Annual Meeting

(Atlantic City, NJ) August 21, 2018 – Kirk O. Winemiller received the Fellow Award at the 2018 American Fisheries Society (AFS) Annual Meeting in Atlantic City, New Jersey. AFS President Steve L. McMullin presented the award at the meeting’s plenary session. This is the fourth annual class of AFS Fellows. They are recognized for their many years of service to AFS and the fisheries profession. “We applaud the distinguished contributions of Kirk O. Winemiller and thank him for his continuous efforts to the fisheries profession.,” said AFS President Steve L. McMullin. Dr. Winemiller is a Regents Professor and AgriLife Senior Faculty Fellow at Texas A&M University. He was a Fulbright Scholar and an American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Fellow. Dr. Winemiller was also an Ecological Society of America Fellow and co-editor of Food Webs: Patterns and Dynamics. He also was on the editorial board for Ecology and Ecological Monographs. # # # Editor’s Notes: Founded in 1870, the American Fisheries Society (AFS) is the world’s oldest and largest fisheries science society. The mission of AFS is 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. With five journals and numerous books and conferences, AFS is the leading source of fisheries science and management information in North America and around the world.   General link: fisheries.org Link to AFS Annual Meeting: afsannualmeeting.fisheries.org

(Atlantic City, NJ) August 21, 2018 – Reynaldo Patiño received the Fellow Award at the 2018 American Fisheries Society (AFS) Annual Meeting in Atlantic City, New Jersey. AFS President Steve L. McMullin presented the award at the meeting’s plenary session. This is the fourth annual class of AFS Fellows. They are recognized for their many years of service to AFS and the fisheries profession. “We applaud the distinguished contributions of Reynaldo Patiño and thank him for his continuous efforts to the fisheries profession.,” said AFS President Steve L. McMullin. Reynaldo joined AFS in 1982, has served as Fish Physiology Section president, and his affiliations currently include multiple other sections. Reynaldo is Senior Scientist with the U.S. Geological Survey, Leader of the Texas Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit, and Professor of Fisheries and Biological Sciences at Texas Tech University. # # # Editor’s Notes: Founded in 1870, the American Fisheries Society (AFS) is the world’s oldest and largest fisheries science society. The mission of AFS is 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. With five journals and numerous books and conferences, AFS is the leading source of fisheries science and management information in North America and around the world.   General link: fisheries.org Link to AFS Annual Meeting: afsannualmeeting.fisheries.org

(Atlantic City, NJ) August 21, 2018 – Lawrence M. Page received the Fellow Award at the 2018 American Fisheries Society (AFS) Annual Meeting in Atlantic City, New Jersey. AFS President Steve L. McMullin presented the award at the meeting’s plenary session. This is the fourth annual class of AFS Fellows. They are recognized for their many years of service to AFS and the fisheries profession. “We applaud the distinguished contributions of Lawrence M. Page and thank him for his continuous efforts to the fisheries profession.,” said AFS President Steve L. McMullin. Dr. Larry Page is recognized throughout the world as one of the foremost ichthyologists of his generation. Dr. Page has published seven books on fish and invertebrate taxonomy, 186 peer reviewed publications, led the joint Names of Fishes Committee, and is director of iDigBio, the coordinating center for the national effort to digitize biodiversity collections. # # # Editor’s Notes: Founded in 1870, the American Fisheries Society (AFS) is the world’s oldest and largest fisheries science society. The mission of AFS is 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. With five journals and numerous books and conferences, AFS is the leading source of fisheries science and management information in North America and around the world.   General link: fisheries.org Link to AFS Annual Meeting: afsannualmeeting.fisheries.org

(Atlantic City, NJ) August 21, 2018 – Steven J. Cooke received the Fellow Award at the 2018 American Fisheries Society (AFS) Annual Meeting in Atlantic City, New Jersey. AFS President Steve L. McMullin presented the award at the meeting’s plenary session. This is the fourth annual class of AFS Fellows. They are recognized for their many years of service to AFS and the fisheries profession. “We applaud the distinguished contributions of Steven J. Cooke and thank him for his continuous efforts to the fisheries profession.,” said AFS President Steve L. McMullin. Steven Cooke is the Canada Research Chair in Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology at Carleton University. He has served in various leadership and editorial roles and is mentor to many. His research on the physiology and behaviour of wild freshwater and marine fish informs policy and management around the globe. # # # Editor’s Notes: Founded in 1870, the American Fisheries Society (AFS) is the world’s oldest and largest fisheries science society. The mission of AFS is 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. With five journals and numerous books and conferences, AFS is the leading source of fisheries science and management information in North America and around the world.   General link: fisheries.org Link to AFS Annual Meeting: afsannualmeeting.fisheries.org

(Atlantic City, NJ) August 22, 2018 – Dr. Robert Arlinghaus, received the award for Excellence in Public Outreach at the 2018 American Fisheries Society (AFS) Annual Meeting in Atlantic City, New Jersey. AFS President Steve L. McMullin presented the award at the meeting’s plenary session. The award for Excellence in Public Outreach is 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. “We applaud the distinguished contributions of Dr. Arlinghaus and thank him for his continuous efforts to share the value of fisheries science and research,” said AFS President Steve L. McMullin. Dr. Robert Arlinghaus is among the leading fisheries researchers from Europe and indeed around the globe. He has published over 200 peer-reviewed articles and 19 monographs in a wide range of topics, showcasing his exceptional productivity. He is particularly well known and respected for his interdisciplinary work joining the human dimensions and fisheries biology and evolutionary biology surrounding recreational fisheries. Robert is also well-known in the international policy community for his initiative to develop a global code of practice for recreational fishing and which cumulated in the FAO publication “Technical Guidelines for Responsible Recreational Fisheries.” In addition to being a prolific scientist, Robert recognized early on in his career the need to inform the public and fisheries stakeholders outside the sphere the scientific community. His dedication to popularizing his interdisciplinary research findings to diverse audiences has gained a substantial following, which has greatly increased the impact of this work. Robert realized that the local fisheries managers and anglers in countries such as Germany, Switzerland, Austria or the UK were the key target groups to reach and educate about fisheries science.  He quickly became a leader in transdisciplinary research, structuring his programs to intertwine both high level fisheries research with intense public outreach efforts. A few of Robert’s initiatives include; a nationwide roadshow in education for sustainability in Germany; free simulation software to plan stocking and harvest regulations; providing accessible summaries of key principles for sustainable fish stocking in easily-accessible language; development of comics, cartoon clips, and other graphics used on social media, textbooks, and popular science articles to explain key principles of sustainable fish stocking; over 100 presentations in countless angling clubs and angler associations; a monthly column in one of the largest German angling magazines; Active postings and participation on social media platforms. The work that Robert has accomplished with angling clubs, fisheries managers, interest groups, and the public, have produced outcomes that are truly outstanding and serve as an example for how public outreach can be successfully achieved. # # # Editor’s Notes: Founded in 1870, the American Fisheries Society (AFS) is the world’s oldest and largest fisheries science society. The mission of AFS is 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. With five journals and numerous books and conferences, AFS is the leading source of fisheries science and management information in North America and around the world.   General link: fisheries.org Link to AFS Annual Meeting: afsannualmeeting.fisheries.org

(Atlantic City, NJ) August 21, 2018 – Neil H. Ringler received the award for Excellence in Fisheries Education at the 2018 American Fisheries Society (AFS) Annual Meeting in Atlantic City, New Jersey. AFS President Steve L. McMullin presented the award at the meeting’s plenary session. The Excellence in Fisheries Education award recognizes excellence in organized teaching and advising in the field of fisheries. “We applaud the distinguished contributions of Mr. Ringler and thank him for his continuous efforts to share the value of fisheries through teaching,” said AFS President Steve L. McMullin. Dr. Ringler is the Vice Provost and Executive Director of the Onondaga Lake Science Center and a SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor in the College of Environmental Science and Forestry at the State University of New York, where he has been a faculty member since 1975. Despite his wide range of responsibilities, Dr. Ringler continues to teach and mentor graduate students because it keeps him close to the work he loves. He always has helpful feedback on ideas and problems, and has been particularly insistent in encouraging students to share their own reflections and knowledge first before offering an opinion. As such, he is training students to be well-read, independent thinkers, which is one of the best lessons any student can learn. He pushes students to be driven by curiosity, and his approach to advising boosts confidence for designing creative studies, developing well-informed hypotheses, trusting one’s knowledge, and leading one’s own research. Dr. Ringler sets high expectations and expects his students and advisees to put in the work. In his courses, he develops challenging and interesting exercises and lessons. His enthusiasm for teaching is apparent throughout every course; he engages students by sharing his love of aquatic insects, and evaluates progress in ways that are straightforward and fair. He exudes enthusiasm for fisheries and science in general, and his classes included hands-on, real-world experiences. The end result is that he keeps students’ interest during the entire course, which is difficult for courses based on taxonomy and anatomy. His energy, caring, and enthusiastic approach to mentoring and teaching students has enriched not only their learning experience, but more broadly their lives as well.   # # # Editor’s Notes: Founded in 1870, the American Fisheries Society (AFS) is the world’s oldest and largest fisheries science society. The mission of AFS is 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. With five journals and numerous books and conferences, AFS is the leading source of fisheries science and management information in North America and around the world.   General link: fisheries.org Link to AFS Annual Meeting: afsannualmeeting.fisheries.org

(Atlantic City, NJ) August 22, 2018 – Dr. Kirk Winemiller received the Award of Excellence at the 2018 American Fisheries Society (AFS) Annual Meeting in Atlantic City, New Jersey. AFS President Steve L. McMullin presented the award at the meeting’s plenary session. The award of Excellence is presented to a living person for original and outstanding contributions to fisheries and aquatic biology. It is the Society’s highest award for scientific achievement. “We applaud the distinguished contributions of Dr. Winemiller and thank him for his continuous efforts to share the value of fisheries and aquatic biology,” said AFS President Steve L. McMullin. Dr. Winemiller is a Professor at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. His research activities and interests focus on multiple areas, including ecology, evolution, systematics, biology, fisheries management, and biodiversity conservation.  His publications in these fields have led to major advances in fisheries and aquatic ecosystem management. He is a prolific author, publishing more than 240 peer-reviewed articles; 47 of these have been cited more than 100 times each.  His most cited papers concern fish life history (Canadian Journal of Fisheries Science – 1,100 citations and Oecologia -520 citations). Dr. Winemiller’s life-history model predicts how demographic tradeoffs influence fish population responses to environmental variation—particularly to altered flow regimes and harvest levels. Dr. Winemiller has also advanced the science of food-web ecology, fish functional traits, and fish population and community dynamics. He received the George Mercer Award in 1992 from the Ecological Society of America for an outstanding ecological research paper published by a researcher younger than 40 years old – the award recognized his paper titled, Spatial and temporal variation in tropical fish trophic networks.     Dr. Winemiller has also been recognized as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and a Fellow of the Ecological Society of America.  Today, we recognize Dr. Kirk Winemiller’s contributions to the field of fisheries science with the AFS Award of Excellence.   # # # Editor’s Notes:   Founded in 1870, the American Fisheries Society (AFS) is the world’s oldest and largest fisheries science society. The mission of AFS is 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. With five journals and numerous books and conferences, AFS is the leading source of fisheries science and management information in North America and around the world.   General link: fisheries.org Link to AFS Annual Meeting: afsannualmeeting.fisheries.org  

(Atlantic City, NJ) August 20, 2018 – Julie Claussen received the Emmeline Moore Prize at the 2018 American Fisheries Society (AFS) Annual Meeting in Atlantic City, New Jersey. AFS President Steve L. McMullin presented the award at the meeting’s plenary session. This award is presented to an individual who demonstrates strong commitment and exemplary service to ensuring equal opportunity access to higher education in fisheries and/or professional development in the broad range of fisheries science disciplines “We applaud the distinguished contributions of Julie Claussen and thank her for her continuous efforts to service and commitment to diversity initiatives that help advance aquatic research,” said AFS President Steve L. McMullin. Julie Claussen has worked in the fisheries profession for over 30 years, most notably in various capacities with the Illinois Natural History Survey. Julie has also been an active member in and a leader of the American Fisheries Society at all levels. Her work in promoting professional diversity on the job and within AFS includes initiating research on diversity, assisting in strategic planning, building communities of professionals, and improving communications with stakeholders. In 2005, Julie assisted with the AFS Career Development Study of 700 men and 700 women, which examined how women may experience career paths differently, depending on family and other factors. She contributed several articles in Fisheries magazine highlighting shifts in demographic diversity and women in leadership roles in AFS. Julie has also served on two AFS strategic planning committees that codified the Society’s efforts engage with diverse audiences. She currently serves as the Director of Operations for the Fisheries Conservation Foundation and has recently teamed with scientists of the Royal Government of Bhutan and the World Wildlife Fund on field projects to conserve the Golden Mahseer, a migrating fish that is threatened by mismanagement and dams. Julie’s enthusiastic leadership in both the AFS Equal Opportunities Section and the International Fisheries Section has helped to welcome wider participation of underrepresented groups within the fisheries profession.  Above all, Julie’s spirit and commitment to the Society and the fisheries profession embody the aims of the Emmeline Moore Prize.   # # # Editor’s Notes:   Founded in 1870, the American Fisheries Society (AFS) is the world’s oldest and largest fisheries science society. The mission of AFS is 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. With five journals and numerous books and conferences, AFS is the leading source of fisheries science and management information in North America and around the world.   General link: fisheries.org Link to AFS Annual Meeting: afsannualmeeting.fisheries.org

(Atlantic City, NJ) August 22, 2018 –Shawn Johnston received the Distinguished Service Award at the 2018 American Fisheries Society (AFS) Annual Meeting in Atlantic City, New Jersey. AFS President Steve L. McMullin presented the award at the meeting’s plenary session. The Distinguished Service Award recognizes outstanding contributions of time and energy for special projects or activities by AFS members and staff. “We applaud the distinguished service of Shawn Johnston and thank him for his continuous efforts to enhance member experiences with AFS,” said AFS President Steve L. McMullin. As AFS’s Meeting and Events Manager, Shawn has rendered distinguished and exemplary service and furthered the mission of AFS in significant ways. Since his hiring in early 2008, Shawn’s responsibilities have increased to the point that his involvement in the planning of annual meetings is critical to their success. “Shawn’s experience, dedication, and unique skill set have significantly increased meeting revenues, minimized legal and financial risks, and elevated the quality and attendance at annual meetings,” said AFS Executive Director Doug Austen. Virtually no meeting goes by without the Local Arrangements Chair and AFS officers verbally extolling and thanking Shawn for his outstanding contributions.   # # # Editor’s Notes:   Founded in 1870, the American Fisheries Society (AFS) is the world’s oldest and largest fisheries science society. The mission of AFS is 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. With five journals and numerous books and conferences, AFS is the leading source of fisheries science and management information in North America and around the world.   General link: fisheries.org Link to AFS Annual Meeting: afsannualmeeting.fisheries.org

(Atlantic City, NJ) August 19, 2018 – Jason Selwyn of Texas A&M University was named a runner-up for the Steven Berkeley Marine Conservation Fellowship at the 2018 American Fisheries Society (AFS) Annual Meeting in Atlantic City, New Jersey. AFS President Steve L. McMullin presented the award at the meeting’s plenary session. In honor of Steven Berkeley’s contributions to marine ecology, conservation biology, and fisheries science, the Steven Berkeley Marine Conservation Fellowship is awarded to a graduate student actively engaged in thesis research relevant to marine conservation. “We applaud the distinguished contributions of Jason Selwyn and thank him for his continuous efforts to research marine conservation,” said AFS President Steve L. McMullin. Jason’s research addresses dispersal dynamics in larval reef fishes, with an ultimate goal of improving the design of Marine Protected Area networks. Using intensive genomic sampling to identify relatedness, he will test the hypothesis that dispersal patterns by family vary with habitat quality across a reefscape.   # # # Editor’s Notes:   About AFS: Founded in 1870, the American Fisheries Society (AFS) is the world’s oldest and largest fisheries science society. The mission of AFS is 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. With five journals and numerous books and conferences, AFS is the leading source of fisheries science and management information in North America and around the world.   General link: fisheries.org Link to AFS Annual Meeting: afsannualmeeting.fisheries.org