Doug Keaty, a general contractor from Fountain Hills, AZ, and formerly with the New Mexico Home Builders Association, attended a forum at the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition's exhibit booth in Las Vegas. After the session, he talked with HFSC's Peg Paul about what he heard from NFPA fire sprinkler expert Matt Klaus.
Aneta Piwowareztk of Las Vegas was the winner of a Smart TV at the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition's booth at the International Builders' Show. Aneta played the Built for Life game show with host Tom Clark, correctly answered a question about home fire sprinklers, and got to take a spin on our slot machine.
Lots more prizes available today, including another Smart TV. If you're here in Las Vegas, be sure to stop by Booth #C1053.
NFPA sprinkler expert Matt Klaus tells a story about friends who were concerned that their fire sprinklers would ruin the look of their new home.
How are you building on the conversation about home fire sprinklers in your community?
Tom Lia, executive director of the Northern Illinois Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board -- and member of the Illinois Fire Sprinkler Coalition, explains how home fire sprinklers are installed.
The Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition has exhibited at the International Builders' Show for more than 15 years. And every year, there seems to be more interest and more understanding about the life-saving potential of sprinklers.
We chat with many builders, naturally, but also get to talk with real estate agents, developers, architects, and remodelers. And for the past few years, the show has co-located with KBIS, the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show, so we're also getting to meet interior designers, home design consultants, and other industry professionals.
With two states, the District of Columbia, and hundreds of cities and towns across the United States now requiring sprinklers in new homes, there's no doubt there is increased awareness of the power of home fire sprinklers.
And I wonder if the proliferation of popular home design and improvement programs on HGTV and the DIY Network is also helping consumers better understand what's behind the walls and above the ceilings in their homes.
We need to continue coming together on the issue of home fire sprinklers and help our audiences – the building industry, lawmakers, and homeowners and potential home buyers – understand that sprinklers are a simple, cost-effective way to add an enhanced level of safety to our homes.
Question: So whether it's at a meeting of your sprinkler coalition, a side-by-side sprinkler demonstration, a town hall meeting, a fire department open house, or other opportunity to meet with your stakeholders, how are you helping to build on the growing understanding and acceptance of home fire sprinklers?
Who says learning about home fire sprinklers can't be fun?
Tom Clark of the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition hosts the Built for Life game in the HFSC booth at the International Builders' Show in Las Vegas.
What would you pay for peace of mind in your new home?
NFPA's Matt Klaus reviews NFPA's sprinkler standard with an attendee at the International Builders' Show in Las Vegas.
I got a chance to walk around the enormous exhibit space at the International Builders' Show in Las Vegas today, and I was floored by the array of new and innovate products that are on display. Lots of great ways to make your home more attractive, stylish, comfortable, secure, and safe.
From outdoor kitchens, spa bathrooms, rainwater harvesting systems, oodles of smart home technologies, to a $25,000 home elevator system, it seems the only limits are your imagination and your wallet.
And while it's fun to dream about the fancy home upgrades, if I were building a new home today, there's one very affordable feature that would help me sleep better at night, knowing that my family, our dog, our possessions, and our home would be protected in case of a fire.
Home fire sprinklers. At an average cost of $1.35 per square foot, installing sprinklers in a new 2,000 square foot home would cost about $2,700. What a great investment in safety! Consider this: if you have a fire in your home, the risk of dying decreases by about 80 percent when sprinklers are present.
So of all the choices homebuilders and buyers have to make when building a new home, installing fire sprinklers is an affordable way to ensure peace of mind.
Learn more by watching these short videos from the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition that provide easy-to-understand information about why fire sprinklers are needed, how they work and how they are installed.
Paul Machado, a firefighter from Fall River, MA, and his crew responded to a fire inside a two-and-a-half story home. While inside the dwelling, their efforts were exacerbated by the fast-moving blaze, which knocked him to the ground. He attempted to seek safety by heading down to the first floor, but the fire was too intense. Since his radio had melted, calling in a "Mayday" was impossible.
Firefighter Machado, who eventually escaped the blaze but suffered numerous injuries and burns from the incident, was a guest speaker at the NFPA Fire Sprinkler Initiative Summit in Quincy, MA.
After spending three days in a trauma center and being sidelined for a year during a painstaking recovery effort, Firefighter Machado has become an outspoken advocate for home fire sprinklers, which he says could have drastically altered the outcome of the fire.
"As a firefighter, fire sprinklers were always in the background for me," he told Summit attendees. "It is hindsight, but I am happy to do anything I can to help spread the word about sprinklers. Fireighers really need to understand how important they are."
VIDEO: Firefighter Machado tells his story as part of NFPA's "Faces of Fire" campaign.
Educating the fire service, opposition from homebuilders, effective coaliton-building, resources...just some of the topics discussed on the first day of NFPA's Fire Sprinkler Initiative Summit being held in Quincy, MA. About 70 advocates, representing the fire service, the medical community, the insurance industry, developers, authorities having jurisdiction, and others have gathered to network, brainstorm ideas, and share best practices on how to move toward sprinkler requirements in all new one- and two-family homes. Stay tuned to this blog for more coverage from this event.
We are asking sprinkler advocates across North America to take action in support of a crucial piece of legislation.
Both the New Jersey Assembly and Senate have passed the New Home Fire Safety Act, which would require the installation of fire sprinklers in newly constructed one- and two-family homes. The legislation awaits a signature from Governor Chris Christie.
Safety advocates from the Garden State are asking sprinkler advocates from across the country to sign a petition showcasing national support for the bill.
Please show your support by signing this petition. It's quick and easy!
Why is this bill's passage so crucial? Home is where the majority of fire deaths occur in the U.S. Since New Jersey experiences roughly 60 fire deaths and more than $25 million in estimated property damage each year, fire continues to have a devastating impact on the Garden State. Home fire sprinklers are a proven technology to reduce—and eventually eliminate—these devastating losses.
Stanley Briers of the Texas Plumbing, Air Conditioning, and Mechanical Contractors Association, and a member of the Texas Fire Sprinkler Coalition, spoke about his experience in navigating the legislative process.
Fred Durso of NFPA and Peg Paul from the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition spoke about the free sprinkler advocacy materials offered by the two organizations.
John Pizzi, president of the Fire Prevention Association of Massachusetts, makes a point during a group discussion.
Tim Travers, NFPA Residential Fire Sprinkler Specialist, addressed some of the common myths about home fire sprinklers, issues such as cost (the national average for installation in new homes is $1.35 per sprinklered square foot) and sprinkler activation (only the sprinkler closest to the fire will activate). See more sprinkler myths.
Larry Iseminger, Chief Fire Protection Engineer for the Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal, provided a history of fire sprinkler regulations in Maryland. He said that in Prince George's County alone, which has required sprinklers in all new one- and two-family homes since 1992, there are more than 60,000 sprinklered homes. In the past 22 years, there have been 400 fires in sprinklered homes, but no fire deaths in those homes.
Massachusetts State Representative Ruth Balser is a longtime proponent of home fire sprinklers. During today's NFPA's Fire Sprinkler Initiative summit in Durham, Rep. Balser said a key to getting things accomplished is building relationships and offered tips on how to best communicate with lawmakers. She also underscored the value of a strong coalition and local media involvement in successful advocacy efforts. "At the end of the day, many home fire deaths are preventable. And yes, sprinklers have a cost, but how do you put a cost on a human life?" she said.
Pam Elliott's voice has become a powerful tool in the push for sprinkler requirements. Burned over 50% of her body during a house fire when she was five years old, she has turned her personal tragedy into a national campaign for home fire safety.
Elliott was a featured speaker at NFPA's Fire Sprinkler Initiative summit in Durham on November 13. "I'm here to speak for those who can't speak for themselves and those most vulnerable in house fires: infants, children, the elderly, and the disabled," says Elliott, a part-time nurse at Wake Forest Baptist Health in Winston-Salem, NC.
Elliot, who recently joined the newly-formed North Carolina Fire Sprinkler Coalition, was also recently commended for an op-ed she wrote on Firefighternation.com where she expressed her frustration in the slow process and pushback against home fire sprinklers.
Read a feature about Pam Elliott's advocacy efforts in the new issue of NFPA Journal.
Protecting lives and saving property from fire through the installation of sprinklers in new homes is the topic at NFPA's Fire Sprinkler Initiative summit in Raleigh, NC. About 60 attendees, representing the fire service, local government, public safety and other organizations, have gathered for a one-day meeting to network, brainstorm, share best practices, and discuss challenges associated with local and state efforts to bring about sprinkler requirements for new one- and two-family homes.
Chief Mary Regan of the Westfield, MA, Fire Department, and Chair of the Massachusetts Fire Sprinkler Coalition, and Massachusetts State Representative Ruth Balser.
NFPA Regional Director John Caufield and Jerry DeLuca, Executive Director/CEO of the New York Associaition of Fire Chiefs.
Fire Marshal Danny Beller of the Knoxville, TN, Fire Department, and NFPA Regional Director Robert Duval.
Debbie Doke, Oklahoma State Fire Marshal Bob Doke, and Fire Marshal Danny Salts of Owasso, OK.
Don Corkery of the New York Association of Fire Chiefs and NFPA Residential Fire Sprinkler Specialist Tim Travers.
Kevin Lauer of the Municipal Tennessee Advisory Service and Kingman Schuldt, president of the Florida Fire Chiefs Association.
Cindy Giedraitis of the National Fire Sprinkler Association and NFPA Communications Manager Fred Durso.
NFPA Regional Director Randy Safer, Joe Delaune of the Louisiana State Fire Marshals Office, and Kelly Ransdell of the North Carolina Department of Insurance.
NFPA President Jim Pauley, Vickie Pritchett of the National Fire Sprinkler Association, and Lorraine Carli, NFPA Vice President of Outreach and Advocacy.
Thomas Mawson of the Center for Public Safety Excellence in Chantilly, VA, and Fire Marshal Ben Hammond of the Sheridan, AR, Fire Department.
NFPA Residential Fire Sprinkler Specialist Jeff Hudson and John Pizzi, President of the Fire Prevention Association of Massachusetts.
NFPA Web Publisher Mike Hazell and Peg Paul of the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition.
This is the second home fire sprinkler summit that NFPA has hosted this year. Last May, about 50 people attended a Fire Sprinkler Initiative summit in Denver.
Watch this blog for more updates from the Raleigh summit.


Our resident Whovian, Lindalee Rose, traveled to Los Angeles, for 'Gallifrey One', the biggest Doctor Who themed convention in the United States, to meet biggest fans and biggest stars of the hit BBC time-traveling-adventure show.
Armed with her microphone, love of Doctor Who and child-like wonder, she was given exclusive access to interview the actors behind some of the most iconic characters in the Doctor Who universe. On hand for Lindalee's Q&A were Sir John Hurt (The War Doctor), Michelle Gomez (Missy/the Master), Ingrid Oliver (Osgood), Colin Baker (the 6th Doctor), Jami Reid-Quarrell (Colony Sarff), Clare Higgins (Ohila of the Karn Sisterhood), Neve McIntosh (Madame Vastra) and more!
Lindalee also hung out with her fellow Whovians, meeting fans from around the world who's love for Who, are out of this world!
Scroll down to check out exclusive pics from Lindalee's personal Gallifrey One photo-album with fans and celebs from the event!
Head to GallifreyOne.com for more details about the convention and how you can be part of the sci-fi magic next year!


Share the joy of the season with friends, neighbors, and all you know with holiday cards for everyone!
Stay in touch with old friends, loved ones, and business associates this holiday season! Extend your best wishes for a very "Merry Christmas!" or "Happy Holidays" with a generic Christmas Card for everyone. Celebrate the time-honored, holiday card-sending tradition with these cheerful season's greetings that convey the magical wonder of this special time of year!
Look for the pencil icon for cards that can be personalized for an extra-special and very personal Christmas card. Looking for the right words to add to your General Christmas Card? Browse our suggestions for What to write in a Christmas Card!


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Never mind 1984: Michael Billington's top five theatrical dystopias
Dystopian plays are rare, but from Samuel Beckett's Happy Days to Caryl Churchill's Far Away, there have been some standout original stage creations
Michael Billington
@billicritic
Dystopian greatness … Far Away by Caryl Churchill. Photograph: Ivan Kyncl
The arrival of 1984 at the Almeida theatre in London has prompted critics to resurrect the word "dystopia". But what does it actually mean? The term was coined by John Stuart Mill in 1868 and refers to an anti-utopia: in other words, a projection of present-day tendencies into a catastrophic or apocalyptic future.
As an idea, it's long been popular in fiction: apart from Orwell's 1984, there's Huxley's Brave New World, Golding's The Lord of the Flies, Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale. But dystopian drama is much rarer, possibly because the form has echoes of science fiction, and theatre's strength lies less in futuristic visions than fidelity to the here and now.
Nonetheless, I've come up with a list of five top dystopian plays, excluding adaptations, and presented in reverse chronological order, to which you are invited to contribute …
1. Far Away (2000) by Caryl Churchill
Churchill's 50-minute play certainly lodges in the memory. It also exemplifies the problems of dystopian drama. It starts chillingly, in a recognisable rural world, where a young girl questions her aunt about things she has seen at night: men arriving in lorries and being beaten up by her uncle and bundled into sheds. One shudders when the aunt tells the child: "You're part of a big movement now to make things better". By the end, Churchill envisions a world that has descended into cosmic chaos. But even if there is something abrupt about the transition from political brutalism to natural disorder, the play defiantly endures.
2. Henceforward … (1987) by Alan Ayckbourn
Ayckbourn has always been fascinated by science fiction and social breakdown. He brings the two together in this rarely seen but darkly dystopian comedy. It's partly about a hermetic composer who lives in a computerised bunker and is serviced by a female android. It's also about isolated individuals trying to create art in a society where the streets are policed by vigilante mobs. If it works, and I think it does, it's because Ayckbourn himself is both a techno-junkie and intelligent enough to see the dangers of a world in which we start to prefer rational machines to to irrational human beings.
3. The War Plays (1985) by Edward Bond
I admit that the Bond I honour most is that of the masterly early plays: The Pope's Wedding, Saved, Bingo. But even if in his later years Bond seems to start from a position of dogmatic certainty, he retains his ability to create durable images. In The War Plays, a trilogy scarcely seen in Britain but revered in France, Bond posits a postnuclear future that produces unforgettable moments. In Red, Black and Ignorant, a ghostly figure, burned in the womb, attacks a bomb-crazed civilisation, while in The Tin Can People, survivors of a war rediscover the means of killing. Disquieting, dystopian and too important to be ignored.
4. Happy Days (1960) by Samuel Beckett
Is Beckett's play dystopian? I don't see what else it can be. A critic has made the distinction between a dystopia that is "a constructed negative place" and one that is "a destroyed place with little or no formal structure".
Nineteen eighty-four would be an example of the former; Happy Days of the latter. After all, the image of the progressively entombed Winnie and her helpless husband, Willie, suggests some form of cataclysm has taken place.
Beckett is too shrewd to be specific, but Fiona Shaw's Winnie at the National in 2007 seemed to occupy a postnuclear landscape, and while watching Juliet Stevenson at the Young Vic, it struck me, as the shale cascaded down on her, that she was the victim of, among other things, profound climate change.
5. RUR (1920) by Karel Čapek
I've never seen this once-famous play by the Czech writer Čapek, but it clearly deserves its place in any list of dystopian plays. For a start, it introduced the word "robot" into the language (the acronymic title stands for Rossum's Universal Robots). But it's also the grandaddy of all those plays, films and novels that raise concerns about the power of artificial intelligence.
Set on "a remote island in the future", it shows the robots killing all but one of the human beings and then, desperate to reproduce themselves, discovering that they have the power to love and procreate. Wouldn't it be fascinating, just for once, to have a look at this pioneering dystopian piece?
• Michael Billington reviews 1984 at the Almeida
Caryl Churchill
Alan Ayckbourn
Edward Bond
Surveillance state takes centre stage in new 1984 production
Producers of a new version of George Orwell's classic suggest his dystopic fiction is chillingly relevant
£19.84 tickets announced for West End transfer of Orwell play
Much-lauded Headlong adaptation of dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four will offer 101 seats at special price each day, writes Matt Trueman
1984 – review
The fierce intelligence of the Almeida, Headlong and Nottingham Playhouse's spin on George Orwell shines through - but the play contributes to a worrying theatrical trend, writes Michael Billington
1984; Oh What a Lovely War – review
Orwell's 1984 comes to tremendous, hellish life. And Joan Littlewood's satire still bites, writes Susannah Clapp

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Home married Kevin Mckidd & Arielle Goldrath Wedding
Congratulation! Kevin McKidd is a married man. He announced his wedding in 2018 with his girlfriend, Arielle Goldrath via his website. Wait guys, before you get all excited, there's another good news as well.
Arielle Goldrath announced her pregnancy before the big day. Congrats to her on being a mom. Not just that, the couple recently welcomed a second child together as announced by The Daily Mail. Want to know more about their personal life, then keep reading.
Kevin McKidd is grateful for his Wedding
In March 2018, Grey's Anatomy star exchanged wedding vows with his girlfriend, Arielle Goldrath. McKidd took his girlfriend as his bride in front of friends and family.
Kevin McKidd (right) with his newlywed wife Arielle Goldrath (left)
The couple started dating after Kevin ended his eighteen-year marital relationship with Jane Parker. In his own words, McKidd is very grateful for his nuptials with Goldrath. He said,
"Arielle and I are so happy to announce our marriage and new baby, who is soon to join our growing family".
Furthermore, he continued,
"There's much to be grateful for and we're thrilled for the adventures 2018 will bring us all!".
The Wedding Details...
Goldrath and McKidd organized the wedding ceremony in a Jewish tradition at Calamigos Ranch in Malibu, California. The ceremony was conducted in an extravagant manner which included a lot of his friends, family, and his TV Colleagues.
Kevin McKidd and Arielle Goldrath trying their cowboy outfit
Besides that, the couple also performed Scottish ceilidh dance. The bride looked absolutely stunning in her full-sleeved lace gown, whereas McKidd arrived at the wedding in a traditional lemonade green kilt.
In the guest list, along with the pair friends and family, the cast of Grey's Anatomy was also included. The stars like Justin Chambers, Ellen Pompeo, Katherine Heigl, Sandra Oh, Peter Norwalk, and many more attended the wedding.
The couple welcomed a son together...
During the wedding ceremony, Goldrath was already expecting a child with her husband. After the matrimony, the couple welcomed their first child, Aiden McKidd.
Kevin McKidd with his son Aiden McKidd at the beach
Born on May 13, 2018, Aiden McKidd is the third child of Kevin McKidd. Prior to Aiden, Kevin became a father to two beautiful children from his first marriage with Jane Parker.
Iona McKidd and Joseph McKidd are now in their teenage life. Jane and Kevin both share joint custody of both of their children. Aiden probably was the most beautiful present that Arielle could receive on Mother's Day.
Upon the birth of Goldrath's first child, McKidd posted a picture on her Instagram. In the post, he wrote,
"On this beautiful Mother's Day evening..., Welcome little Aiden to our family and to the world!".
It's another Child for Grey's Anatomy Star!
Nearly a year after the birth of Aiden, the couple announced the arrival of another child. This time, it's daughter Nava James. With the arrival of Nava, McKidd is now the father of four children.
Arielle Goldrath with her newborn baby Nava James
In his Instagram post, he mentioned about his newborn baby daughter. He wrote,
"I'm so happy to announce the arrival of our little baboo- Nava James McKidd. She is amazing and our whole family feels blessed".
Kevin completed his family with four kids and for the mothering strength, he admired his wife Arielle as well. So far, the pair are enjoying their married life as there are no rumors floating around about their relationship troubles.
Arielle Goldrath
Jane Parker
Peter Nowalk


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The Smark Henry Pay-Per-Review: No Mercy 2016
By Romeo Moran Tuesday, October 11, 2016
Before anything, no, we did not review Clash of Champions. Fuck RAW PPVs. (No, seriously, your humble reviewer was too busy that morning and in the next couple of days to even see the show in full, and, well, fuck RAW PPVs.)
I have to admit that I'm pretty right-wing when it comes to my pro wrestling. I want traditions to be observed, swerves to mean something, and deviations from the norm to make sense. I don't care who it's going up against, whether it's Sunday Night Football or a presidential debate—I want my main events to stay being main events.
A strong main event will speak for itself, no matter what the odds are. No Mercy could have gone with either the WWE Championship match (which was hard to top) or the Intercontinental Championship match (which new champion Dolph Ziggler himself wished closed the show). Since SmackDown is a strong enough brand to reach deep into its pockets and give us two big fights in one night, if they were really going with a gimmick putting the world title match on first, the big emotional moment in Ziggler keeping his job should've been the other bookend to a solid evening.
Moving the card around to adjust to competitors is actually a smart move in hindsight—it's just that the tone-deafness that went into the decision of having Bray Wyatt vs. Randy Orton, a rather lukewarm feud by all standards, was jarring in the wake of the strong threads that were the main event, and in the wake of how tight and sensible SmackDown had become post-brand split.
And even though you might think it's such a small deal, these things matter. Think of a wrestling show as one book, with each chapter having its own self-contained story, its own contribution to the bigger picture. One big thing must happen to set the tone for the whole plot, and it must be bookended by a climax. If you change any of those things and end the book with a whimper, you'll have lost your reader and make them put it down with a sour taste.
We've now gotten used to the blue brand making the most wrestling logic out of an illogical main show that we can easily point out to this ridiculous technical main event being a classic McMahonism, forcing something where it shouldn't be. Yes, the reshuffling makes sense, but at the end of the night it bared how thin SmackDown really was—and how good their neo-Heymanesque booking in the second half of 2016 hid that. B
Photo from WWE
The team of American Alpha and the Hype Bros def. the team of the Ascension and the Vaudevillains in a kickoff eight-man tag match
AJ Styles (c) def. John Cena and Dean Ambrose in a triple threat match to retain the WWE World Championship
Nikki Bella def. Carmella
The team of Heath Slater and Rhyno (c) def. the Usos to retain the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championships
Baron Corbin def. Jack Swagger
Dolph Ziggler def. the Miz (with Maryse) (c) to win the WWE Intercontinental Championship
Naomi def. Alexa Bliss
Bray Wyatt def. Randy Orton after interference from Luke Harper
Romeo Moran (@roiswar) is the Editor in Chief of Smark Henry and one of the three hosts of the Smark Gilas-Pilipinas Podcast. He gets by in this hard knock life through working in publishing. Smark Henry was his and Stan Sy's original vision of a watering hole for local wrestling fans. He roots for the undersized guys who hit hard, but really hates Davey Richards with his entire soul.
No Mercy No Mercy 2016 PPV Review WWE
Labels: No Mercy No Mercy 2016 PPV Review WWE


Day thirty one of our holiday and day seven in day care unit 27th of July 2018, it is Friday morning today and I am not at day care unit, because the doctor is not at work today. I will go to shopping and see my friend she will show me where to go to found translator and travel agency to check my ticket and to buy some stuff. I am still in the house and have some breakfast and my medication's, then will go to have shower. It is nice sunny day and I enjoy the sunshine coming from the window. I just finish with the breakfast and my sister in law call me to see what are my plans for today? They are still on the sea side and will be back on Sunday morning. When we finish the phone call I get into the shower and then get ready for go out. At eleven o'clock I left the house and get taxi to the city center where I will meet my friend. We go to the nearest coffee shop to have coffee and to see each other for an hour. Then we go to the travel agency to check my ticket and from there to found translator, but it was close. After that we go around shopping center for shopping and lunch at four o'clock we go to the nearest bus stop to get bus to my place. Finally I get at home and have my supper. After supper I clean the house and water the garden, washing the dishes and some clothes. Then watching TV and call my family and few friends. Then I go get ready for bed and read book until I fall asleep. Good night sweet dreams sleep well all my friends and family. See you soon, with love and light always yours Ann Wood.


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African Clarias catfish are robust survivalists
Made-to-measure for aquaculture
The African sharptooth catfish Clarias gariepinus is a hardy fish of modest needs that is not particular about its diet. Moreover it is an accessorial air-breathing fish that is sometimes to be found living in groups in the most confined spaces at great densities. Its protein- and omega-3-rich fillet tastes good, is healthy and can be processed in many different ways. All this makes C. gariepinus an ideal candidate for aquaculture and it is produced in considerable quantities worldwide.
This article was featured in EUROFISH Magazine 5/2019.
Sharptooth catfish of the Clariidae family ("walking catfishes") are an indispensable source of animal protein in many regions of the world. And they are in the meantime produced in Europe, too: an increasing number of countries farms the species in warm-water recirculating systems. A particular characteristic of the fishes in this family is a special respiratory organ which enables them to absorb oxygen from the air in addition to using their gills to breathe. This additional air-breathing organ (suprabranchial organ) is located in the upper part of the gill cavity. It consists of a "cauliflower-like" structure (a formation in the mucous membrane of the pharynx) that is well-supplied with blood and has tubular air sacs that run on both sides of the spine towards the body's rear. Aerial respiration enables catfish to survive in extreme biotopes with low oxygen levels. They can even leave the water for a few hours to search for food on land near the shore, change their habitat, or look for suitable spawning grounds. During their land excursions which usually take place at night the catfish crawl forward by twisting their body from side to side. For this they use powerful bony spikes on the pectoral fins, rather like the ski-sticks used for Nordic walking. Injuries caused by these spikes can be very painful with persistent bleeding.
The most species-rich and economically most important group within the Clariidae family is the genus Clarias. According to FishBase it currently comprises 61 recognised species of which 34 occur naturally in Africa and 27 in Asia. Clarias catfishes are often the only fish to survive in water bodies that dry out almost completely during dry periods. It is their air-breathing ability that allows them to endure these critical phases during which the fishes often lie tightly packed together in the most confined spaces. This means that high stocking densities in aquaculture are not a problem for them. Clarias species are not particular about their environment. They are extremely robust and insensitive to external influences – with the exception, that is, of temperature. The addition "African" in the species name (which also applies to Clarias species from Asia!) already indicates that the fishes need relatively high temperatures. Apart from this, however, they are not demanding. Their air-breathing ability and their modest needs make them ideal candidates for aquaculture in the tropics where suitable water temperatures prevail all the year round. Today, however, African catfish are also produced outside their natural range in Europe, where they are farmed in warm-water recirculating systems.
Ideal for production in aquaculture
Pioneers of Clarias breeding in Europe were catfish farmers in the Netherlands but other countries have followed suit since then. More than one million tonnes of the species are probably produced worldwide today. Unfortunately there are large gaps in the FAO statistics for Clarias species. One reason for this is that African catfish are kept in various different systems, from tiny backyard ponds and irrigation ditches to regular aquaculture facilities. Due to their large number and spatial distribution they will probably never be recorded fully. The other reason is that some producing countries in Asia or Africa fail to record and report their aquaculture production in full. Since African catfish are easy to rear the actual production is likely to be higher than the officially declared quantities. These fishes probably make a larger contribution to the supply of the world population with animal protein than often assumed.
Something else that is not clear is which species are produced in aquaculture throughout the world. In many countries no exact distinction is made between different species. That is why the FAO statistics assign the largest part of production to Clarias spp. without differentiating them further. However, taking into account species-assignable aquaculture production, catch reports from the fishery sector, and also the size of the distribution area, Clarias gariepinus is probably the most important species. This assumption is also shared by the South African ichthyologist Paul Skelton, who describes the African sharptooth catfish as the second most important freshwater fish in Africa after tilapia.
Clarias gariepinus was first scientifically described by the British natural scientist William John Burchell (1782 - 1863) who is regarded as one of the most important explorers in Africa. Of course, the natives of this region had been familiar with the air breathing catfish for a long time already but it was Burchell who described the fish for the first time according to scientific criteria and gave it its name. The generic name Clarias which is derived from the Greek word "chlaros" meaning "particularly vigorous, lively" refers to the fish's ability to survive out of water. The species name gariepinus is derived from the locality in which the catfish was found. Burchell found it in a river that the English called Orange River but in the native language it was called Gariep.
The African catfish C. gariepinus is fairly insensitive to diseases, has no demanding nutritional requirements, and is fairly easy to reproduce. And that is why it has been settled in many regions of the world. The fishes have spread widely in many places since then and have become a danger to the native fauna because they kill fish, amphibians, insects and even birds and have allegedly brought some species to the brink of extinction. Today, African catfish are regionally classified as invasive. This explains why Clarias catfish are strongly polarizing. On the one hand they are in great demand as a food fish and are produced in increasing quantities in aquaculture; but on the other hand they can become an ecological threat and a real plague in the waters they inhabit.
Aerial respiration allows habitats that are low in oxygen
Typical features of Clarias are the fish's flexible eel-like body, its long dorsal and anal fins, and its flattened head with the helmet-shaped ossified skull. The smooth skin is covered by a thick layer of slime. The body colour varies from greenish-olive to shades of grey and deep black, the back and sides of the body are marbled. A particular characteristic of Clarius catfish is its four pairs of barbels, whose main function is the identification of prey and orientation in murky waters. As obligate air breathers Clarias gariepinus is even found in waters that are periodically dry or have an extremely low level of oxygen. During the dry season the fishes often remain in the mud of swampy ponds for weeks until the next rainy season. If food or spawning facilities are lacking the fishes will also go ashore in search of more suitable habitats. To spawn they migrate into the side arms of large rivers which overflow in the rainy season and flood adjacent flat areas.
African catfish were introduced in a lot of countries for aquaculture purposes. One of the largest producers of Clarias is China, where catfish are often kept in paddy field culture. In 1998, Bangladesh launched a national programme for rearing Clarias in tiny holes in the ground measuring only one square metre to provide farmers with regular additional income. The aim of this small-scale production was to "revolutionise" aquaculture, similar to the idea of keeping chickens in cages. Such projects entail a high risk, however, and several studies have confirmed that under particular site conditions catfish can become a danger to the native animal world. Once the fish has settled successfully it is difficult to keep it under control. In Central Europe, on the other hand, the risk of an uncontrolled spread of African catfish is low. One reason is that the animals are reared in isolated indoor warm-water recirculating systems which make escape into open waters practically impossible. And another is that the temperate climate in our latitudes ensures that any escapes would only survive for a few months at the most anyway. As soon as the temperature drops to near freezing point in winter the fish would have no chance of survival.
Gariepinus is a relatively poor swimmer. When looking for prey it proceeds purposefully and methodically and does not make any sudden attacks. The fishes are mainly night-active and fulfil approximately three quarters of their nutritional needs after nightfall. The barbels, that are equipped with taste-buds and touch-sensitive mechanoreceptors, play an important role when tracking down prey. There is in the meantime growing evidence that African catfish also have an "electrosensitivity" which they use during their search for food. Apparently they perceive electrical discharges that emanate from some prey animals. The gastrointestinal tract of Clarias catfish can absorb large amounts of food. After a copious meal the fish's belly is often grotesquely rounded. Clarias is an opportunistic feeder that will not spurn any food. However, the fishes remain flexible throughout their lives so that even as adults if necessary they can still feed on zooplankton that they sieve from the water with their gill rakers.
Clarias catfish grow rapidly. In their first year growth is almost linear which leads to a considerable leap in size. Females grow faster than males at first but the growth rate slows down as from the third year so that at an advanced age males are almost always larger. The available data on the fish's maximum age range from 8 to 15 years, the EU's European Fish Farming Guide even states 30 years. Depending on their size and the nutritional situation the fishes become sexually mature after one or at the latest two years at which point the females measure between 40 and 45 cm and the males between 35 and 40 cm.
Fry requirements met by European hatcheries
Rapid advances in recirculation technology have made Clarias interesting for European aquaculture. As is often the case with new fish species the Dutch were among the first to bring catfish to Europe. In 1976 work began to develop a parent stock based on wild-caught fishes from the Central African Republic. Later, catfish strains from Israel and South Africa were added which led to the "Dutch breeding line" of African catfish. Commercial production of Clarias catfish began in specially developed warm-water RAS in about 1985. These enclosed systems offer the heat-loving African catfish the conditions that enable them to grow optimally. In intensive farming they reach the desired slaughter weight of 1.3 to 1.5 kg after 140 to 150 days with daily growth rates of 1.7 per cent. Good farms achieve FCR values (Feed Conversion Ratio) of 0.85 and at an average of 85 per cent the survival rate is comparatively high.
The fry required for stocking the RAS farms are today produced by European hatcheries, some of which also run breeding programmes. The main breeding goals are rapid growth and good feed conversion, perfect appearance, a high slaughter yield, and disease resistance of the fry. Probably the largest producer of Clarias fry in Europe is the Dutch company Fleuren & Nooijen, which produces over 2 million young fish a year. They are not only in demand in Dutch catfish farms, in the Ukraine and Costa Rica but are also sold in classic Clarias countries such as Nigeria and Israel. Clarias females experience seasonal gonadal maturation, the beginning of which is linked to the rainy season, changes in water temperatures and daylight hours. At temperatures above 22°C, a certain number of ovules in the ovaries are in the "pre-ripening" stage throughout the year so that the eggs can be stripped after special preparation. The females' fertility is about 500 eggs per gram body weight. While ovulated eggs can be easily stripped, males must be operated on or killed for sperm collection.
The development time from fertilisation of the egg to hatching of the yolk sac larva depends on water temperature. As a rule, egg development in the hatchery takes no longer than one day. Two to three days after hatching, the larvae have eaten their yolk stocks and begin active feeding. Usually feeding starts with Artemia nauplii, which are administered ad libitum several times a day. In this phase the larvae should be offered as much as they want. At the same time, the amount of dry food fed to the larvae is gradually increased so that the animals get used to the smell and taste of this food until, after about a week, they are only fed "dry". The willingness of catfish larvae to eat can be seen from the circumference and colouring of their bellies: the abdomen of well-fed animals is roundish and yellowish-orange in colour.
Two breeding cycles per year possible in RAS
In order to avoid the emergence of cannibalism the larvae and young catfish must be regularly sorted by size. After about one month the offspring has reached a weight of 5 to 7 grams and can be transferred to the on-growing farms. This can take place in various production systems from simple, water-filled earth holes to high-tech, computer-controlled RAS. Each system has advantages and disadvantages, and choice will depend on local conditions as well as the technical and financial means of the plant operator. With the exception of warm geothermal water, which supplies individual ponds regionally, the construction of recirculating aquaculture facilities (RAS) is unavoidable under European climatic conditions. Given well-functioning operation, regular fish stocking and the use of high-quality feed, 700 to 1,000 kg of Clarias catfish can be produced per cubic metre tank volume and year in such plants with two annual breeding cycles. Such quantities are necessary because the high production cost in RAS requires a corresponding output if farming is to be a commercial success.
The processing depth of Clarias catfish varies greatly in the individual regions of the world. While fish in Africa and Asia, with the exception of traditional forms of preservation such as smoking, drying or salting, are usually traded live, more convenient products based mainly on fillets are preferred by buyers in Central Europe. Processing is often still by hand, but increasingly also with machines. The Brüder Pommerehne production facility in Altkalen (Germany), which has a processing line with a daily capacity of almost 2,000 kg of African catfish, is an example of machine processing. With a fillet yield of between 40 and 42% this corresponds to around 840 kg of fillet per day. But even this company cannot do without manual labour. Due to the special skeleton structure of Clarias catfish the BAADER filleting machine can separate the fillets to a large extent but the fine work has to be done afterwards by hand.
The reddish muscle flesh of African catfish is tender, boneless, relatively firm and has a medium fat content with a high proportion of healthy omega-3 fatty acids and thus a high nutritional value. The mild taste is typical of the species, discreet and by no means "fishy". Due to its rather neutral character catfish is suitable for a variety of products, both traditional and modern. The range of Clarias products on the market is already quite broad. In addition to fillets and calibrated fillet portions, which are available both fresh and frozen, there are smoked products, delicatessen products, canned foods and convenience products. Many of these catfish specialities were developed by small creative processing enterprises which are quick to pick up original ideas. The firm muscle flesh, fine fibre structure and mild taste of the African catfish open up a wide range of culinary possibilities and offer ideal conditions for value-adding.
afican clarias
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TRADE & MARKETS


In this review, we've cherry-picked the highlights of the event. Continued from part 1.
EVM have had a bumper year with increased UK and Irish sales, higher production and a growing export business.
Of particular success have been the Community and CityLine products which offer direct wheelchair access. Increasingly sales of these are being made into the mainstream, commercial stage-carriage operators fleets because of their relatively low initial cost, excellent reliability and fuel economy and high residual values.
New at the Show was a 25-passenger version of the CityLine – the CityLine 25. This is built on the 5.5 tonnes Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 516 with the seven speed fully automatic transmission. The vehicle has 16 seats (three of them tip-ups in the wheelchair bay) and can additionally carry nine standees. The new model has been developed specifically for stage carriage services.
At the other end of the scale was a luxurious Grand Tourer VIP minicoach for regular EVM customer Whites of St. Albans. The Grand Tourer is the only vehicle in the EVM range that is coachbuilt and isn't produced in Kilbeggan but by Car-Bus in SpaIn.
The vehicle was built to a very high luxury standard on a Mercedes-Benz 516 Sprinter with automatic transmission base. It had 16 luxurious reclining seats with some of them set at tables, air conditioning, tinted glazing, comprehensive entertainment system with TV screens front and rear, charging and USB sockets at every seat, mood lighting and a good-sized drop well boot. The vehicle had been built for Whites of St Albans, a regular EVM customer.
Also on show was an Avantgarde 16 built for Anthony's Travel of Merseyside. Again the base vehicle is a Mercedes-Benz 516 Sprinter with automatic transmission. Internal specification was again to a high standard with 16 luxury seats, some set at tables, tinted glazing including glass roof, air conditioning, entertainment system with TV screens front and rear and charging, USB sockets at each set of seats, mood lighting and a large boot.
Final exhibit was an X'Clusive EXT. Again on the Sprinter 516 base it featured 19 seats, luxury trim, tinted glazing including a glass roof, air conditioning and a large boot.
Mellor Coachcraft showed two examples of its coachbuilt minibus range, the Strata LF and the Tucana II.
Being coachbuilt, the Sprinter-based Strata gives an internal width increased by 100mm which allows 2+2 seating to be achieved using 450mm wide seats. The Strata LF uses the 5.5-tonne Sprinter chassis fitted with fully automatic transmission.
The Crafter-based Tucana II had 14 seats and one wheelchair bay. The vehicle can additionally carry one standee passenger. If a wheelchair passenger is carried seating reduces to 11 but the single standee passenger ability is retained.
The Strata Low Floor was seated at 21 and again had a single standee availability. When carrying a wheelchair passenger seating drops to 18 and the standee availability is retained.
It is actually possible to carry two wheelchairs in the special lowfloor bay.
The Strata LF has already found favour with a number of stage carriage operators.
Mellor is gearing up for its first ever appearance at the Kortrijk Show where it will be launching the left hand drive version of the Strata LF. It has already signed up a number of dealers in Europe and Scandinavia.
Volvo may only have had one exhibit but it was a big one – a 13.8m B11R 6×2 with Plaxton Elite-I interdeck coachwork with only 42 Kiel 1020 seats trimmed in black and grey leather. The tri-axle chassis featured the D11K 460hp engine and I-Shift AT2412E automated transmission with 600-litre fuel tanks and a 64-litre AdBlue capacity.
Destined for use as the Hull City team coach it carried a dark grey livery for Acklams Coaches of Beverley and was finished to a superb standard with additional conversion work by AD Coach Systems. Equipment included an eight-seat rear lounge around a table with Playstations and X-Boxes and monitors in every conceivable location. Tables featured induction charging and the central kitchen and servery was, as several operators noted, 'better equipped than at home'.
He stressed the importance of continually finding new niches, something he felt Volvo was quite good at, citing the recent launch of the 10.3m Sunsundegui SC5 and the 72-seat SB3 on the B8R chassis as examples. He had been pleased with the 'very positive reaction' to the subtle changes introduced with Jonckheere JHV2 body which were evolutionary rather than revolutionary, enabling it to come in without undermining the JHV1. Jonckheere had a very loyal customer base and over 100 JHV2s had now been sold with major orders from Travellers Choice and Parks of Hamilton.
A fresh branding that will appear across Arriva's European transport operations from January welcomed visitors to the Arriva stand… as well as some new faces following recent changes.
Representing the Van Hool range was a 12.48m long, 3.80m high, integral Van Hool EX15H with 51 Kiel passenger seats in red and grey, courier seat, centre sunken toilet, drinks machine, 435hp DAF/Paccar MX11 engine and ZF EcoLife fully automatic transmission. From Temsa there was a 12.2m Safari HD12 RHD 53 seater with centre sunken toilet and the ZF EcoLife automatic transmission matched to the 360hp version of the DAF MX11 unit. In the demonstration park a Temsa MD9 midicoach in the new colours was prominently sited.
Elsewhere in the halls there was a Bluelight conversion of a Renault Master for Arriva Transport Solutions, a Sprinter City 45 on the EvoBus stand and a separate stand dedicated to Arriva's customer support activities.
There has been a desire for some time to bring in an additional Temsa product and after showing the LD13 last year, consideration is being given to offering the attractive Maraton touring coach. There are also discussions about a switch from building the Safari in stainless steel to carbon steel from next year, a move that would make a 'material difference' to the price of the product.
Ed Potter said preparatory work was being undertaken for the launch of the Van Hool EX16M at Kortrijk and he was hopeful that a launch customer had been signed up.
Important staff changes are the appointment of Natalie Kelly as Head of Sales, reporting to Commercial Director, Andy Cullen. She has considerable sales experience gained in the powered lift industry. A new head of Aftersales & Operations has also been appointed. Nigel Clarke will take on the role from mid-November. Dave Gregory is to return to his former role as Business Development and Fleet Sales Manager at his own request.
Having displayed the first Barbi Galileo MAN RR2 for Andersons Travel at the UK Coach Rally, the operator's second example was shown in Birmingham in the silver of the Windsorian subsidiary.
This had 53 Kiel Avance seats, a luggage hold capacity of 12m3, a ZF EcoLife transmission and a 420hp engine. The power lockers are an option for an additional £1,500. Since Barbi imports began in May 2015, a total of 23 have now been ordered with forward orders already placed for next year. With the GVW limit raised to 19.5t, BASE is looking at whether there are any new options that can be introduced, though there may not be because the stumbling block is usually the continuing 11.5t limit on the rear axle. Other recent orders include another 65-seater on the tri-axle MAN RR4 chassis for the Holmeswood fleet and a further repeat order from Timberbush Travel for a 10.8m MAN RR2 mounted 47 seater. An automatic box can now be ordered with the RR4 chassis.
MobiPeople's 12.5m Explorer has found a niche in the UK since BASE launched the brand in the UK in November 2014 with the number sold here now over the 50 mark in addition to over 30 Midi Explorers. On the stand was the first built to an executive specification with 57 Kiel Avance Chic 2050 recliners, a 60-litre dash fridge, fresh water centre demountable toilet and Frenzel water boiler. Mounted on the MAN RR8 with 290hp 6.9-litre engine (360hp is an option) and ZF EcoLife gearbox it comes at a net price of £194,000. KB Coaches have now taken four Explorers and ordered another at the show. They can demount the toilet and re-seat to 70 at a later date, though the second door position means that the 74 (3+2) you can have on a new build cannot be attained. Holmeswood's own fleet will soon receive a DDA 57 seater with tracking for up to 11 wheelchairs.
Recent, minor Explorer changes have seen the exterior mirror layout altered and some obscuration around the screen removed giving the driver an improved view. Outside, an Explorer for Alexcars was equipped with 74 Buckingham Prime seats, this capacity netting at £181,000.
Mounted on the MAN TGL 10-220 truck chassis with MAN O8.36 engine and automated transmission, the Midi Explorer can now be supplied with 37 rather than 35 seats if required. The coach shown was a DDA specification 35-seater with a rear nearside PLS Access lift for Jamiesons of Lerwick, Shetland, which is celebrating its 95th anniversary this year. It featured Kiel Chic Avance 2050 seats. Following the production of some Midi Explorers with a 20cm shorter front overhang for a Scottish operator this look is now being adopted as standard making the overall length 8.9m rather than 9.1m.
A new boot arrangement on the Midi Explorer introduced last year gives a better departure angle, offers better access and is more aesthetic as well as offering slightly increased capacity, though the old layout, which gives a better departure angle, can still be specified. Net prices for non-DDA 35 seaters start at £134,000 and for the 9.7m 39 seat version on the 12.250 at £143,000.