
<br><br>

You can register by sending a check payable to NANFA to :

<br><br>

NANFA<br>
P.O.Box 1596<br>
Milton,WA 98354-1596

<br>
Please write "2011 Convention" in the memo.
<br>
Paypal registration will also be available on the NANFA website.
</p>
<br>
Schedule
<p>

<table>



<tr><td colspan="2">Thursday, May 19</td></tr>



<tr><td width="200">12:00pm – 5:00pm</td><td>Door Registration and Sign-In </td></tr>



<tr><td>7:00pm – 10:00pm</td><td>Hospitality Suite open for gathering</td></tr>



<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr>



<tr><td colspan="2">Friday, May 20</td></tr>



<tr><td>9:00am – 12:00pm</td><td>Morning Presentations (Detailed schedule forthcoming)</td></tr>



<tr><td>12:00pm – 1:00pm</td><td>Lunch on your own</td></tr>



<tr><td>1:00pm – 5:00pm</td><td>Afternoon Presentations (Detailed schedule forthcoming)</td></tr>



<tr><td>5:00pm – 7:00pm</td><td>Group Dinner</td></tr>



<tr><td>7:30pm – 9:00pm</td><td>NANFA Auction back at hotel</td></tr>



<tr><td>9:00pm – 10:00pm</td><td>Hospitality Suite open for gathering</td></tr>



<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr>



<tr><td colspan="2">Saturday, May 21</td></tr>



<tr><td>8:00am – 7:00pm</td><td>Field Trips (Details forthcoming)</td></tr>



<tr><td>7:00pm – 10:00pm</td><td>Hospitality Suite open for gathering </td></tr>



<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr>



<tr><td colspan="2">Sunday, May 22</td></tr>



<tr><td>8:00am - ?</td><td>Depart for Field Trips</td></tr>



</table>

</p>
<br>
Presentations
<p>NANFA likes to bring in speakers that can introduce the group to the regional species. This year is no different. We will be bringing in representatives from Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (DGIF), local universities, and various NANFA members to speak. Topics include the status of brook trout in VA, mussel propagation, local endangered species, local plant ecosystems, Mid-Atlantic invasive species, and various work being done by NANFA members nationwide.
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Our featured speaker is Dr. Robert E. Jenkins, author of Freshwater Fishes of Virginia and retired professor at Roanoke College. The title of his presentation is "If Suckers Could Fly…".
</p>
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Food
<p>Lunch between presentations has been left for you tochoose. There are a number of sit-downand fast food restaurants within walking distance of the hotel. Be sure to leave room for the Dinner Buffet!
<br><br>
Sticking with the "local" theme, we've arranged to have dinner at a local BBQ restaurant. Beingin the south, there is nothing better than a southern buffet. If you have any special dietary arrangements,the manager has offered to make dinner plates to order. Please let me know ahead of time.
</p>
<br>
Hotel
<p>The Holiday Inn is located minutes from I-81 and theRoanoke Regional Airport (ROA). We have negotiated a special group rate of $75.00/night with rooms reserved starting Thursday evening. Please tell them you are with NANFA when you call in order to get this special rate. This rate is only available until April 19th.
<br><br>

Holiday Inn – Roanoke-Tanglewood<br>
4468 Starkey Rd.<br>
Roanoke, VA 24018<br>
540.774.4400<br><br>

Online reservation available at NANFA Hotel Reservation (Group Code: NAN).

</p>
<br>
Local Attractions
<p>The Blue Ridge Parkway
George Washington & Jefferson National Forest
The Natural Bridge
Mill Mountain Zoo
Dixie Caverns
Thomas Jefferson's Poplar Forest
</p>
<br>
Additional Information
<p>For additional information, if you would like to volunteer, or you have other questions, please contact me :
<br>
Andrew Gunthorpe :: <a href="mailto:andrew.gunthorpe@nanfa.org">andrew.gunthorpe@nanfa.org</a> :: 703.791.9117

[fritz]

I want to emphasize the importance of us having as our guest speaker, Dr. Robert E. Jenkins. Freshwater Fishes of VA is probably the ultimate fishes of a state book. And Bob is the world expert on redhorses as well as a number of other species. He does not do much public speaking and we offered him the chance to reiminsce on his career and work with suckers. I have known Bob for many years and am very excited about hearing him talk. Even if you can't make the entire convention, you should not miss out on listening to one of our premier ichthyologists.

[Casper]

This sounds great. It is a part of the country i have never explored. I like how Drew is providing local flavor and opportunities too. This should be a great gathering.
Thanks Drew!

[FirstChAoS]

Too bad it's a spring convention this year. I used up most of my vacation time and it resets in August. I was hoping this would be my first year to go to a convention, but assumed from previous ones that they were all held in the fall.

[fundulus]

Having fall conventions has been a recent phenomenon. I would argue that late spring is the best time if possible, since many fish are in color, the weather is good, and many people have fewer school or family obligations. But, it all depends on who can and will host a convention.

[Josh Blaylock]

I am excited about this, my first, convention. I look forward to meeting most of you. I did think there would be more outside collecting going on, but I am looking forward to coming. I will either make it late on Thursday or early on Friday.

[Casper]

Spring is the best time, colors are reved up, and the summer heat is not upon us. Fish and overweight humans transport better. Generally folks organize, camp and do extended tours, either before or after the convention. Arrive early and explore by yourself or with friends. Usually our Sunday trips are organized and one typically picks the trip that leads in their general direction home. Myself i hope to spend a week or more exploring the area before and after the convention, focusing on snorkeling clear water. Roanoke Logperch, Mountain Redbelly Dace! Roanoke Hogsucker. What else will i see? I need to start reviewing my books. This region is a mecca for Native Fish.

[Drew]

We are working with the VDGIF to put together snorkeling only trips. These trips will allow folks to see the rare species to include some T&E species but will not allow for any collecting. Possible species on these trips are roanoke logperch, orangefin madom, and candy darter.

I'm currently gathering sites with large populations of mountain redbelly dace, crescent shiners, redlip shiners, rosefin shiners, and roanoke darters. They seem to be the most common species that people will want to keep.

We will see all types of chubs, suckers, redhorses and shiners.

[Drew]

View from Mill Mountain with a really big cloud...

 2011-02-25 12.13.22 Stitch (1280x342).jpg   323.96KB   17 downloads

[farmertodd]

Drew, can we work in the "photo lab" trip with the snorkeling with VDGIF? Also, are you set with speakers? If you have an opening, I'd be glad to put something together. If not, no biggie.

Todd

[Drew]

If you are doing underwater photography, they will probably have no issues with it. There will be no nets allowed during any of the VDGIF guided snorkeling trips so tank photos are probably out.

I will get back to you via email regarding the presentation.

Think I will finally make it to a convention this year. Let me know if I can help Drew.

[farmertodd]

What Jeremy and I am proposing is to only observe and photograph fishes wild and in situ, and then work on techniques for cleaning up the images in the evening in various photo programs with some show and tell of what images folks captured. I only phototank fixed fish, and that requires a specific question or project - which I hate doing, and would rather spend the time and bother to get someplace I can snorkel instead

Todd

[Drew]

That works Todd. Let me know what you need in terms of video equipment.

Matt, that's awesome to hear and thanks for the offer.

[Drew]

Would folks be interested in doing a canoe trip on the New River, the oldest river in North America? I've been thinking of arranging something as a field trip but want to make sure I'd have enough people.

[farmertodd]

I had planned to bring one LCD projector, hoping that a second and two screens or wall space would be available so that we could hook up both a PC and a Mac. That would be what was necessary technologically. We can always project on sheets... Heck, we watched videos at our campsite once lol. But a second projector would be wonderful.

Thanks!

Todd

[Casper]

Drew... i really like the canoe trip option, as long as it is leisurily, providing plenty of time to get out and snorkel or seine. Perhaps it would be best optioned on Sunday? I dont want to miss a field trip on Saturday.
I really enjoyed the canoe trips that Missouri Bob provided but they are not for everyone. And i learned the right canoe partner makes the difference in safety and emotional contentment.

[Josh Blaylock]

Drew... i really like the canoe trip option, as long as it is leisurily, providing plenty of time to get out and snorkel or seine. Perhaps it would be best optioned on Sunday? I dont want to miss a field trip on Saturday.
I really enjoyed the canoe trips that Missouri Bob provided but they are not for everyone. And i learned the right canoe partner makes the difference in safety and emotional contentment.

I agree with Casper here. I enjoy canoeing, but I wouldn't want to miss the outing on Saturday.

Also, if anyone is headed back home through KY (southeast or central), I could provide some seining locations.

[Josh Blaylock]

I am debating on coming in early Friday or Thursday. Anybody planning on coming in early on Thursday for some collecting?

[Drew]

Please note a change to the registration fee, from $65 to $70.


Josh, a lot of people arrive early on Thursday. I can help direct those that are arriving early to local spots for collecting. For example, I have some locations for crescent shiners and mrbd but aren't large enough to take a big group.