For the 34th year the Catfish Study Group held its annual conference with three days of wining and dining and lectures by catfish specialists.
Based for the third year at the prestigious Kilhey Court Hotel in Wigan, Lancs., it was held from March 15-17. Over 50 guests stayed at the hotel and the Saturday evening dinner was booked by 70 catfish enthusiasts.
The exhibition hall was filled with stands by Mars Fishcare (Aquarian, Rena, API), New Era Fish Foods, BT Trading with accessories for fishkeepers, plus the wood carvings of Brian Walsh.
Other fish clubs attending with stands included the British Livebearer Association, British Cichlid Association, even a Marine Aquarium display.
Catfish Study Group members had the traditional raffle stand, Breeders' Competition and Members’ Catfish Sales (pictured at the top of the page).
The lecturers were also traditionally international, including Ingo Seidel, the German catfish specialist and author, Dr Mark Sabaj Perez, the taxonomist from the USA, Dr Martin Taylor, senior lecturer at the University of East Anglia, Julian Dignall, of PlanetCatfish.com and Dr Ralf Britz from London’s Natural History Museum
The Conference has many sponsors to bring such World-wide experts. These include the major sponsor Pier Aquatics, plus Aquarian, Tetra, Sera, Eheim, Midland Waterlife, Aqua One, Aqualife, Yorkshire Brine Shrimp, NT Labs, Wharf Aquatics, JBL, Arcadia, Tri-Mar Aquaria, Barlows Aquatic Trading, and, of course - Practical Fishkeeping magazine.
Many other fish clubs help too: British Cichlid Association, International Loach Association, Anabantoid Association of Great Britain, British Killifish Association, British Livebearer Association and the British and International Discus Keepers Association.
The CSG members also prepared a memorial display to their past President and Chairman Trevor (TJ) Morris and the famous breeder Alan Vaissiere. Judge John Cowan too was remembered – plus a special CSG Award called the Derek Lambourne Trophy (pictured above) carved by Brian Walsh.
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