International Ornamental Aquatics Conference Input

MASNA Press Release: The 2019 - 2020 MASNA Scholarship Recipients      8/27/19
** 2019 – 2020 MASNA Student Scholarships Recipients
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Contact: Tim Lyons, MASNA Director of Conservation, Scholarship@masna.org
2019 – 2020 MASNA Student Scholarships to be Awarded at MACNA 2019
Orlando, FL. – August 19, 2019
At MACNA 2019, MASNA will be awarding its annual MASNA Student Scholarships at the MACNA Banquet on Saturday, August 31st, 2019. Two $4,000.00 scholarships will be granted, one to an undergraduate student and one to a graduate student.

The 2019 – 2020 MASNA Undergraduate Student Scholarship recipient is Lauren Block. Lauren is a full-time Junior pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa (UHM). https://masna.org/masna-programs/scholarship-program/?utm_source=Public+BOD+Email&utm_campaign=f530a8746b-2019+-+2020+MASNA+Scholarship+Recipients_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_684126d033-f530a8746b-457263653

She got involved in the aquarium hobby working at a local fish store in her hometown. Her freshman year at UHM, Lauren began working in the Lenz-Hartline Lab culturing copepods (Parvocalanus crassirostris and Bestiolina similis) and phytoplankton. Since then, she has had the opportunity to assist in various other ongoing research in the lab including behavioral studies of copepods, feeding experiments of a sub-arctic copepod (Neocalanus flemingeri) in Alaska, RNA extractions, and the investigation of diseased copepods in Kaneohe Bay, Oahu. She has enjoyed learning a variety of scientific techniques through her involvement in various projects, and loves the problem-solving that comes with culturing copepods. She is currently developing an independent project with Dr. Petra Lenz to create a co-culture that allows for larval clownfish (A. ocellaris) and copepods (P. crassirostris) to be timed and raised together in such a way that the age distribution of the copepods in the tank mirrors that
of the feeding needs of the clownfish to maximize their growth and health.

https://masna.org/masna-programs/scholarship-program/Lauren's? utm_source=Public+BOD+Email&utm_campaign=f530a8746b-2019+-+2020+MASNA+Scholarship+Recipients_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_684126d033-f530a8746b-457263653 passion for fish, culturing, and the aquarium trade has led her to pursue a career in marine ornamental aquaculture. In the future, she hopes to develop new and feasible methods for marine captive breeding with the goal of providing a sustainable source of fish and invertebrates for the aquarium industry.

https://masna.org/masna-programs/scholarship-program/The?utm_source=Public+BOD+Email&utm_campaign=f530a8746b-2019+- +2020+MASNA+Scholarship+Recipients_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_684126d033-f530a8746b-457263653 2019 – 2020 MASNA Graduate Student Scholarship recipient is J. Alexander (Alex) Bonanno, a second year masters student studying Marine Science and Technology at the University of Massachusetts.

Alex received his B.S. in Marine Biology from Roger Williams University where he gained several years of experience researching and caring for aquatic organisms by working in the Roger Williams University’s CEED Marine Laboratory and at the Audubon Society of Rhode Island’s Nature Center and Aquarium. Alex’s undergraduate research was focused on marine ornamental aquaculture mainly by developing techniques to rear fish and invertebrates popular in the marine aquarium trade in captivity to reduce strain on wild populations and saving them from exploitation. Alex was also able to study abroad during his time at Roger Williams University in Townsville, Australia where he had the opportunity to assist in research on a local food fish called barramundi.

https://masna.org/masna-programs/scholarship-program/Alex’s current graduate research is conducted at the Intercampus Marine Science Graduate Program under his advisor Dr. Michael Tlusty of UMass Boston. Alex has dedicated his graduate work to preserving coral reefs by preventing a destructive fishing practice called cyanide fishing. He has teamed up with Dr. Andrew Rhyne and Dr. Nancy Breen from Roger Williams University along with researchers from Mystic Aquarium to develop an efficient and reliable test to detect whether or not a fish has been captured using cyanide. This test would allow for the screening of captured fish, giving law enforcement a way to crack down on the illegal practice. To achieve this goal, he has combined chemistry, toxicology, and genetics to study the toxicokinetics of cyanide exposure and traces of exposure up to several weeks post-capture. The development of a cyanide detection test will not only help preserve valuable coral reef ecosystems, but will also
significantly reduce the mortality rate of fish in the marine aquarium trade supply chain. Alex will continue to help answer questions critical in developing a verified detection method to combat cyanide fishing. While conducting this research, Alex will share his work through publications and presentations. After completing his M.S. degree, Alex is dedicated to advancing his efforts to protect and conserve the oceans whether that be through pursuing his Ph.D. or working in the industry.

Over the past 11 years, the Marine Aquarium Societies of North America (MASNA) has provided $68,000 in funding for undergraduate and graduate college students to help continue their degrees in the marine science discipline. The MASNA Scholarship Program has grown significantly to include applicants from North America and abroad. It has become a very competitive and esteemed award.

Applications for the awards are judged based on the applicant’s enrollment in a marine science undergraduate or graduate degree program, a G.P.A. of 2.5/4.0 or greater, and their proven contributions and demonstrated commitment to the marine aquarium hobby.

This year’s scholarship selection committee was chaired by MASNA Director of Conservation, Tim Lyons, and MASNA President, Dr. Kevin Erickson. The committee further consisted of Christine Rowe (MASNA Treasurer), Dr. Roy Yanong (University of Florida Professor and Aquatic Veterinarian), Dr. Liz Marchio (2015 – 2016, Graduate scholarship recipient), Mike Connelly (2018 – 2019, Graduate), Liz Groover (2016 – 2017, Graduate), and Kory Enneking (2016 – 2017, Undergraduate), and Zachary Ostroff (2012 – 2013, Graduate).

This year, with sponsorships from LiveAquaria, Ecotech Marine, and Two Little Fishies, MASNA is able to again award both a $4,000 undergraduate student scholarship and a $4,000 graduate student scholarship, and provide all expense paid trips for both recipients to MACNA 2019 in Orlando, FL.

MASNA would like to thank LiveAquaria.com, Ecotech Marine, and Two Little Fishies. Without them, the two $4,000 MASNA Student Scholarships would not be possible.

More information on the MASNA Student Scholarship program can be found at http://masna.org/masna-programs/scholarship-program/

MASNA Press Release: The 2019 MASNA Aquarist of the Year and MASNA Award Recipients 2019 MASNA Aquarist of the Year and MASNA Award to be Awarded MACNA 2019       8/26/19
Orlando, FL – August 26, 2019.
MASNA is proud to announce Dr. Craig Bingman as the 2019 MASNA Award recipient for his foundational role in understanding the chemical processes in aquariums, and Tom Bowling as the 2019 MASNA Aquarist of the Year for his recent achievements & progress in marine ornamental spawning and aquaculture development.
MASNA will be awarding its annual MASNA Aquarist of the Year and MASNA Award to the recipients at the MACNA 2019 Saturday Night Banquet on Saturday, August 31st, 2019 at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotel.
Annually, MASNA awards the prestigious MASNA Award and Aquarist of the Year Award to deserving individuals for their work in helping shape and influence the marine aquarium hobby in a way that positively contributes to the ongoing sustainability of the hobby to the future marine environment. Together with MASNA, previous recipients of the MASNA Award confer to decide who has given the most to the hobby and industry to be deserving of that years’ awards from a selection of nominees.
Dr. Craig Bingman, the 2019 MASNA Award Winner will be speaking at MACNA 2019 at 11 AM in the Neptune Speaker Room at the WDW Dolphin Resort on Sunday, September 1st, 2019.
Award Recipient Biographies:
Tom Bowling - MASNA Aquarist of the Year, 2019
Tom Bowling is a marine biologist and founder of Biota Marine Life Nursery in Palau. With an understanding of localized fish population behaviors, Tom perfected the use of wild gamete collection techniques to produce and raise many new species, not only marine ornamentals, but also food fish and threatened species for re-introduction to the wild. This includes the ever-popular Clown Triggerfish, Blueline Sea Bream found in public aquaria and the Bumphead Parrotfish. (Photo caption: Tatiana, Tom, and Maya Bowling at Biota.)
Captive-raised Mandarin Dragonets, various gobies, Aiptasia-eating Filefish, deep-water Borbonius and Yellow Tangs are among the 20 currently marketed ornamental fish species. Over a dozen asexually propagated soft corals and half a dozen species of clams are being produced under Tom’s leadership. Tom has also worked to educate both the public and interested parties in both Palau and greater Micronesia on the current state of aquaculture, including an understanding of sustainable practices that can be incorporated into their local reefs. Working with research facilities and other partners, Tom is helping further the knowledge and success of ornamental marine aquaculture.
Dr. Craig Bingman - MASNA Award, 2019
In his own words: “From the primordial ooze of the nascent internet, people with interesting and quirky hobbies found each other and formed online communities. One of those problems was ‘how to keep corals alive in closed aquariums, isolated from the ocean.’ A really amazing group of people self-organized and worked on this problem in North America, and across the globe. I was fortunate to have played a foundational role in understanding the chemical processes in aquariums.
It is my enduring pleasure to have provided solutions to several important problems that are still used today. This is the tale of the reef hobby in North America in the 1990s, when corals stopped dying and we achieved long-term success with these animals in aquariums.
Who am I? I was that eight-year old kid subjecting his first fish tank to way too much pH down and pH up, in his first real exposure to a chemical test. I was a member of that group of people who figured out reef aquarium chemistry. I was and am a biochemist, who uses incredible x-rays sources at National Labs to make pictures of the molecules that make life possible. I also love freshwater planted aquariums, orchids, and carnivorous plants. Most importantly, I’m the father of a two-year old. Watching his mind bootstrap and develop his own personality and interests is the greatest pleasure of my life. I’ve noticed he really likes clownfish...."
To learn more about the MASNA Aquarist of the Year visit: https://masna.org/masna-programs/aquarist-of-the-year?utm_source=Public+BOD+Email&utm_campaign=8383d884a8-2019+MASNA+AOTY+%26+Award_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_684126d033-8383d884a8-457263653
To learn more about the MASNA Award visit: https://masna.org/masna-programs/the-masna-award/?utm_source=Public+BOD+Email&utm_campaign=8383d884a8-2019+MASNA+AOTY+%26+Award_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_684126d033-8383d884a8-457263653
About MASNA, Marine Aquarium Societies of North America
MASNA is a non-profit organization composed of marine aquarium clubs, individual hobbyists and industry partners from North American and abroad, totaling several thousand individuals.