georgiaafs Events, GA-AFS Annual Meeting, newpost

2021 Virtual Meeting Summary

Written by Jamie Roberts and Rebecca Brown

This past year certainly saw its share of ups and downs, and yet, plenty of great fisheries science and management was achieved throughout the Peach State, which we wanted to highlight through our 2021 virtual annual meeting.  Our meeting theme, “Celebrating Georgia’s Aquatic Diversity,” provided an opportunity to highlight and celebrate not only our richly diverse fishes and aquatic resources but also the resilience of our fisheries biologists, technicians, teachers, students, researchers, and support staff, and the all-important relationships that knit our profession and our Chapter and Society together.

As always, our annual meeting would not have been possible without the tireless efforts of a number of chapter officers, committee chairs and members, and other volunteers, as well as the generosity of our financial sponsors Georgia Power, Georgia Southern University, Lake Specialist, and the University of Georgia Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources. Although things looked and felt a bit different than what we are accustomed to, the Zoom format also had some silver linings worth noting.  For one thing, the format made our meeting accessible to out-of-state and even international attendees and presenters. Because of the reduced meetings costs, we were able to provide free registration to students, which we hoped would create some great learning opportunities and also help reach and grow future Chapter members.  Despite the virtual format, we managed to keep traditional meeting favorites alive, including the awards ceremony, Fellowship of Christian Conservationists meeting, and fundraising events, in addition to some new events such as a keynote speaker, an online trivia contest, and a lunch-and-learn educational session.

The 2021 virtual meeting was attended by around 180 fisheries professionals and students from the United States, Canada, Australia, and Sri Lanka.  The program included 33 oral presentations, 15 of which were by students, as well as 4 poster presentations.  We featured a symposium on Georgia’s Aquatic Connectivity, led by Dr. Jay Shelton of UGA.  Our diversity of presentations included the use of robotics to model fish detection ranges at coastal reefs, using palmyra fruit pulp to improve fish feed, identification of organic contaminants in thresher sharks, an update on the aquatic biodiversity of the Upper Coosa, information about the new red drum high-reward tagging study in coastal Georgia, an habitat selection in darters and freshwater mussels.  The complete program with abstracts can be found on our Chapter’s website: https://gaafs.org/2021-annual-meeting/

Piper Rackley is an undergraduate biology student at the Georgia Institute of Technology. She is an intern working with Dr. Kady Lyons, a marine biologist at the Georgia Aquarium. Piper was awarded the Georgia AFS 2021 Best Poster Presentation: Organic contaminants in two species of thresher sharks

We are grateful to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources for allowing our use of their guest house at the Richmond Hill Fish Hatchery as a meeting command center.  Our officers and program team managed the meeting from this location.  The meeting kicked off with an informative and highly entertaining keynote presentation by Dr. Brett Albanese, Program Manager for Wildlife Conservation in the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.  Additional new events included a “happy-hour style” online team trivia contest and a lunch-and-learn educational workshop facilitated by Dr. Cecil Jennings, Chapter member and AFS Second Vice President.  Dr. Jennings’ live session, “You, your boat, and its trailer…Murphy was an optimist” was well attended and several of our participants also had a chance to share some of their experiences.  We expect to continue to use these three new events as part of our future annual meetings.

2021 Virtual Meeting Command Center Team: (from left to right) Chapter President Jamie Roberts, Chapter Co-Chair Arrangements Committee Brent Hess, Chapter Executive Secretary-Treasurer Rebecca Brown, Fundraising Chair Jackson Sibley, Chapter Recording Secretary-Treasurer Dawn Franco, and Co-Chair Arrangements Committee Kevin Cavallaro

Some of our Chapter’s 2020 highlights include adding active Twitter and Instagram accounts to our information-dissemination campaign, collaborative efforts between our Chapter and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources to create aquatic education outreach posters and an Aquatic Nuisance Species workbook (https://gaafs.org/education-materials/), and updating our website to include an “Education” section and a “Fish Careers” section.  The “Education” (https://gaafs.org/education/) section includes information about workshops, education materials for K – college educators, outreach events, and a map of colleges and technical schools in Georgia that offer opportunities for students to pursue an education which will help them earn a job related to fisheries science.  The “Fish Careers” (https://gaafs.org/fish-careers/) section includes information about different careers associated with fisheries and strategies to help improve your candidacy when applying for a fisheries job.  Both of these new additions to the website can better inform high school and undergraduate students about college Fisheries programs and people across the state, and career opportunities in the field.

COVID-19 brought about many new challenges including how we could best recognize those who have contributed so much to the advancement of fisheries science and being champions of aquatic conservation.  We had a live awards ceremony which we then created a video and posted it to our website:  https://youtu.be/MMmSwzQmKPg

Georgia chapter afs professional awards

Certificate of Appreciation

  • Richmond Hill Fish Hatchery

Career Contribution Award

  • Bill Davin
  • Rusty Garrison
  • Dominic Guadagnoli
  • Roger Harrell
  • Pat Markey
  • Paul Jones
  • Donna Wilson

Fisheries Professional of the Year                                                                           

  • Jason Mitchell (winner)
  • Tony Beck (finalist)
  • Greg Abercrombie (finalist)

AFS Certificate of Appreciation

  • Jamie Roberts, GA AFS 2020 Chapter President

Distinguished Service Award

  • Jackson Sibley
  • Chalisa Fabillar

Unsung Hero Award

  • Dylan Severens
  • Cindy Smith
  • Amy Smith

Chapter President Award

  • Rebecca Brown

Fisheries Conservationist of the Year

  • Jim Page (Winner)
  • Katie Owens (finalist)

Roger Harrell (left) awarded Career Contribution Award nominated by Chris Harper (right)

Jason Mitchell, 2021 Fisheries Professional of the Year

Jim Page, 2021 Fisheries Conservationist of the Year

The Georgia Chapter also recognized students for outstanding research and presentations at the virtual annual meeting.  All of the students did a great job with their presentations.

Student Oral Presentation Awards

First Place: Brendan Dula (UGA Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources) Effects of Hurricane Michael on annual recruitment, mortality, and behavior of Gulf Sturgeon in the Apalachicola River, Florida

Second Place: Frank McQuarrie (UGA College of Engineering) Acoustic covers without the guitars: Using robots to model fish detection range at coastal reefs

Third Place: Lauren Moniz (Georgia Southern Department of Biology) Lipid metabolites as energy stores in stingrays

student best poster presentation award

Piper Rackley (Georgia Institute of Technology, intern with Kady Lyons at GA Aquarium) Organic contaminants in two species of thresher sharks

student scholarships

Ronnie J. Gilbert Scholarship: Brendan Dula (UGA Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources)

Georgia Chapter AFS Scholarship: Bryson Hilburn (UGA Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources)

georgia chapter afs annnual fundraiser

Over the past several years our fundraising chair, Jackson Sibley, has done an excellent job of recruiting donations for our annual fundraiser that we are able to support aquatic education outreach events, donate money to help support the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Go Fish Education Center classroom, and provide additional funding for aquatic restoration projects around Georgia.  Fortunately, COVID-19 did not have a major negative impact on our fundraising efforts.  Although a few of our traditional donors were unable to contribute this year, we added several new ones, and thanks to our fundraising donors and the participation of our Chapter members, we were able to raise $3,136.87.

The 2021-2022 Executive Committee Members are:

  • President – Robert Bringolf
  • President-Elect – Marion Baker
  • Recording Secretary-Treasurer – Dawn Franco
  • Executive Secretary-Treasurer – Rebecca Brown
  • Past President – Jamie Roberts
  • Ex Officio – Cecil Jennings

The Chapter is looking forward to what we can accomplish in 2021!  We plan to grow our aquatic education outreach efforts to provide more resources for K – college educators and hopefully offer an in-person workshop towards the end of the summer.  We are excited about reinventing our annual meetings and will be planning to introduce some of what we did during the 2021 virtual meeting to our 2022 annual meeting agenda.

georgiaafs Education, newpost

Restoring Aquatic Connectivity

“The ecosystem is greater than the sum of its parts.” Eugene Odum

All around the world conservation groups, government agencies, academic institutions, and private companies are working together in efforts to restore aquatic connectivity and reduce habitat fragmentation by razing dams and restructuring road-stream crossings.  Georgia has its fair share of aquatic connectivity projects.  We have seen the removal of dams on the Chattahoochee River in Columbus and the removal of White Dam in Athens.  One project you may have not heard of is the Mill Creek/Rocky Flats Fish Passage Project in the Chattahoochee National Forest in Murray County. 

The Mill Creek Fish Passage Project was a joint effort between The Nature Conservancy, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Georgia DNR.  A damaged culvert was replaced with a bottomless arch culvert (pictured).  The streambed of this popular trout stream was restored to its natural condition.  Several threatened and endangered aquatic species like the Blue shiner and the Georgia Pigtoe will now be able to utilize the several miles of valuable habitat located upstream of the Rocky Flats trail.

Comparable to dams, culverts can fragment habitats and create barriers which restrict movement up and downstream for aquatic organisms.  This restriction can lead to increased competition for food, habitat, and mates; increases in predation; and an interruption of natural breeding and spawning cycles.  Furthermore, these barriers can affect genetic diversity when populations of fish are separated into localized groups.  The restoring of aquatic connectivity is necessary to allow aquatic ecosystems to interact and increase biodiversity.   The conservation of biodiversity is crucial in preserving ecosystem resiliency.

Read more about some of Georgia’s aquatic connectivity projects.

World Fish Migration Day is October 24, 2020 (Connecting fish, rivers, and people)

Georgia Aquatic Connectivity

georgiaafs Education, newpost

Transforming a Fishery Using Proactive Fisheries Management Strategies

Written by David Beasley, Director of Fisheries at SOLitude Lake Management

The Cohoke Fishing Club is a 47-member private sports club formed in 1900 in Central Virginia. The property is home to an 85-acre mill pond that was built in 1678. Throughout the club’s existence, quality Largemouth Bass catch rates have been inconsistent. In 2009 the fishery was at a low point; the bass were poor in quality, the catch rates were down and the pond was overrun with hydrilla. The club opted to work with a professional fisheries management company to achieve their goal of improving the bass population.

An initial assessment that included electrofishing and habitat surveys was conducted to identify limiting factors and formulate an effective fisheries management strategy. Following this step, meetings were held with club members to review the collected data, gather opinions, and design a comprehensive management plan based on goals and budget:

Hydrilla Management

The first management step was to eradicate the invasive hydrilla present throughout the waterbody. Based on the budget and site conditions, the best long-term, budget-friendly control method available was to stock Triploid Grass Carp. This was done in the spring of 2010 in combination with a 10-acre herbicide treatment at the upper end of the pond to ensure anglers had access to the entire waterbody. With these combined approaches, the hydrilla was reduced by 100 percent within the first growing season.

Fish Stocking

Because members had elected to manage the fishery on a relatively low budget, it was important for the club to focus on improving the predator- to-prey ratio and fish habitat. Initial electrofishing results indicated that Gizzard Shad comprised the majority of the forage base. On the other hand, Bluegill and other sunfish were low in population due to decades of anglers harvesting all Bluegill and releasing all bass. This past approach played a role in the shad’s dominant position. To help rebuild the population while working with a small budget, 6,000 adult Bluegill were stocked and creel limits were altered to release all Bluegill while harvesting intermediate size Largemouth Bass.

Fish Cover and Nuisance Wildlife Removal

Club members added habitat strategically throughout open water to create cover for bass to ambush the shad. The fish cover installed also helped all species avoid predation from otters and cormorants during the cooler months, in particular, when water clarity improves and fish slow down due to cold water temperatures. In response to the large number of otters observed in the pond, an annual trapping program was implemented to reduce their population. Both of these strategies underscored the club’s goal of creating a self-sustaining, abundant forage base capable of supporting trophy bass.

Productivity

Improving the fishery’s productivity was an important step in the process of boosting the forage fish population. In 2010, extensive water quality data was collected to better understand the limiting factors. The waterbody was then put on a fertilization program as well as a water quality monitoring program to help ensure success. In addition to fertilizing, multiple fish feeders were installed to boost Bluegill growth rates and rebuild their depleted population. 

Member Education

The final step in the process was education; if fishermen do not follow through with the management tasks required, then the fishery will not meet its potential. As is the case with many fishing clubs, the members had to overcome internal struggles in order to achieve the desired results. Members were instructed to no longer catch and release intermediate size bass. It is often very difficult to get anglers on board with doing the opposite of what their parents and grandparents had taught them, even when frustrated with the existing fishing conditions. The inherited resistance to harvesting bass was the primary hurdle preventing the pond from producing more consistent, high quality fishing.

2015 marked five years since the management strategy was set in motion. Over that time, the management tasks were carried out annually. Although all of the club members would not consistently conform to harvest recommendations, they did make strides in the right direction. Creel limits for Largemouth Bass were followed, but revised. Even though the club members failed to harvest the recommended number of bass within the first couple of years, over time they were able to get the member buy-in and make a significant impact. In the process of harvesting Largemouth Bass, efforts were also made to remove all other predators present in the pond, including black crappie, chain pickerel and white perch – and this proved to be a very effective strategy.

In line with the concern of some anglers, catch rates gradually decreased by around 20 percent over the years, but the quality of the bass increased significantly. The fishery transformed from anglers catching only one 15-inch bass for every five bass caught, to greater than 50 percent of the bass caught being greater than 15in. The 20 percent lower catch rate in exchange for a very positive shift in the quality and size of the fish has garnered enough support from the club’s members to start harvesting all bass less than 15in beginning in 2016. 

The extensive historical fishing data from this pond illustrates that it has the potential to become great. In order for the club to continue with its success, it will need to stay focused on each of the following variables that impact bass growth: predator-to-prey ratios, water quality, plankton production, fish cover, otters, record keeping and harvesting. 

David Beasley is the Director of Fisheries at SOLitude Lake Management, the nation’s leading environmental firm specializing is sustainable lake, stormwater pond, wetland and fisheries management solutions. To learn more about this topic, please visit www.solitudelakemanagement.com.

georgiaafs Events, newpost

2020 SDAFS Elections

Voting Closes August 15, 2020, at 11:59pm

Elected candidates will take office at the 2021 SDAFS Business Meeting.  The Vice President and Student Representatives are 1-year terms.  Biographies of all candidates are found on the SDAFS website: https://sd.fisheries.org/latest-news/

You must have paid your 2020 AFS Society dues to be eligible to vote.  An email was sent out by SDAFS mid-July about voting.  Our Chapter sent out an email on August 4th with the voting link because some folks did not receive an email from SDAFS.

Candidates for Vice President:

Miguel A. (Toño) Garcia (USFWS Puerto Rico)
Mark W. Rogers (USGS Tennessee Cooperative Fishery Research Unit)

Candidates for Student Representative (only eligible students can vote for Student Rep.):

Zach Moran (Baylor University)
Bonnie Myers (North Carolina State University)

georgiaafs newpost, President's Corner

Our Commitment

Dear Chapter members,

To follow up on the Parent Society’s recent statement on diversity and inclusion (AFS statement), the Georgia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society affirms its commitment to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion and ensuring that all members understand and realize their equal value to our organization.  It runs deep in the DNA of our profession and the Chapter to value diversity, to manage resources and provide opportunities for the good of all, and to knit together a network of colleagues who lift each other up in good times and bad.  We must continually challenge ourselves to view the world from others’ perspectives, seek out ways to provide opportunities to those who have few, and resist discrimination in all forms.  As a Chapter of individuals, let us stay strong and unified in these values, maintain open dialogues, and continue to work to become the most equitable, inclusive, supportive, and effective Chapter we can be.

The Georgia AFS Executive Committee 

georgiaafs Education, Events, newpost, Uncategorized

Becoming a Hutton Scholar Mentor Webinar

Calling all interested and past Hutton Mentors! Are you interested in applying to be a Hutton Mentor but not sure the responsibilities of hosting a high school student for the summer? Have you been a Hutton Mentor and looking to learn from other past Hutton Mentors about the opportunities they set up for their Hutton Scholar? Tune in for a panel of three past Hutton Mentors to learn about and share best practices for student internships. Join us Friday, May 1st from 12-1pm EDT for the webinar: Becoming a Hutton Scholar Mentor – Inspiring, Rewarding, and Surprisingly Easy! Register by following this link: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8262334408948075533

georgiaafs Events, GA-AFS Annual Meeting, newpost

Georgia Chapter Update

As we pause to reflect on the history of the American Fisheries Society (AFS) at the national level, it also provides us a time to reflect on the history of our own state: Georgia.  This year we celebrate the 50th anniversary of fisheries professionals in Georgia coming together to meet as an organization.  Our most recent meeting, the 2020 Georgia Chapter AFS (GAAFS) annual meeting in Augusta, GA, was the 34th time fisheries professionals have gathered together to meet as a Chapter of the AFS.  Like many of the annual meetings that proceeded it, the 2020 GAAFS meeting was once again a tremendous success.  Held January 28-30, the 2020 annual meeting was attended by 134 fisheries professionals and students from Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, and Virginia.  The meeting program included 51 oral presentations and 7 poster presentations, of which 17 were provided by students.    A highlight of the program was a symposium on Georgia Public Fishing Areas.  This symposium, which included 14 presentations, provided attendees with an opportunity to learn about a few of the many wonderful public facilities available in Georgia that offer excellent fishing opportunities.  In addition to the symposium, there were a plethora of diverse talks provided by fisheries professionals.  Topics varied but included the role of law enforcement in fisheries; the benefits of being a member of the Society; improving post-release survival of hook-caught Red Snapper and Red Drum; estimating the impact of recreational crabbing in coastal Georgia; robotic acoustics; interstate fishery management and American Shad; the influence of connectivity on native and invasive fish populations; the surrendering of the licenses for two Georgia Power hydroelectric projects on the Chattahoochee River; and multiple talks on black bass research in the upper Chattahoochee River basin.  The complete program with abstracts can be found on the Chapter website: www.gaafs.org.

During the business meeting, Chapter President Jim Page thanked the Chapter’s sponsors for their continued support and contributions to the Chapter.   Our sponsors are critical to the success of not only the Chapter’s annual meeting but also support the Chapter’s efforts to promote fisheries science in Georgia by making it possible for the Chapter to drastically reduce the annual meeting registration fees for students as well as supporting fisheries education community outreach programs.  The Georgia Chapter 2020 sponsors are Georgia Power, Georgia Museum of Natural History, University of Georgia Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, Lake Specialist, Georgia Southern University, UGA Student Subunit, and Kleinschmidt.

Additionally, during the business meeting highlights of 2019 were shared with all attendees.  Several accomplishments were achieved during the year, including but not limited to: updating of the Chapter website to include resources for oral and poster presentations and a new page added to include job postings; completion of a Summer 2019 workshop on fish disease and biosecurity that was very well attended and was sponsored by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GADNR) ; review and updating of the Chapter’s by-laws for the first time since 2000, an effort accomplished by a team of Chapter volunteers whose goal was to make changes necessary for efficient management of the Chapter and to ensure we were following the Constitution of the American Fisheries Society; and educational/outreach efforts pursued by GAAFS members during the year, including participating in CoastFest 2019.

In that realm, the GAAFS continues to seek avenues for ways to reach members of the public and educate them about AFS and the Georgia Chapter.  To pursue this goal, the Georgia Chapter set up a booth during CoastFest 2019, a popular annual event hosted by the GADNR Coastal Resources Division in Brunswick, GA.  With over 10,000 attendees each year, GAAFS members felt this may be a great outreach avenue for our Chapter, and, based on the hundreds of parents and children who visited the GAAFS booth at the event, this effort was certainly worthwhile.    The booth was manned by Chapter member and UGA Student Subunit President Gina Alvarez and GA Chapter Executive Sec-Treasurer Rebecca Brown.  A significant portion of the GAAFS booth included using the “Fish Box”, a wonderful educational tool graciously provided by the Georgia Museum of Natural History that allowed our booth staff to share their knowledge about how and why fisheries professionals age fish and the benefits of different physiologic characteristics fish have and humans do not.  In addition to the “Fish Box”, Ms. Alvarez brought some different fish sampling equipment to demonstrate how fisheries scientists capture fish for research and management.

During the Chapter’s Awards Banquet several members were recognized for their service to the Chapter and the profession.  Several of the Chapter’s members who retired recently were recognized for their lifetime of commitment and service to the betterment of our fish and aquatic resources.  Retired honorees included: Vernon Baldwin of GADNR, Ed Bettross of GADNR, Matt Thomas of GADNR, Spud Woodward of GADNR, and Rebecca Brown, a retired educator.  Brett Albanese of GADNR was presented with a Distinguished Service Award for his 6 years of dedicated service to the Chapter as the Awards Committee Chair.  Aaron Gray and Leon Brotherton, both from GADNR, were recognized as co-Fisheries Professionals of the Year recipients.  Both men have shown a tremendous commitment to the protection and conservation of fish and aquatic resources within the state of Georgia.  Marion Baker of GADNR was presented with the Fisheries Conservationist of the Year Award for her hard work and dedication to advance aquatic resource conservation in Georgia through programs she has helped to create and lead at the Go Fish Education Center in Perry, Georgia.  The Chapter President’s Award was given to Brent Hess for his dedicated service to the Chapter over the past several years as a committee member for local arrangements, registration/help desk volunteer, past Chapter President, moderator during annual meetings, and the emcee during the Chapter Awards Banquet and Raffle/Silent Auction.  Gina Alvarez, Camm Swift, and Ana Popp were given a Certificate of Appreciation for their contributions to the success of the Chapter.  The Chapter introduced a new award this year, the Unsung Hero Award, to recognize 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 utilization of fisheries resources.  This award is designed to celebrate the contributions of people often completing responsibilities “behind the scenes.”  The first recipient of this award went to Carletha Bryant, an administrative assistant with Georgia DNR in Waycross, Georgia for her 35 years of dedicated service to improve the conservation and sustainability of fishery resources and aquatic ecosystems.

The Georgia Chapter also gave out several student awards as academic scholarships and travel stipend scholarships.

  • Travel Stipend Awardees
    • Rachel Byrne (UGA)
    • Brandon Filaski (UGA)
    • Bryson Hilburn (UGA)
    • Nicholas Troyer (UGA)
    • Daniel Gragson (UGA)
    • Cameron Atkinson (College of Coastal Georgia)
  • Ronnie J. Gilbert Scholarship
    • Michael Baker (UGA)
  • Georgia Chapter AFS Scholarship
    • Cameron Atkinson (College of Coastal Georgia)

The Georgia Chapter also recognized students for outstanding research and presentations at the annual meeting.  All of the students did a great job with their presentations.

  • Best Student Oral Presentations
    • First Place: Michael Baker (UGA) Comparing recruitment estimation methods for age-1 Atlantic Sturgeon in the Altamaha River, GA from 2008-2019
    • Second Place: Brendan Dula (UGA) Changes to Gulf Sturgeon recruitment, mortality, and behavior following Hurricane Michael in the Apalachicola River, Florida
    • Third Place: Victoria Montgomery (Georgia Gwinnett College) Comparison of diet habits of invasive Blue Catfish from the Altamaha and Satilla rivers, GA
  • Best Student Poster Presentations
    • First Place: Cameron Atkinson (College of Coastal Georgia) A pilot model to prioritize sites for eastern oyster reef restoration with an emphasis on red drum habitat suitability
    • Second Place: Elizabeth Howell (Young Harris College) Connecting volunteerism, science, and community engagement to protect water quality in a southern Appalachian watershed
    • Richard Johnson (Augusta University) Artificial cuts may affect shark population diversity and population density in the Satilla River estuary

The 2019 -2020 Executive Committee members are:

  • President – Jamie Roberts
  • President-Elect – Robert Bringolf
  • Recording Secretary-Treasurer – Dawn Franco
  • Executive Secretary-Treasurer – Rebecca Brown
  • Past President – Jim Page
  • Ex Officio – Cecil Jennings

Moving forward from the successes of the past year, the Georgia Chapter is excited about what the year 2020 will bring for its members and our state.  The new Executive Committee (EXCOMM) is continuing the development and implementation of our current goals and strategies for the upcoming year, which includes plans to push for more public outreach projects; expansion of the Chapter’s social media presence; continuation of updating the Chapter website; and offering of a summer workshop for Chapter members.  These goals, and others forthcoming, will not be achievable however without the continued support and participation of our members, and thus we strongly encourage each of our members to actively participate in Chapter activities in order for us to collectively fully realize our potential as a Chapter.

georgiaafs newpost

2020 AFS Second Vice President Candidate Statements

AFS SECOND VICE PRESIDENT CANDIDATE STATEMENT: CECIL A. JENNINGS

I have been around fish and fisheries from an early age, but recognizing that it was to become my professional passion took a bit more time! A childhood friend’s grandfather was a commercial fisherman, and we sometimes tagged along as he tended his gear. Our interest wasn’t in the fish as much as it was enjoying the boat ride and experiencing the natural environmental wonders of our native Virgin Islands. Though I wasn’t aware at the time, I was developing a love and appreciation of nature. My formal introduction to the natural world occurred during my senior year in high school when I was enrolled in a marine biology class. The course and its many field trips to beaches, tide pools, and mangrove lagoons reawakened my love of the outdoors and also fueled a desire to learn about how such systems work and what I could do to protect them. Excelling in this class led to a summer internship with the local natural resource agency just before I started collegiate studies. That internship was the start of my aspirations to become a natural resource professional. I had a vague notion that I wanted to be a biologist, but I wasn’t exactly sure what that meant. College classes in a classical biology curriculum strengthened my interest in science, but classes in ecology and resource conservation coupled with part-time jobs as a field technician provided genuine clarity to my professional goals. A bachelor’s degree in biology/natural science/conservation from Carthage College was followed by a master’s degree in wildlife and fisheries ecology from Mississippi State University and a PhD in fisheries science from the University of Florida.

I’ve have been happily employed as a fisheries biologist for the past 32+ years and counting, including positions with the Virgin Islands Division of Fish and Wildlife, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Geological Survey. Currently, I work as a fisheries research biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey (Cooperative Research Units) and serve as an adjunct professor (Fisheries) in the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources at the University of Georgia. In these positions, I have had the good fortune of working with amazing people on a diverse array of species/assemblages inhabiting a variety of systems. These efforts addressed an assortment of fish management or conservation issues and included investigations into fish population dynamics, life history, age and growth, food habits, habitat use and movement patterns, assemblage response to habitat perturbations, and human dimensions. Much of this work was done collaboratively and accomplished with a team of graduate students, post-doctoral research associates, and technical staff. I am optimistic that my research and mentoring efforts have contributed to maintaining healthy fish populations and the fisheries and communities they support as well as recruiting a new generation of scientists to ensure fisheries stewardship continuity.

AFS INVOLVEMENT

My involvement with AFS dates back 35 years to my time as a graduate student at Mississippi State University, where I learned about the society from a faculty member who extolled the Society’s contribution to the profession and encouraged me to join. Initially, I was happy to be associated with like-minded faculty and students who shared a love of fisheries. As an inexperienced fisheries student with a basic biology background, the “fisheries” learning curve was steep, but I enjoyed the new and exciting experiences, inside and outside the classroom. Chief among the “new experiences” was learning the importance of good governance for helping the Society fulfill its mission. I began to understand that AFS’s many successes have come from members being involved at all levels of the Society and accepted that I too should contribute to the Society’s governance as needed.

Since those early days, I have supported AFS by maintaining membership (including life member since 2011) in the Society and participating in governance at the local, regional, and national levels. This support includes participating in conferences (author and session chair) at all organizational levels, serving as a referee for and publishing my research results in many of the Society’s journals, and editing an AFS-published book. Since joining AFS in 1984, I have served on 12 different committees, as President at the state (Georgia) and regional (Southern Division) level, as an Associate Editor for two of the Society’s journal (North American Journal of Fisheries Management and Transactions of the American Fisheries Society), and on the parent society Governing Board. These experiences, especially service on the Governing Board, have been very rewarding personally and professionally. My 35-year long association with AFS has provided the palette on which my contributions to our profession could be fully realized. These contributions in research, mentoring, and governance were recognized recently by my induction as an AFS Fellow (class of 2019).

VISION

The American Fisheries Society is the oldest and most preeminent professional fisheries society in the world. Its mission is clear… “Improve the conservation and sustainability of fishery resources and aquatic ecosystems by advancing fisheries and aquatic science and promoting the development of fisheries professionals.” Though simple to state, these objectives can be difficult to achieve, especially given the current zeitgeist in our country. AFS has a robust track record of facilitating strong science and professionalism among its members, disseminating research in well-respected peer-reviewed journals, and advocating strongly on behalf of the aquatic resources, especially fisheries. My main vision for AFS is to maintain this record of accomplishment as it adroitly reacts to emerging challenges and opportunities. For example, many Americans now seem to eschew science and rely on refuted ideas (e.g., the earth is flat, vaccines cause autism, climate change is not caused by human activities) to govern their daily activities and their positions on the country’s science policy, including protections for the environment and the resources we derive from it. Unfortunately, issues related to fisheries are not immune to this anti-science bias. In this environment, “business as usual” may not be the most effective approach to achieving AFS’s mission.

The American Fisheries Society has thrived as long as it has because it has been responsive to societal changes and challenges without compromising its core beliefs. Deciding when responses are necessary has been key to this success. In my view, our profession is at such a crossroad and is facing new challenges that require innovative responses. For example, our inability to communicate the importance of what we do to our constituents, who may be increasingly skeptical to our appeals to protect and conserve our fishery resources, is one such challenge. We fisheries professionals speak a common language, and though many of our constituents may know a couple of phrases, far too few speak this language fluently. Accordingly, we are responsible for communicating our science and its implications (good and otherwise) for their lives in a language they understand. I envision AFS being a leader in this effort. Additionally, recognizing that occupational “branding” when recruiting new professionals, who may not come from the ranks of the traditional “hook and bullet” enthusiasts of the past also is an emerging challenge to our profession. In my role as an academician, I’ve spent many hours debating the merits of branding (i.e., what we call our classes) for recruiting students to our program. Increasingly, the students enrolling in natural resource curricula come from urban backgrounds and seemingly are more interested in “fish conservation” than in “fisheries management.” These title differences may seem subtle, but enrollment in fish conservation frequently is much higher than the enrollment in fisheries management. The need to manage fisheries is more important now than ever, but finding professionals to fill those rolls may be difficult if we can’t attract them to the profession. Proactive assessment of how AFS’s “brands” (e.g., fisheries biologist) are perceived by potential new recruits may be beneficial as the profession markets itself to a new generation of fishery science practitioners. Finally, lack of adequate compensation for many beginning fisheries professional may lead to problems retaining new recruits to our profession and represents an opportunity for the Society to advocate for its members. I personally have trained scores of fisheries students at all educational levels. Most have been bright, highly motivated, and passionate young professionals eager to pursue their passion. However, I’ve seen too many struggle to find professional fisheries positions that pay an entry-level wage commensurate with the cost of the skill set required to do the job. Similarly, I’ve seen far too many leave the profession in search of better entry-level wages offered by other occupations. Our profession’s potential retention problem will become more acute if the number of retirees in the next decade increases as projected. Discerning why recruits are leaving our profession and what can be done to retain them should be high priority information needs if AFS is to maintain its strong reputation for long-term distinguished service advocating for fisheries and fisheries professionals.

My path as a fisheries professional has had many twists and turns. I have enjoyed the journey thus far and very much look forward to where it will lead. My long association with the American Fisheries Society has been a mainstay in that journey, and I have benefited from the service of others who assumed governance roles within the Society. I welcome the opportunity to serve in a similar role. If elected AFS President, I pledge to work diligently to maintain the Society’s relevancy, efficacy in promoting fishery science, and being responsive to emerging challenges to the profession and the opportunities they represent.

AFS SECOND VICE PRESIDENT CANDIDATE STATEMENT: JULIE DEFILIPPI SIMPSON

I was born and raised near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. My father often took my sister and me fishing as children and he taught us the value of natural resources according to these rules: “Only take what you plan to eat,” and “You catch it, you clean it.” I became interested in the marine environment at an early age and have been passionate about fisheries and quality science since then. I did my undergraduate work in marine science at Boston University and graduate work in marine policy at the University of Maine. My professional career started as a Fisheries Biological Data Coordinator at the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, where I was first exposed to the power of centralized data. From there, I went to work for the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission in the Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program. My over 12-year tenure began as the first ever Fisheries Data Coordinator and I have held roles of progressively greater responsibility and broader scope leading to my current position as Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program Deputy Director.

AFS INVOLVEMENT

I attended my first AFS Annual Meeting as a graduate student in Lake Placid in 2006, got hooked, and have been an active member of AFS since 2007. I am a member of multiple Sections and began working actively with the Fisheries Information and Technology Section (FITS) in 2012 as their Communications and Outreach Coordinator, a position I served in until 2015. Because of my expertise and commitment to the Section, I was elected as Incoming President of FITS in 2013 and served as President from 2015–2017. During that time, I represented the Section on the Governing Board and also served on the Management Committee from 2015–2016. As a member of FITS, I was part of the Working Group to Develop Fisheries Data Exchange Standards in 2014.

Communications and science communication are a primary interest for me. I began serving the Society in these disciplines with the Special Committee on Science Communication in 2013. I then joined the Communications Committee at its inception in 2016 and have served as Chair since September 2017. In that role, I had the honor of presenting on communications and creating a communications plan as a plenary speaker at the AFS Minnesota Chapter meeting in 2018. I had the privilege to be part of the Impact-a-thon grant, awarded by Wiley to pilot a program focused on science communication and increasing diversity by working with high school students in urban areas. Participating in the workshop with the teens and my amazing team of AFS colleagues was a career highlight for me and I look forward to establishing the program as a model for all AFS Units.

Recently, I had the pleasure of serving on the Strategic Plan Revision Committee that drafted the 2020–2024 AFS Strategic Plan, which was approved by the membership at the Annual AFS Business Meeting in Reno, Nevada. I am currently on the 150th Celebration Committee. At a more local AFS level, I am in my second year as President of the AFS Potomac Chapter.

VISION

Organizations are like houses in that they are only as strong as the foundation upon which they are based. The American Fisheries Society has a 150-year history as a strong community of intelligent, passionate, and dedicated fisheries professionals working toward scientifically based conservation and management. I have yet to attend an AFS function, whether it be at the Society or Unit level, where the enthusiasm and energy hasn’t been palpable and capable of inspiring me to renewed commitment. All of this, added to the wealth of excellent work that has been achieved by previous officers and volunteers at all levels, gives us an unassailable footing on which to build our future.

We now stand at a pivotal moment as we set the course for our next 150 years. As Chair of the Communications Committee, I have had the privilege to work on the brand revitalization effort. A brand is about much more than a logo; it is the representation of who we are as a Society. In order to effectively execute this project, it was necessary to survey and interview members, non-members, officers, and even sponsors to ascertain how AFS is perceived, what members want from AFS, and what resources and services AFS can provide members and the profession.

This process, in conjunction with my time on the Strategic Plan Revision Committee, has helped me to recognize that while the functioning of the Society can be complex, it can be brought back to what is best for the science and for the people. The resources and support for fisheries professionals and science isn’t always on a stable footing elsewhere in this world, but it is here in the American Fisheries Society.

We know that inclusivity and rigorous science are the soundest path to a better future. I believe that if we can continue to hold to this tenet in our decisions, we will meet the needs of our members at higher levels than ever before. Achieving the pinnacle of service and support, for current and future members and the profession as a whole, will only come through the collective efforts of all of us stepping up—as volunteers, mentors, teachers, colleagues, and friends. Thus, we will safeguard the future of a Society that grows and adapts along with the profession.

Continually, I am personally and professionally enthused and energized during my AFS interactions. My vision is to create an AFS where all members share in that inspirational experience and are invigorated to fulfill their potential in their daily work and to give back to the profession through the Society. I am humbled to be nominated for the opportunity to serve the Society and my fellow members at the highest level. If the membership chooses to grant me their trust, I promise to honor that with active listening, hard work, and dedication.

georgiaafs Education, Events, newpost

AFS Webinar: CREATING A MOVEMENT TO SAVE MIGRATORY FISH FROM LOCAL TO GLOBAL

This webinar has been rescheduled for April 30, 2020

Ongoing river fragmentation and dam construction are two of the greatest global threats to freshwater biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Hence, migratory fish around the world are severely threatened. Dams are blocking these fish while they need to migrate to reproduce, feed and complete their life cycles. They make up a crucial link in the food chain and play an important ecological role in productive river systems. Furthermore, they provide an important food supply and livelihood for millions of people around the world. These migratory routes are called swimways. Some species like Atlantic Eel and the Goliath Catfish (Amazon River) have swimways of around 11.000km. For the existence of these fish it’s crucial that these swimways are open and provide habitat to breed and reproduce.

The World Fish Migration Foundation was founded in 2014 to save migratory fish in rivers, from local to global. WFMF brings global attention to the problems and the solutions and provide tools to river practitioners to preserve and to open swimways. In 2014 the foundation initiated the first World Fish Migration Day (WFMD) with a partnership of 6 organizations (WWF, The Nature Conservancy, eg). WFMD is bi-annual event which starts in New Zealand and follows the sun around the world, ending on Hawaii. The central message “Connecting fish, rivers and people” is used to connect sites around the world. The last edition in April 2018 hosted 570 local events organized by over 3000 organizations. The WFMD created a growing movement around migratory fish. It helps to reach students, teachers, resource managers, commercial and recreational anglers, as well as those who influence public policies. After 3 editions the global reach is 50-70 million people through (social) media. The fourth edition is planned for May 16, 2020.

Recent reports from Europe and the USA conclude that the removal of dams is a very effective ecological restoration measure as rivers recover faster than expected after dam removal. Furthermore, it is becoming increasingly clear that dam removal is often a cost-effective measure. For these reasons the World Fish Migration Foundation and six partners started the Dam Removal Europe Movement in 2016. The ambition is to make dam removal a viable option for river management and to restore fish populations. After 4 years the development of this movement is a success and now we want the scale this up through channelizing funding and reach out to a bigger audience by starting crowd funding campaigns for dam removals. The ultimate ambition is to use the experiences from the USA and Europe and create a global dam removal movement.

Presenter’s Biosketch

Herman Wanningen is founder and creative director of the World Fish Migration Foundation (WFMF). With a strong background in water management and aquatic ecology, he has developed a successful career in fish passage over the past 20 years. He is leading the efforts on developing fish migration visions and policies at a global scale. Herman facilitates and activates communication between the worldwide fish migration expert community, key-decision makers and policy makers. He gives advice on national and international fish passage and river connectivity projects such as the Fish Migration River project (The Netherlands), Dam Removal Europe and AMBER Horizon2020 project. This last project aims to map all barriers in European rivers and to provide management tools.

Herman is known on the international stage for developing the World Fish Migration Day (2014, 2016 and 2018), organizing international conferences and developing fish migration networks. In 2018 over 3000 local and regional organizations organized 570 events in 63 countries. Herman is coordinator and co-author of three international From Sea to Source books on fish migration. He has won an award for his management of the successful Fish Passage conference in 2015 in Groningen. He is manager of the World Fish Migration Day 2020 and recently became Fellow under the Mulago Fund Program.

For information about registration: https://fisheries.org/2020/03/webinar-march-24-creating-a-movement-to-save-migratory-fish-from-local-to-global/