American Fisheries Society

2011-2012 President’s Plan of Work

“Fisheries Networks: Building Ecological,

Social and Professional Relationships”

William L. Fisher, President 2011-2012

The mission of the American Fisheries Society is to advance sound science, promote professional development, and disseminate science-based fisheries information for the global protection, conservation, and sustainability of fisheries resources and aquatic ecosystems. This statement guides what we do as members of AFS and our strategic direction as described in AFS 2020, the Society’s strategic plan for 2010-2014. The plan challenges us to seek networking opportunities to promote fisheries conservation throughout North American and the world.

A network is an interconnected system of people or things. Networks are pervasive throughout our Society and in fisheries science. For example, AFS has a large organizational network consisting of an executive director and staff of 17 people, 5 Society officers, a 30-member governing board, 35 committees, 21 sections, 4 geographical divisions, 48 state chapters, and over 55 student subunits. This network of over 9,000 people interacts at local, regional, continental and global scales through various forms of communication including meetings, newsletters, websites, and many, many conversations. The result of these communications and interactions are social relationships, many of which started when we were students and have lasted throughout our professional career. As fisheries scientists, we have studied networks, such as food webs, throughout our history and continue to do so using more sophisticated analytical tools. An emerging area of fisheries science involves social networks. These networks range from small group interactions to large social groups that include fishing villages, fishers and fishing industries, and consumers. The challenge for us as a Society is to continue to build and strengthen these networks in the face of mounting fiscal challenges and social changes.

The Society’s Strategic Plan, AFS 2020, identifies three goals: global fisheries leadership, education and continuing education, and the value of membership. Each of these goals involves some form of networking, whether it is seeking opportunities to build connections among members throughout the world, to understanding and modeling ecological systems, to better educating future fisheries professional, to developing web services that better connect all members of the Society. This Work Plan follows the goals of AFS 2020, continues some of the initiatives in AFS President Wayne Hubert’s 2010-2011 Work Plan, and sets in motion some new initiatives. I propose the following Plan and ask members of the Society to participate and engage in the activities and initiatives listed below during my presidency.

Goal 1: Global Fisheries Leadership

AFS will be a global leader providing information and technical resources for the sustainability and conservation of fisheries resources.

Objective 1.1. Promote fisheries conservation throughout North America and the world, at all levels of government and society, and among all levels of AFS by supporting sound science and networkingopportunities.

Assist with planning and organization of the 142^nd annual meeting in St. Paul, Minnesota, 19-23 August 2012, theme: “Fisheries Networks: Building Ecological, Social and Professional Relationships”

• Promote and participate in the 6^th World Fisheries Congress, 7-11 May 2012, Edinburgh, Scotland, theme: “Sustainable Fisheries in a Changing World”

Objective 1.2. Increase science-based fisheries conservation by increasing interactions with AFS members and government policy makers.

• Continue Briefings on the Hill
• Continue Resource Policy Committee’s revision of and proposals for new policy statements and resolutions

Objective 1.3. Promote fisheries conservation through development and dissemination of public outreach materials.

• Update AFS website and web services following recommendations of Electronic Services Advisory Board
• Continue with updating the look and content Fisheries

Goal 2: Education/Continuing Education

AFS will facilitate life-long learning through world-class educational resources at all academic levels and provide training for practicing professionals in all branches of fisheries and aquatic sciences.

Objective 2.1. Encourage educational institutions at all levels to maintain excellent academic programs in fisheries sciences and related disciplines to assure recruitment of fisheries professionals that meet the needs of employers.

• Co-organize and co-lead “Education and Employment Conference” 19-21 September 2011 in Denver, Colorado sponsored by the Coalition for Natural Resource Societies

Objective 2.2. Ensure that the fisheries professional certification program reflects the integration of many sciences relevant to fisheries while ensuring its recognition as a mark of scientific excellence and expertise.

• Implement recommendations for revising AFS Professional Certification Program

Objective 2.3. Provide a wide array of continuing education opportunities using innovative methods to reach the widest possible audience of fisheries professionals.

• Implement Continuing Education Committee’s Distance Education Plan
• Develop a continuing education course registry and advertise offerings to members
• Enhance Fisheries and Aquatic Science Outreach and Education

Goal 3: Value of Membership

AFS will serve its members and fisheries, aquaculture, and aquatic science constituencies to fulfill the mission of the Society

Objective 3.1. Determine and respond to the needs and opinions of AFS members.

• Continue efforts to retain young professionals and recruit students
• Conduct a compensation survey for fisheries professionals

Objective 3.2. Enhance participation of students and professionals at all levels of the society to assure recruitment, retention, and leadership development into the future.

• Address the affiliate membership issue at the 2011 AFS Governing Board Retreat
• Continue young professional mentorship program

Objective 3.3. Promote diversity within AFS and the fisheries profession.

• Promote diversity through Equal Opportunity and Native Peoples sections

Objective 3.4. Develop innovative and cost effective methods to make fisheries science and management information readily available to AFS members and all levels of government entities worldwide.

• Continue exploring and implementation of virtual meeting attendance opportunities
• Continue expansion of Fisheries InfoBase to include non-science articles
• Continue populating gray literature database

Objective 3.5. Practice good governance and organizational management.

• Promote and improve online membership tracking for all Units
• Evaluate Society governance, including the size and structure of the Governing Board
• Continue electronic archiving of Governing Board and Annual Meeting minutes and reports