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.

Eligibility Criteria:

• Any current member of AFS who has been a member of AFS for at least five (5) typically consecutive years is eligible to be nominated to be an AFS Fellow. For these purposes, a member is defined as a dues-paying member or Life Member but does not include Student or Early-Career membership levels.
• A nominee is expected to have been a member of the profession for at least fifteen (15) years (i.e., not attending a degree program full-time). This may be measured as time since the Bachelor or an advanced degree. The committee is encouraged to consider the nominee’s career path in assessing time in the profession.

Selection Criteria: 

• Demonstrated excellence of contributions to at least one of the following areas: (1) research and discovery, (2) communication and outreach, (3) education and pedagogy, (4) application of fisheries science to management and/or policy, (5) leadership and/or advancement of the profession.
• The committee is encouraged to encompass all aspects of leadership and advancement of the profession in their assessment of nominees (e.g., fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion in the fisheries profession, leadership within and outside of AFS, or management of shared fisheries resources.
• Each nominee is to be evaluated individually against the criteria of demonstrated excellence rather than in comparison to other nominees.

• • AFS Presidents automatically become Fellows upon their procession to Past President if they are not Fellows already.

Nomination Procedures

The nomination of an individual to be an AFS Fellow can be made by any three members of AFS except members of the Fellows Selection Committee.  No AFS member can nominate more than two individuals in a given year.  

1. Cover letter (limit to 2 pages)
2. Up to three (3) supporting documents will be accepted for each nomination. Supporting documents may include:
   1. a current CV (up to 4 pages) and/ or
   2. additional supporting letters (up to 2 pages each).

Therefore, a nomination may include three support letters OR up to two support letters and a CV. The total amount of material for a nomination is capped at 10 pages.

The awards portal will also ask for:

    The names of the three nominators

    The name of the nominee and year they earned a terminal degree (PhD or other degree).

Details on the Items above:

Cover Letter: A cover letter of nomination that describes the nominee’s most significant contributions and her/his impact in at least one of the areas identified above in the Eligibility Criteria. Please address the selection criteria (listed above) you see as most relevant to your nomination. All materials should directly address or relate achievements to the criteria of focus for this nomination.

Letters of Support: Letters of support may be included to provide detailed insight into a nominee’s professional accomplishments and contributions. These letters can come from anyone, including non-members. Again, materials should directly address or relate achievements to the criteria of focus for this nomination.

Curriculum Vitae (optional):  The CV should include evidence of outstanding contributions as outlined under the selection criteria and should be organized as listed below.  Note that the CV information need only address items relevant to this nominee and the area(s) of excellence for which they are being nominated (criteria of focus for this nomination).

• Education,
• Positions held
• Awards and honors
• 10-15 select publications (and total number)
• Current & recent grants
• Professional service
• Communication & outreach activities
• Teaching & pedagogy experience and activities
• Management & policy activities

Award Nominations should be submitted online at https://afsawards.awardsplatform.com/

AFS Fellows by Class Year

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025