1. Twelve Years of FishBase: Lessons Learned Boden G. and G.G. Teugels

2. HISTORY 1990 - initiative by EC - development by ICLARM Database of fishes for transfer of information and knowledge to developing countries

3. HISTORY 2000 - FishBase Consortium

4. What is FishBase ? www.fishbase.org www.fishbase.org - www.fishbase.org, www.fishbase.dewww.fishbase.orgwww.fishbase.de or http://ichtyonb1.mnhn.fr >>http://ichtyonb1.mnhn.fr>> - species summary information >>>> - common names information >>>> - synonyms >> >>>> - reproduction information >>>> - population dynamics >>>> - life history tool >>>> - www.fishbase.org, www.fishbase.dewww.fishbase.orgwww.fishbase.de or http://ichtyonb1.mnhn.fr >>http://ichtyonb1.mnhn.fr>>

5. Who uses FishBase ? - Hits and visitor sessions: Source for internet growth: NUA Internet Services

6. Who uses FishBase ? - Types of users: Based on 1391 entries in the FishBase guestbook – June 2002

7. Who uses FishBase ? - What is used:

8. Constraints to usage >>

9. No Duplication of Effort - Eschmeyer’s Catalog of Fishes - FAO databases (SIDP, FIGIS, Catch) - IUCN’s Red List - National Fish Databases >> >>>> - Genbank - Bibliographies (ZR, NISC, ASFA)

10. No Duplication of Effort - Distribution maps: OBIS mapper Bathymetry Exocoetus volitans

11. No Duplication of Effort - Distribution maps: WhyWhere map Minimum monthly sea surface temperature (min SST)Exocoetus volitans

12. Lessons learned - ‘Science first’ attitude - ‘Yes’ attitude towards people - Invite, accept and act on criticism - Data quality and quantity first - Keep it simple (software keeps changing) - Invest in people - Give more credit than expected - What is not used is useless