North American Native Fishes Association

About us

The North American Native Fishes Association, Inc. (NANFA) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit, tax-exempt corporation dedicated to the appreciation, study and conservation of the continent's native fishes.
NANFA Objectives
- to increase and disseminate knowledge about North America's native fishes and their habitats among aquarium hobbyists, biologists, fish and wildlife officials, anglers, educators, students, and others, through publications, electronic media, regional and national meetings, and other means;
- to promote the conservation of native fishes and the protection/ restoration of natural habitats;
- to advance the captive husbandry of North America's native fishes for the educational, scientific, and conservation benefits it affords:
Education. 
Captive husbandry of fishes acquaints people with organisms they might otherwise never see alive or know existed, and affords people an opportunity to witness and appreciate their behaviors (feeding, breeding, parental care, etc.). Such acquaintance is a vital step in fostering environmental awareness and promoting a conservation ethic.
Scientific Knowledge. 
Studying and documenting the captive husbandry of North American fishes can provide information about a species' life history that is otherwise lacking in the scientific record, or difficult to study under natural conditions.
Conservation. 
The captive propagation of native fishes can play a key role in conservation efforts by several means:
- by providing crucial life history information about a species before it becomes endangered;
- by providing aquarium-reared specimens for restocking efforts;
- by serving as a "last-ditch" safeguard against the extinction of a species in the wild; and
- by the legal maintainence of species already extinct in the wild.
to encourage and defend the legal and environmentally responsible collection of native fishes for private aquaria as a valid use of a natural resource;
- to provide a forum for fellowship and camaraderie among individuals who share a common interest in the diversity, biology, captive husbandry, and conservation of North America's native fishes.