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AVC Launches Community Workshop Series

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Atlantic Veterinary College’s internationally recognized fish pathologist, Dr. David Speare is the featured speaker of AVC’s new Community Workshop Series. Dr. Speare’s presentation, The Downside of Finding Nemo: Environmental and Conservation Issues Within the Aquarium Tropical Fish Industry, will take place on Tuesday, June 10, 2008, in AVC Lecture Room A from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.  

Ideal for tropical fish hobbyists and others interested in aquatic conservation issues, the workshop will provide a better understanding of where pet fish come from, what happens to them on their way to Canada, and how best to care for them once they are in display tanks. Making an informed choice when purchasing these pets is a great example of how our choices can have an effect on a gathering global environmental issue.

The global trade of tropical freshwater and saltwater fish is an enormous industry involving millions of fish and billions of dollars. Despite this, very little is known about the effects that harvesting techniques are having on wild populations of rare aquarium fish within the Amazon basin and marine reef systems. Additionally, little is known of the potential effects that these imported fish, and the diseases they might carry, could have on our local ecosystem.

A question and answer session will follow, and participants are invited to take a tour of the AVC Touch Tank Room following the session. Refreshments will be served. There is no charge to participate; however, donations to the Friends of AVC will be gratefully accepted.

Dr. Speare was honoured recently with the prestigious 2008 Pfizer Carl J. Norden Distinguished Teacher Award and the 2008 Pfizer Research in Excellence Award.
          
For more information, please contact Janice MacWilliam at 566-0589 or jmacwilliam@upei.ca.

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Anna MacDonald
Media Relations and Communications, Integrated Promotions

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