Parosphromenus-Newsletter No. 95 
Bielefeld (Germany), January 10th, 2012
Dear friends of the Licorice gouramis, in the last newsletter we had promised to use the first newsletter of the new year to report on our plans for 2012. We here confine ourselves to ten important priorities:
1. Meeting of the Steering Group: The Steering Group to a detailed review of forthcoming activities must meet at least once in the year. 2012 we intend to see Helene in Copenhagen, since in the past she has always come to us. Of course we drive on our own account. These meetings could not be replaced by anything, although mail, phone and Skype are used.
2. Completion of the website: Our extensive website www.parosphromenus-project.org was started by Helene only last year and is almost ready now. But on closer look, still some details missing. It is especially important to describe the “other forms” (= the so far not scientifically described, but well-known varieties of especially bintan-like forms). This is done systematically so far almost nowhere. In addition, some smaller gaps must be filled. Also at the service of “maps”, we want to make progress. The number of images and the links should be increased significantly. After the great things are done, this is now his. Here many could help. So, If you link know one which linked us useful at one point: please email! Other suggestions for improvements: Please share!
3. New – we get a fourth language, Chinese: You can now click our website in three languages: English, French and german. An avid Chinese Paro friend from Shanghai, Wei Dai (“David”), has now offered, to translate the entire website into Chinese (“simplified Chinese”). We have made us among sinologists and other professionals knowledgeable, organized a competent control, and accepted the offer. Not least also due, because in many countries in Southeast Asia the education layer Chinese mean a role play. Our Steering Group Member Dr. Uwe Romans writes that:
China is a gigantic important also in terms of environmental education. (…). If our website further establish indirectly the subject of environmental protection in China (…) that can help that would certainly be an important aspect of this action. “A strengthening Chinese prospective could also sometimes affect the countries of origin of species (…) maintained by us (…).”
Now, David has started the translation. First, the “species accounts” are translated. The first test with the Red language flag of China was soon times online: it is! The “chinese characters” are properly reflected by the program.
4. Policy: The silence of the organised hobby of rainforest destruction in South-East Asia must finally different a clear statement on behalf of the highly endangered natural hot spots of biodiversity and the culturally difficult affected indigenous peoples. We have 2011 started to articulate ourselves clear on this point with writing to various Governments and will continue this 2012. We have recently achieved first small successes in Europe: biofuels from Palm oil is now more critical views.
5. New – support through English-language presentation: Because we have very many international contacts and communicate with almost exclusively in English, we know how great is the need for information in countries outside Central Europe. We therefore friends want to PAROS support all over the world in their lobby work for this, that we provide them to a PowerPoint presentation of the Prachtguramis and the Parosphromenus projects in English.
6. New – print publications: A new issue of the German-speaking magazine “Amazon” focusing on “Prachtguramis” will appear in March. Finke, it features contributions from Martin Hallmann, Horst left, Günter Kopic and Peter. David Armitage continues to an English-language special issue of the magazine “Labyrinth” of these fish that contains only text from our website. Finke and Martin Hallmann want their book on end make Peter Prachtguramis.
7. Spring census and case census: The two census passages in April and in October will again take a central role in our activities. We hope that the good number of participants this time still is second from last time (61). In particular, we hope that there are again larger stocks in some species/forms.
8. New – complete reorganized distribution: After our first attempt to bring together existing offspring and Paro-seeker, was by some shortcomings that we have completely put the process on a new footing. Now many breeders with more than ten species are involved and a Coordinator gives via distribution@parosphromenus-project.org between them and the seekers. In many countries, this is still possible in the same way. There, questions mostly with reference to the trade will be answered. If private breeder’s addresses are known, the changes will always takes precedence.
9. New – additional “newsletter special”: It has shown that often a need exists to address not the entire global Paro town, but only certain groups of people in the newsletter. Mostly it comes to individual countries or groups of countries (e.g. members in Germany, in the northern European countries, in France, the United States in Asian countries). We want to do in the future this by an additional newsletter set “Newsletter special”, which goes only to that group.
10. Further expansion of the network: The further expansion of our network of “Spiketail gourami, Parosphromenus project” is a continuous task, although he is already far advanced. This includes not only individuals. We also continue to try to win Aquarium associations, to make Paro-breeding groups. You could specialize, in a few species may even on a single. If we then coordinate this, we get any further. Please, makes this advertising and reports us clubs who might participate or want to.
This is not everything that is scheduled for 2012, but yet the most important thing. We are always grateful for suggestions. Up to the next newsletter, all the best wishes your Steering Group.