TO ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION BY AFWA MEMBERS IN THE 2019 JOINT CONFERENCE OF THE AMERICAN FISHERIES SOCIETY AND THE WILDLIFE SOCIETY
The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies recognizes and appreciates the importance of ensuring that state, provincial, and federal fisheries and wildlife management agency staff and their partners have access to the best available scientific information to manage and conserve our public trust resources. Accordingly, AFWA encourages its member agencies and organizations to participate in the 2019 joint conference of The American Fisheries Society and The Wildlife Society, to be held in Reno, Nevada, September 29-October 3, 2019.
WHEREAS, state, provincial, and federal fish and wildlife agencies are charged with safeguarding public trust fish and wildlife resources, and do so by employing professional biologists and managers to guide the stewardship of these resources; and
WHEREAS, the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation recognizes that science is the proper tool for the discharge of fish and wildlife management; and
WHEREAS, dissemination and discussion of new and innovative advances in fish and wildlife science can empower the fish and wildlife professionals at state, provincial, and federal fish and wildlife agencies to enhance management and conservation efforts; and
WHEREAS, the American Fisheries Society was founded in 1870 and is the world’s oldest and largest fisheries science society, and works to improve the conservation and sustainability of fishery resources and aquatic ecosystems by advancing fisheries and aquatic science and promoting the development of fisheries professionals; and
WHEREAS, The Wildlife Society was founded in 1937 and works to inspire, empower, and enable wildlife professionals to sustain wildlife populations and habitats through science-based management and conservation; and
WHEREAS, the American Fisheries Society and The Wildlife Society both provide scientific peer-reviewed journals, professional development opportunities, and other services that benefit the fish and wildlife professionals employed by state, provincial, and federal fish and wildlife agencies; and
WHEREAS, the American Fisheries Society and The Wildlife Society will host the first-ever joint conference of these two professional societies on September 29 – October 3, 2019, in Reno, Nevada; and
WHEREAS, the joint conference will be the largest-ever gathering of fish and wildlife professionals and will provide professional development opportunities and scientific information which is pertinent to the conservation and management of public trust species.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies recognizes and appreciates the importance of this first-ever joint conference of the American Fisheries Society and The Wildlife Society; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies encourages the staff of its member agencies and partner organizations to participate in this joint conference, in order to continue the dissemination of fisheries and wildlife science and thereby ensure the success of science-based management and conservation across North America.
Submitted by the Science and Research Committee
Adopted September 12, 2018, Tampa, FL
