This will be a very exciting meeting where PVAS has partnered with NECA to sponsor Mati Garcia from Uruguay Fish Tours. See below for a little information about Mati.

My name is Matias Garcia. I'm 28 years old and have spent more than half of my life as an aquarium hobbyist. I enjoy nature and tranquility and devote as much of my free time as possible to exploring every freshwater body of water in Uruguay, capturing, admiring, and recording the diversity of fish and other aquatic species, including my favorites from the genus Gymnogeophagus or "naked eartheaters". In addition to exploring and collecting, I have kept and bred many species of fish - both from Uruguay and elsewhere. In 2021, some friends and I established "AUTÓCTONOS DE URUGUAY" ("Natives of Uruguay") (https://linktr.ee/autoctonosdeuruguay) to share pictures, and videos of our expeditions and the fish that we catch. To share our adventures with others, in 2024, we created "Uruguay Fish Tours" (www.uruguayfishtours.com) to provide a safe, fun, and fulfilling opportunity for people from around the world to experience my beautiful country and to legally and sustainably collect and bring fish home to their aquariums.

Lunch: 12:00 – 1:00 - Pizza and drinks will be provided

Mati Garcia Talk: 1:00 – 2:30

Mini Auction: 2:45 – 3:45