President’s Plan of Work

Help to lead AFS towards a more international/ethnical society, by attracting members from a broader geography baiting them with relevancy.
Keep cultivating and strengthening Fisheries Science and Practice, including engagement with other fisheries focused and aquatic societies.
Support the continuation/implementation of the Strategic Positioning initiative and teaming with new Executive Director as he guides the Society into the future.
Increase levels of communication between all AFS units and better convey the relevance of Society to its members and their employers. (Continuation from Jennings POW)
Keep and enhance support to diversity initiatives within the Society as well as improve message to membership about the value of diversity of all kinds. (Continuation from Jennings POW)

Specifics – Objective 1. A more international/ethnical society

Become actively involved with the “most important” fisheries focused organization in Central and South America and initiate dialogue of collaboration focusing on What do they need from us….?
Keep working in the development of a Latin American and Caribbean Fisheries Unit.
Keep supporting the development of the new Pacific Islands Chapter to serve fishery professionals as well as increase the Society’s presence and influence in the area beyond the 2024 annual meeting.
Take a leading role in the World Council of Fisheries Societies and work in the preparation of the next to World Fisheries Congress (2028).
Increase direct involvement with AFS International Fisheries Section
Collaborate with and support the Executive Director and AFS staff on Society activities related to this objective (From Jennings POW).

Specifics – Objective 2. Strengthening Fisheries Science and Practice)

Keep spreading the Society’s mission seeking to attract professionals and their potential and current employers within and beyond the traditional fisheries program. This messaging should be nimble to adjust to diverse perceptions of what is considered “fisheries” work and who is a “fisheries” professional, including other practitioners.
Continue to engage with CASS on the future of the organization, including organizational structure, business model, and planning future joint meetings (From Jennings POW).

Specifics – Objective 3. Strategic Positioning initiative and teaming with new Executive Director

Continue the work with the Strategic Positioning Committee (Marlis Douglas, Joe Conroy: Co-chairs) to complete and start implementing our current strategic positioning process.
Support with the help of other Officers and staff the new Executive Director development.

Specifics – Objective 4. Communication between all AFS components

Have direct communication (preferably face –to face) with every Society’s component to determine how are we doing ? What can be done better? in terms of the flow of information
Promote forward-thinking approaches to sharing information with and among units of the Society and staff-lessons learned from the Pandemic
Infiltrate partner agencies (e.g. USFWS, NRCS, state agencies, NGO’s) seeking better communication to determine how relevant the Society is for them and identify opportunities to better serve constituents.
Devise communication strategies to remediate any misconceptions about what AFS does and better inform partners about the value the Society provides to the agencies and their employees (From Jennings’ POW)

Specifics – Objective 5. Maintain/improve diversity

Communicate with membership on the links between DEIA and the benefits of reflecting societal diversity in our fisheries research and management staff and programs (From Jennings’ POW)
Continue collaboration between the Hutton Program and university fisheries programs (possibly through the Education Section and NAUFWP) to provide information to all Hutton applicants regarding university fisheries programs and careers in fisheries science (From Jennings’ POW)
Continue targeted outreach to students and faculty of minority serving institutions (e.g., Historically Black Colleges and University, Tribal Colleges and University, and Hispanic Serving Institute students) based on availability of underrepresented populations local to a meeting or other Society event site (From Jennings’ POW).
Work with members, staff and officers for the most WELCOMING Society

Past Presidents’ Plans of Work

Cecil Jennings, 2023-2024