The Catfish Study Group (CSG) Breeders Award Programme (BAP) has been initiated to continue the study of Siluriforms, sharing information with the membership to increase our knowledge of the breeding behaviours of our fishes.

The CSG BAP offers the Member Breeder three levels of excellence to aspire to Bronze, Silver and Gold these ‘medals’ can be earned by breeding and reporting your successes to the CSG BAP Secretary at the earliest opportunity. Breeding success reports earn points towards your goal.

The points awarded will be regularly reported in the journal of the Catfish Study Group, to show the members progress. BAP reports will also be included in the Journal to distribute and share the knowledge amongst the membership.
Please read the rules at bottom of page.

• First Year Review
• Third Quarter Review
• Second Quarter Review
• First Quarter Review

As soon as you have been successful with your breeding project and your fish have spawned, register your success with the CSG BAP secretary Mark Walters, by email: bap.secretary@catfishstudygroup.org or by mail to The Studio, Clifford Road, Boston Spa LS23 6DB. Stating species and date of spawning.

You can either print out and fill in the Registration form to send by mail (see address above) by pdf file  
Or you can download and save the Registration form, fill the data in on your computer and e-mail it by doc. file

• Complete the breeding report form:
As soon as you have a breeding project planned start gathering the data required to complete the breeding report.

• Send completed Spawning log to the CSG BAP Secretary:
This needs to be completed to the point at which you are registering your achievement. Don’t forget photo’s will increase the points earned and will add value to the published report.

• Send updated Spawning log to the CSG BAP Secretary:
As your fry progress towards maturity and you reach the next milestone in the programme, add to the spawning log completing the next stage, sending the updated copy (and photo’s) to the CSG BAP Secretary.

Important: Each stage report must be submitted within a reasonable time-scale. The 'free-swimming' Report 2 will be submitted within 6 weeks of the spawning event and Report 3 will be submitted within 4 months of the spawning event. Reports not submitted within the timescales will be invalidated.

You can either print out and fill in the Spawning log to send by mail (see address above) by pdf file  
Or you can download and save the Spawning log, fill the in data on your computer and e-mail it by doc. file

The CSG BAP secretary will acknowledge your achievement and advise you of your point total for this spawning and your total points to date. Your spawning log and associated photo’s will be used in the CSG Journal and any publicity the committee decide (always acknowledging your achievement).

In recognition of your success the CSG have commissioned special ‘medals’ Bronze, Silver and Gold, in the metals of that name, for the latter two. These ‘medals’ will be awarded in person, where ever possible, for the members achieving:-

For BRONZE award a total of 500 CSG BAP points must be gained and species bred must be from at least three Catfish Genera.

For SILVER award a total of 1000 CSG BAP points must be gained and species bred must be from at least six Catfish Genera.

For GOLD award a total of 2000 CSG BAP points must be gained and species bred must be from at least ten Catfish Genera.

All points are accumulative and carry forward to the next award level.

2. Entry into the program gives the Catfish Study Group here after referred to as the CSG, the right to publish in part or in full, the contents of any breeding report submitted. However copyright remains the property of the author.

3. Each spawning must be registered either by e-mail or letter within seven days from the spawning date. Confirmation of receipt of a ‘first to breed’ record will be given by the BAP Secretary. This will then give the first person to breed a species, first position on the "first to breed species" report list. To gain the 20 bonus points the report must be submitted within fourteen days of the submission of Pt 4 breeding report at a date to be agreed (species dependant) between the entrant and BAP Secretary. Failure to do so will bring the second person on the list into play and if their report is submitted before the first person, then they will be awarded the points.

4. Information will be collated and managed by the BAP Secretary and will be available for the scrutiny of members, through a request to the committee, as necessary.

5. The spawning records database will be regularly reviewed and updated to reflect changes in scientific description, nomenclature and other changes to families, genera and species. Classification changes may result in amendments to existing points totals and awards. Points could be removed in the event of amalgamation of genera or closely related species.

6. The Breeders Award Programme will accept records for undescribed species, at the discretion of the BAP Secretary and committee as necessary. It is assumed that undescribed species will be assigned, at least, at genus level.

7. The Breeders Award Programme will assume a year zero position with respect to first time records being submitted. This is regardless of previous success that members may have.

8. Points of issue, disagreements and recommendations will be made to the BAP Secretary in the first instance. If agreement is not met, issues will be escalated to the committee for action.

Note: Only breeding projects on or after March 1st. 2007 will be accepted.