I've seen a few posts on this site regarding how to legally collect native fishes. For those dedicated amateurs wishing to take part in the science attaching one's activities to a university researcher or museum professional is a good idea. It makes it easier to get the needed permits and specimens can be vouchered in a museum collection and made available for research. Which brings me to my point...

I'm the new (well relatively new, started June 2007) curator of zoology at the Cincinnati Museum of Natural History (part of the Cincinnati Museum Center). I'm an ornithologist by trade but have a history in ichthyology. I've kept aquarium fishes for many years and during my most of my undergraduate years at the University of Kentucky I was more into fish than birds and did a fair bit of collecting in KY and during a couple trips to the Gulf Coast. All my research has involved molecular genetics at some level and currently I'm interested in various questions regarding molecular systematics and population genetics. I could see myself getting involved in some fish research projects alongside my bird work.

I'm trying to build up the museum's collections in zoology focusing on primarily on birds, herps, fishes and freshwater mussels. Our collections and research divisions are good but a major flaw is very short staffing. That means we rely heavily on volunteer help. We have long-time volunteer curators in herpetology and malacology and I'm an ornithologist so the birds, herps and mussels are doing OK but we could use help in the ichthyology department. The museum has scientific collecting permits statewide for Ohio and Kentucky and we can list sub-permittees on these permits.

So, consider this a call for volunteers in the Cincinnati Museum Center's ichthyology collection. This would create opportunities to be involved in science, museum collections and likely provide avenues to be on museum collecting permits. I think there are real opportunities for amateurs and professional scientists to collaborate, plus I would like to get back into fish collecting and my old undergrad days of dragging a seine down a creek bottom!

Feel free to contact me with questions. Go to cincyevolution.com/zoology or www.cincymuseum.org/educators_researchers/researchers/geier_center/zoology.asp for more info about the museum. We would love to have more help in the museum's ichthyology collection from dedicated and knowledgeable local fish enthusiasts, amateur and professional alike!

Thanks
Herm

Edited by herm, 11 May 2008 - 10:16 PM.

Howdy Herm, welcome to the Forum

Man are you in the right state! There's a mess of dudes who are into it, and most of us also have Kentucky on the brain, esp now that it costs too much to drive to TN and AL. I'm sure they'll all say hi So yeah, I'd be glad to be a collector and would love to get out into the field (I don't need permits, I have my own for most things).

I'll be all around the Ohio River watershed this year with the fish (examining Nothonotus darter habitats) and can also supplement your mussel collection. I think the only thing that was hanging us up was that we had a free-for-all permit last year and now they're not so sure they want us in the Darby. Which is fine, we know THAT one is being watched. We're planning on really hammering the Flushing Escarpment streams.

I also have a buddy in Cinnci working for ORSANCO who may be a good contact for you to get the big river stuff. They were just down at the Falls of the Ohio catching blue sucker last week, the lucky schmoe.

Are you involved with the crayfish workshop with Roger coming up this fall? I was waiting to find something out, but it's now passed, so I'll be registering. Greg Lipps and I will be making the drive down from Toledo

Well, I hope to meet in person before too long!

Todd

Herm,
Sounds like fun! I'm right here in Cincy (Reading) and would be glad to offer up some time to a worthy cause.

Very glad to see this kind of a gesture made. Herm, I have quite an large mussel collection, primarily Ohio and Tennessee River basin species. My wife has been nagging on me to reduce its size so I have been depositing small lots here and there. I have also been slowly acquiring middle Atlantic slope mussels as part of our vouchering program and we will likely begin repositing them at the end of this year. If you know of certain specimens you are looking for send me a message.

Howdy Herm, welcome to the Forum

Man are you in the right state! There's a mess of dudes who are into it, and most of us also have Kentucky on the brain, esp now that it costs too much to drive to TN and AL. I'm sure they'll all say hi So yeah, I'd be glad to be a collector and would love to get out into the field (I don't need permits, I have my own for most things).

I'll be all around the Ohio River watershed this year with the fish (examining Nothonotus darter habitats) and can also supplement your mussel collection. I think the only thing that was hanging us up was that we had a free-for-all permit last year and now they're not so sure they want us in the Darby. Which is fine, we know THAT one is being watched. We're planning on really hammering the Flushing Escarpment streams.

I also have a buddy in Cinnci working for ORSANCO who may be a good contact for you to get the big river stuff. They were just down at the Falls of the Ohio catching blue sucker last week, the lucky schmoe.

Are you involved with the crayfish workshop with Roger coming up this fall? I was waiting to find something out, but it's now passed, so I'll be registering. Greg Lipps and I will be making the drive down from Toledo

Well, I hope to meet in person before too long!

Todd

Fantastic! Let me know when you are down our way and we can meet up. I would love to get out in the field and catch some fish but I'm rusty so it would best to tag along with the more experienced fish heads.

We would be happy to accept fish and mussel specimens for the collection. I'm trying to build our genetic resources collection so fin clippings done prior to formalin would be great. For anyone who is interested in contributing I can pass on chemicals, cryotubes for the fin clips and jars.

I don't think I'll be around for the crayfish workshop but maybe. I also have a contact for big river stuff, Chris Lorentz at Thomas More College in KY.

Thanks and let keep in touch. If I can build a network of collaborators we can really improve our freshwater fish and mussel collections here at Cincinnati.

BTW the web site is awesome. Makes me what to set up my own native tank at home! Or better yet one for display here at the museum!

Herm

Very glad to see this kind of a gesture made. Herm, I have quite an large mussel collection, primarily Ohio and Tennessee River basin species. My wife has been nagging on me to reduce its size so I have been depositing small lots here and there. I have also been slowly acquiring middle Atlantic slope mussels as part of our vouchering program and we will likely begin repositing them at the end of this year. If you know of certain specimens you are looking for send me a message.

Any contributions are welcome. Especially the Ohio basin stuff and any material where shells are accompanied by soft tissue in ethanol for genetic work. Let's keep in touch.

Thanks
Herm

Herm,
Sounds like fun! I'm right here in Cincy (Reading) and would be glad to offer up some time to a worthy cause.

Great truf! Yeah, feel free to contact me and I can show you around the collection. Really if several NANFA members in the Northern KY southern OH region would like to get together and drop by for a tour that would be OK with me. We could discuss how NANFA members in the area could work together with the museum.

Plus let me know when there are chances to go collecting. I would like to get my feet wet again! So to speak...


Herm

Great truf! Yeah, feel free to contact me and I can show you around the collection. Really if several NANFA members in the Northern KY southern OH region would like to get together and drop by for a tour that would be OK with me. We could discuss how NANFA members in the area could work together with the museum.

Plus let me know when there are chances to go collecting. I would like to get my feet wet again! So to speak...
Herm

Are you looking for only midwest stuff, or all over? I'm up here in VT, and would definitely like to do some collecting for a good cause. I was curator for my undergrad schools vert collection for a couple years, so I know my way around collecting museum-quality specimens to some extent (but am rusty).

I also know the almost lost art of making study skins of birds. I've been keeping a few window kills in my freezer waiting for the right opportunity -- maybe you're it... I'm also looking to start up a dermetsid colony for skulls -- want a few for myself, but more want to be able to make use of road kills as museum/college learning collection specimens.

Are you looking for only midwest stuff, or all over? I'm up here in VT, and would definitely like to do some collecting for a good cause. I was curator for my undergrad schools vert collection for a couple years, so I know my way around collecting museum-quality specimens to some extent (but am rusty).

I also know the almost lost art of making study skins of birds. I've been keeping a few window kills in my freezer waiting for the right opportunity -- maybe you're it... I'm also looking to start up a dermetsid colony for skulls -- want a few for myself, but more want to be able to make use of road kills as museum/college learning collection specimens.

I think eventually it would be nice to have stuff from throughout the eastern US but for now the focus is primarily on the Ohio valley, Kentucky, and Appalachia.

We do take any and all salvage birds but getting your birds here from VT may be tough. There must be some local museum willing to take your window kill specimens?

Not to be a killjoy but there is the Migratory Bird Treaty Act that would forbid you from possessing pretty much any bird in North America for a private collection. Exceptions would be of course introduced birds such as house sparrows and starlings. You could use those to practice your skinning skills.

Thanks,
Herm

PS Of course the invite is still out for local NANFA members in the IN, KY, OH tri-state area to visit the Cincinnati Museum Center collection. Just let me know.

man looks like I should have stayed in cincy, I grew up in Colerain township, stayed in colorado after leaving the army but returned for 6 months last year but moved back to colorado where it is illegal to collect.

Edited by brian1973, 27 May 2008 - 08:34 PM.

I might be able to get you some fish (and herps too if you want 'em) from TN and KY. What do you want your specimens in? I'd like to come up and visit the museum; I need to travel up towards Cincinatti and look for treefrogs sometime this summer in any case, so I may get the chance.

I might be able to get you some fish (and herps too if you want 'em) from TN and KY. What do you want your specimens in? I'd like to come up and visit the museum; I need to travel up towards Cincinatti and look for treefrogs sometime this summer in any case, so I may get the chance.

Thanks. The invite is still out for NANFA members to visit the collection. I've been very busy this summer thinking about birds and haven't had much time to think about fish. Incidentally we have a large tank, several hundred gallons that is in need of an update. I'm thinking of more schooling fish and lots of smaller fishes rather than a few large hybrid striped bass and channel cats, which was what it looked like before. We would welcome the help of any NANFA members in the Cincinnati/Northern KY area is volunteering their time to help with this exhibit.

For specimen collecting 70% ethanol is fine.

To contact me look up my web page at www.cincyevolution.com/zoology

Thanks
Herm