In 1980 I started on the long road, or learning curve, in the hobby joining Greenock & District Aquarist Society and making my way up the ladder as they say to showing my fish, winning trophies, and eventfully going on to be an 'A' Class judge with the Federation of Scottish Aquarist Societies which I am still doing to the present day and enjoying immensely.

Early on in the eighties I joined the Catfish Association of Great Britain and also the Northern Area Group which is based in Wigan, England. The main body folded in 1994 but the Northern Area Group went on and prospered with eventually having a name change in the year 2000 to the Catfish Study Group (UK). which I hold the position of Webmaster. I am still an active member of the Group and have learned and hopefully passed on a bit of knowledge through the intervening years.

The last few years have been about my catfish website at www.scotcat.com and the steep learning curve it took to get the site to the position it holds in the fishy web world today. It is sometimes hard work but it helps when the e-mail's come in thanking me for the work I have put in, and it then spurs me on a little more knowing that your work is appreciated.