AFS offers awards to its members and partners for unique contributions that directly or indirectly impact fisheries science. Each year there is a call for award nominations recognizing professional excellence and/or outstanding contributions to conservation, education, and service. (Past recipients of each award are listed on the pages for each award.)

Awards of Merit

• Award of Excellence – The Society’s highest award for scientific achievement is presented to a living AFS member for original and/or outstanding contributions to fisheries and aquatic biology.
• The Emmeline Moore Prize – The American Fisheries Society (AFS) has established a career achievement award, named after the first female AFS president, Emmeline Moore (1927-1928), to recognize efforts of an individual member in the promotion of demographic diversity in the society.
• Excellence in Fisheries Education Award – Presented to an individual to recognize excellence in organized teaching and advising in some aspect of fisheries education. This Award is administered by the AFS Education Section.
• Early Career Fisheries Education Award – The Education Section recently approved the creation of a new section-level education award, in addition to the current society-level Excellence in Fisheries Education Award.  This new award is intended to celebrate excellence in early to mid-career educators.
• Excellence in Public Outreach – Presented to an AFS member who goes the “extra mile” in sharing the value of fisheries science/research with the general public through the popular media and other communication channels. This Award is administered by the AFS Science Communications Section.
• Fellows Program– AFS designates as Fellows of the Society certain members who have made outstanding or meritorious contributions to the diversity of fields that are included in the American Fisheries Society. Contributions can include, but are not restricted to, efforts in leadership, research, teaching and mentoring, resource management and/or conservation, and outreach/interaction with the public.
• Publication Awards– Recognizing the best papers published in each of the five AFS journals during the previous calendar year.
• Student Writing Contest – Presented to a graduate or undergraduate student who submits an outstanding short report about their original research that combines scientifically-sound writing with an appeal to a general audience.

Awards for Service to the Society

• Doug Austen Meritorious Service Award – Presented annually to an individual AFS member for loyalty, dedication, and meritorious service to the Society over a long period of time and for exceptional commitment to the programs, objectives, and long-term goals of the Society.
• Distinguished Service Award – Recognizes outstanding contributions of time and energy for special projects or activities by AFS members.
• Outstanding Chapter Award  – Recognizes outstanding professionalism, active resource protection, and enhancement programs, as well as a strong commitment to the mission of the Society. One award is given to a small chapter (fewer than 100 members) and one to a large chapter (100+ members).
• Outstanding Student Subunit Award – Recognizes outstanding professionalism, active resource protection, and enhancement programs, as well as a strong commitment to the mission of the Society. One award is given to a student subunit.
• Honorary Membership – Presented to individuals who have achieved outstanding professional accomplishments or have given outstanding service to the Society.

Conservation Awards

• Fisheries Conservation Award – Updated for 2025 – Presented to honor individuals, groups, organizations, or other entities for outstanding contributions to the conservation of aquatic resources. This prestigious award integrates the rich legacies of the Carl R. Sullivan Fishery Conservation Award, the President’s Fishery Conservation Award, and the William E. Ricker Resource Conservation Award. Details and history on the Sullivan, President’s Fishery Conservation, and Ricker Awards can be found below:
  • Carl R. Sullivan Fishery Conservation Award
  • President’s Fishery Conservation Award 
  • William E. Ricker Resource Conservation Award
• Stanley A. Moberly Award for Outstanding Contributions in Fish Habitat Conservation – Presented to individuals who has achieved significant success in a fish habitat career.

Scholarships & Fellowships

• Emerging Leaders Mentorship Award – The AFS Emerging Leaders Mentorship Award Program was established to develop future leaders of the Society, and the fisheries profession as a whole, by providing selected candidates an opportunity to participate for one year in activities of the AFS Governing Board.
• J. Frances Allen Scholarship Award – The scholarship fund was established with the intent of encouraging women to become fisheries professionals. The qualified applicant must be a female Ph.D. student conducting aquatic research in line with AFS objectives and be an AFS member as of December 31, 2024. This Award is administered by the AFS Equal Opportunities Section.
• The Steven Berkeley Marine Conservation Fellowship – The fellowship comprises a competitively based $15,000 award to a graduate student actively engaged in thesis research relevant to marine conservation; a focus on fisheries issues is not required. This Award is administered by the AFS Marine Fisheries Section.

Travel Awards

• The John E. Skinner Memorial Fund – The fund provides monetary travel awards for deserving graduate students or exceptional undergraduate students to attend the AFS annual meeting. Any student who is active in fisheries or related aquatic disciplines is eligible to apply. This Award is administered by the AFS Education Section.
• Equal Opportunities Section Travel Award – The AFS Equal Opportunities Section is leading an effort to increase participation in the Society by graduate and undergraduate students from historically underrepresented groups in the fisheries field.
• Retired Members Travel Award – This travel award was established to encourage and enable retired members of the Society to attend Annual Meetings, particularly those members who might play a more active role in the meeting.

Section-Level Awards

Many AFS Sections run additional award programs, in addition to those listed above. Refer to each Section’s webpage for additional information, requirements, and deadlines.

Recent Section Award Recipients, informal certificates of appreciation for service, and other awards are given each year as well.