FishBase is the largest global information system on fishes. It provides encyclopedic information on all described fishes and includes many tools for scientists. With more than 30 million hits per month, it is the most successful database on any group of living organisms; it is currently used as an example for other database initiatives around the world.

The Royal Museum for Central Africa is one of the founding members of the FishBase Consortium and is responsible for the fresh- and brackish water fishes of Africa. Each year, the RMCA also organises a training programme in the use of FishBase and the taxonomy of African fishes.

The RMCA will hold the Consortium's next steering committee meeting from 11 to 14 September 2012. The RMCA will also organise a symposium on 11 September where Belgian and international scientists will present results on a range of studies on fishes. Guido Gryseels, director general of the RMCA, will deliver the opening speech of the symposium.