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Breeders' Award Program (BAP) - INACTIVE

 

PURPOSE

The Breeders Award Program (BAP) is designed to stimulate interest and foster knowledge in the husbandry of Cichlids. Participation in this program will encourage research into the conservation of the family Cichlidae and recognize the achievements of participating NECA members.

ELIGIBILITY

All members of NECA in good standing may participate in the program.

BAP CHAIR AND BAP COMMITTEE

The NECA President, with the proviso that a three-member committee be formed, shall appoint the BAP Chair. The Chair, with the consent of the Board of Directors, shall appoint the remaining two members.

FUNCTIONS OF THE BAP COMMITTEE

The BAP Committee shall manage and impose the rules and regulations governing the BAP. These duties include verification and awarding of points to the members who have met the criteria, keeping the proper records, and supplying the qualified members with the appropriate awards. The BAP Committee shall periodically review the rules and regulations for possible improvements. The Committee will adhere to the following procedures regarding changes to the rules and regulations.

  • A Committee member shall propose a change in writing. Any NECA member in good standing may propose a change to a Committee member, who then will propose the change to the Committee.

  • The Committee will vote on the proposed change. A majority vote is needed to carry the change.

    The Committee will choose a date for implementation of the change.

    The proposed change, with the effective date, will be published on the NECA website and in the club newsletter.

  • Any NECA member in good standing may appeal a BAP Committee decision or ruling. All appeals must be made in writing to the NECA Board of Directors, which, after consultation with the BAP Chair, will make a final decision.

  • If a rule/category change results in the reduction of points awarded, the change will not affect previously awarded points. However, if a rule/category change increases the amount of points awarded, the breeder may be eligible for the additional points provided that all other requirements (including any new requirements that may result from the change) are met.

BAP CRITERIA AND RULES

In order to qualify for the benefits of the Program, the following criteria have been established:

  • For a breeding to be eligible for the BAP, the spawning – defined as the physical mating of fish that produces fertilized eggs – must occur in the tank of the NECA member. Broods that are the result of obtaining eggs or gravid females from another individual, with the fry subsequently being hatched in the member's tank, are not eligible for the BAP.

  • No hybrids are eligible. If a hybrid is discovered at a later date, the originally awarded points will be deducted from the member's total and a 10-point penalty will be assessed.

  • Fish have been divided into 2 groups, Old World and New World. Each of these groups has been further divided into 4 categories based on ease or difficulty in breeding a certain species or group of fish.

  • For any Category A fish, a minimum of 5 fry must be raised for 60 days after hatching, or release of fry in the case of mouth brooding fish. For all other fish, a minimum of 3 fry must be raised for 60 days.

  • Verification:

    All BAP spawns are subject to 2 checks.

    First check can be made, in person (at the breeder’s house) by any current member of NECA, by emailing a photo of the fry to a BAP Committee member, or by posting a photo (in the BAP Participants area) on either the website or the Facebook page.

    Second check must be made, approximately 60 days after the spawn, by a BAP Committee member. This can either be done at the breeder's house or, the appropriate minimum amount of fry can be brought to a regularly scheduled NECA meeting for verification.

    The Bap Chair or Committee members may not verify their own spawns.

  • It is the breeder's responsibility to assure his/her points have been properly verified and reported, to the BAP Committee, by filling out the required spawning report form and acquiring the required signatures for verification.

  • Completed BAP forms should be submitted within 90 days of the spawning.

  • No points will be awarded for any fish not on the species list until the BAP Committee determines the point category for this fish. The points will be held until this determination is made. The BAP Committee will place the fish on the list within 60 days.

  • Any new varieties developed exclusively by a NECA member (i.e., albino forms, long-finned forms, etc.) will be awarded bonus points not to exceed double the original point value of that species. The new line must be standardized and accepted into the hobby to be valid.

  • Family memberships will have their points awarded to the family. Individual memberships will have points awarded to the individual.

  • The BAP Chair will maintain the official record of BAP standings. These standings can also be posted on the NECA website, on the NECA Facebook page, and in the NECA newsletter.

POINTS

Once the above criteria are met, the NECA breeder will be awarded points according to the following point schedule.

Point Schedule for Categories:

Category A: 10 points - easy to breed.

Category B: 20 points - more challenging because of greater aggression or size, or diet or water quality requirements.

Category C: 30 points - demanding to breed. These fish require specific maintenance conditions in regards to water parameters, aggression control, and/or diet. They are typically considered "rare or uncommon."

Category D: 50 points - most demanding. These fish are rarely bred and require great effort on the part of the breeder due to their size, sensitivity to water conditions and quality, and/or specialized dietary requirements.

Bonus Points:

  • First to breed.

    The first NECA member to breed a species will be awarded bonus points equal to the number normally awarded for that fish. For example, the first member to breed a specific Category A fish will receive the standard 10 points plus an additional 10 points for being the “first to breed”.

    A spawn that is recognized as the first breeding of a species in the United States will be awarded the normal points plus a bonus of 50 points.

    “First to breed” points can be held for 90 days if there is a question as to which member was the first to spawn a specific fish. The BAP Chair will determine the recipient of these points.

  • Endangered Species.

    A NECA member who breeds any species recognized as endangered in the wild or that is included in a Species Survival Program will be awarded 25 bonus points. Breeder will then be awarded 5 bonus points for each successful spawn thereafter (maximum of 5 spawns).

  • Public Presentations.

  • A NECA member who auctions off the fry from a successful spawn will be awarded points equal to the category of the species. The fish must be of decent size, about 1”, and in good health. The BAP Chair reserves the right to refuse any fish deemed undersized, in poor health or deformed. All normal rules of the Auction/Mini-Auction will apply. Please designate on the bag and auction form that these fish are eligible for BAP points.

  • A NECA member who provides a written account of a successful breeding that is published in the NECA newsletter or other cichlid/aquarist publication will be awarded 25 bonus points.

  • A NECA member who makes a formal presentation at a NECA meeting or event, regarding his or her experience with a successful breeding will be awarded 10 bonus points.

AWARDS

  • Achievement Level Awards.BAP Awards will be presented to CCA members who attain the following levels of breeding achievement:

    Breeder (Level 1) – 70 points (minimum of 5 species) – Club announcement

    Breeder (Level 2) – 150 points (minimum of 10 species) - Certificate

    Intermediate Breeder (Level 1)– 250 points (minimum of 15 species) - Certificate

    Intermediate Breeder (Level 2)– 350 points (minimum of 20 species) - Certificate

    Advanced Breeder (Level 1) – 500 points (minimum of 35 species) - Certificate

    Advanced Breeder (Level 2)– 1000 points (minimum of 50 species) - Plaque

    Master Breeder – 1500 points (minimum of 75 species) - Plaque

    Grand Master – 2000 points (minimum of 100 species) – Plaque & bonus award*


*Bonus award to be determined by BAP Committee

  • Special Awards

    Annual Top Breeder Award. A Certificate will be awarded, each year, to the NECA member who has accumulated the most BAP points during the year. “The year” will be defined as the 12 months between the annual December meetings (Holiday party).

    Rarity Breeding Award. On occasion, and with the consent of the current NECA President (or Vice-President, should the President be under consideration for the award), the BAP Committee may elect to recognize a singular breeding achievement by a NECA member. That member shall receive a special certificate recognizing his or her achievement.

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