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Desert Fishes Council
The Desert Fishes Council is a nonprofit organization that exists to support desert aquatic Ecosystem s via research, management, and dissemination of information. The Desert Fishes Council has an annual Conservation Grants Program to support their activities. While the organization has fishes in it's name it is also concerned about habitat and other organisms present in desert aquatic ecosystems.

Origin and History
The origins of the Desert Fishes Council began in 1969. The history of the Desert Fishes Council is documented in the Chapter 4: The Desert Fishes Council, Catalyst for Change in Battle for Extinction. Edwin Philip Pister was instrumental in creating the Desert Fishes Council and continues to be involved today. The extraction of groundwater for commercial purposes in the area that is now protected as Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge and the subsequent reduction in water levels in Devil's Hole, the only home of the endangered Devil's Hole Pupfish was the impetus for the formation of the Desert Fishes Council.

The stated purpose of the Desert Fishes Council is:

" the Council exists to conserve the biological integrity of desert aquatic ecosystems and their associated life forms, to hold symposia to report related research and management endeavors, and to effect rapid dissemination of information concerning activities of the Council and its members." https://www.desertfishes.org/constitution-of-the-desert-fishes-council/

Annual meetings
Meetings are held annual in November, usually the week prior to Thanksgiving. Meeting locations rotate between three locations 1) Death Valley National Park, 2) a location in the Western USA, and 3) Northern Mexico. The 50th annual meeting will be held in Death Valley in 2018.

Influential Members
Robert Rush Miller

W. L. Minckley

Edwin Philip Pister