The Joanne Norton Project (JNP)

The Joanne Norton Project (JNP)
 
Background

Livebearers are in almost every pet store around the world.  Domesticated Platies, Swordtails, and Mollies are staples in the aquarium hobby.  However, most of varieties currently found in stores have the same few fin forms and colors.   

The ALA was formed to stimulate interest and encourage the study of freshwater livebearing fishes; to provide a means for exchange of information among individuals; provide an ongoing program of breeding and maintenance of individual livebearer species and varieties; and to provide a means for the purchase, sale and exchange of livebearers by individuals.

Joanne Norton was a champion for the development of domesticated/fancy livebearers.  Not only did she develop stains, she also freely distributed those to fellow hobbyists while offering advice to and encouraging the development of new strains by others.  

With the loss of Dr. Norton, the ALA has lost a driving force for the creation, maintenance and distribution of domesticated livebearers within the ALA.  With that loss, we have lost a lot of what stimulates interest into the aquarium hobby, into livebearers, and specifically into the ALA.  

In an effort to re-create Dr. Norton’s interest in domesticated/fancy livebearers, and involve hobbyist breeders of domestic strains, encouraging them to become new or returning ALA members, the Joanne Norton Project, JNP, is being created.
 

Purpose

The JNP is created to stimulate interest in and encourage the breeding and maintenance of domestic/fancy livebearers, specifically Swordtails, Mollies, and Platies.  It is the hope that by establishing a program to increase the interested in, be a resource to finding fish, and provide for the exchange of information, the JNP will help the ALA to fulfill all of its objectives.
 

Finance

It is the goal of the JNP to be a net revenue source for the ALA.  However, funds to procure fish or other materials may from time to time be requested to start different projects.
 

Types of Projects

To stimulate interest in the domestic /fancy within the ALA and the hobby the JNP will encourage the development of domesticated standards for show fish.  And, once that is done, have the ALA sanction local club shows and set up shows for domesticated Swordtails, Platies and Mollies.

The JNP will work to acquire strains of domestic/fancy livebearers that are not widespread in the North American Hobby.

The JNP will work to create development contests to enhance existing varieties or create new varieties which can be distributed to ALA members.

The JNP will look at all projects that are presented that further the Purpose of the JNP and objectives of the ALA.