MACNA 2011 Presenter Profile: Matt Wittenrich
2010 MASNA Award Winner
Matthew L. Wittenrich is a marine biologist who has been deeply involved with the aquarium world since the age of 15.
Working in various capacities as a researcher, consultant, and hobbyist, his work has taken him to the Philippines, Australia, Fiji, Solomon Islands and throughout the Caribbean and Central America studying coral reef fishes. After graduating with a Bachelor's degree in Marine Biology from Long Island University, Southampton College, he worked in various facets of commercial finfish aquaculture and collaborated on various research projects throughout the United States and Australia.
He is currently pursuing his doctorate at Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne, Florida, with research projects centered in the Philippines. A native of western New York, he began breeding saltwater fish in his parent's basement, successfully raising more than 56 species of marine fish and shrimp. His research focuses on the development of feeding abilities in early stage larvae of coral reef fishes.
To find more about Matthew, include information about his books, visit Microcosm Aquarium Explorer.
Topic Presentation: Trends in Breeding Marine Aquarium Fishes: Where We Are Today and Where We Need to Be Tomorrow
Speaker room - Saturday, September 10 3:00 PM
Note: This topic is subject to change pending the results of a new study.
Marine ornamental aquaculture has become an established industry over the last three decades, although the technology used to rear these fishes remains largely unchanged. The transfer of pioneering protocols, established for the culture of anemonefish in the 1970’s, has proven prolific in developing commercial culture technologies for nearly 80 species of marine aquarium fishes. With few exceptions, all species of marine aquarium fishes currently propagated for the trade are demersal spawners with relatively large eggs and first feeding larvae. Comparatively, few pelagic spawners have been reared on a commercial scale. In order to expand current aquaculture technologies to include species traditionally defined as ‘difficult’ it is important to develop species-specific protocols rather than finding species that fit into existing protocols. Over 1,300 species of marine fishes are traded in the industry. The sustainability of collection of many of these species has been questioned making aquaculture a viable and necessary means toward industry wide responsibility.