Do you know someone who has gone above and beyond and is a role model for others to follow?  Show your appreciation and nominate them for one of our professional awards.

Visit our Awards Nomination page to learn how to nominate someone for an award.

Distinguished Service Award

Recognizes the outstanding contributions of time and energy for special projects or activities by Chapter members.

Career Contributions Award

Honors individuals who have made numerous and significant contributions towards the advancement of fisheries research and/or management in Georgia over the course of their career(s).

Fisheries Professional Team of the Year Award

This award is open to all fisheries professionals working in Georgia whose job entails the management of marine and freshwater finfish and shellfish and their respective fisheries and environments. This award is open to hatchery teams, PFA teams, Stream Team, and other fisheries professional teams who have participated in outstanding or unique management or fish culture activities that contributed significantly to fisheries management, the fisheries profession, and/or fisheries and aquatic conservation.

Professional of the Year in Fisheries Science and Research

This award is open to all fisheries professionals working in Georgia whose job entails the conservation and research of marine and freshwater finfish and shellfish and their respective fisheries and environments. Qualified candidates include biologists, professors, fisheries technicians, and other fisheries professionals whose role in a research project or program promotes the conservation and sustainability of fishery resources and aquatic systems.

Fisheries Conservationist of the Year

This award is open to an individual or group for their outstanding contributions or service to fisheries conservation in Georgia.  Fisheries conservation addresses the study, conservation, and sustainable use of marine and freshwater finfish and shellfish and their aquatic habitats, including streams, wetlands, estuaries, and oceans.  Accomplishments can include political, legal, educational, scientific, and managerial successes.  Their accomplishments should go beyond their regular work responsibility.

Certificate of Appreciation

Exhibits the Chapter’s gratitude to an individual or organization for a specific contribution or event that supports the Chapter or its mission.

President’s Award (formerly Chapter Service Award)

Chosen by the current Chapter President and presented annually to an individual Georgia Chapter AFS member. This award was established to award outstanding service to the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society. This candidate should have been involved in some or all of the following activities: active participation in standing or ad-hoc committees; made important contributions to advance the current objectives, long-term goals, or stature of the Chapter and fisheries professionals; contributed a significant amount of time to Chapter activities; improved public awareness of the Georgia Chapter and Chapter activities; encouraged the development of students as fisheries professionals through recruitment and involvement as Chapter members; and recruited fisheries professionals as Chapter members.

Hidden Hero Award

This award recognizes the contributions of a person who may not be directly employed as a typical fisheries professional (e.g. biologist, technician, etc.), but provides exceptional work that is essential to the mission of promoting the conservation, development, and wise use and utilization of fisheries resources.  This award is designed to celebrate the contributions of people often completing responsibilities “behind the scenes.”

Past-President’s Award

Recognizes the contributions of the outgoing Chapter President. Presented annually as the Chapter leader moves from President to Past-President.

Best Student Paper/Poster

Awarded at the annual meeting for the best student paper or poster presentation(s) as judged by the membership. Consideration is given to any individual presenting research conducted in an academic setting while enrolled as a student in an academic institution. Judges will select the top 3 student oral presentations and the top 3 student poster presentations.