American Fisheries Society Inc

A FIVE-YEAR GRANT TO SUPPORT, CREATE, AND ENHANCE PROGRAMS MANAGED BY THE AMERICAN FISHERIES SOCIETY TO ADVANCE, TRAIN, AND DEVELOP FISHERIES SCIENCE, MANAGEMENT, AND FISHERIES PROFESSIONALS.

SUPPORT FOR THE AMERICAN FISHERIES SOCIETY HUTTON JUNIOR FISHERIES PROGRAM BI-ANNUAL CAPITOL HILL SEMINARS AND ANNUAL MEETINGS.

AMERICAN FISHERIES SOCIETY (AFS) ANNUAL MEETINGS, ISSUE BRIEFING SEMINARS. AND HUTTON JUNIOR FISHERIES BIOLOGY PROGRAM

FISH AGE ESTIMATION IS A FUNDAMENTAL COMPONENT FOR FISHERIES MANAGEMENT, BUT VALIDATION OF THE ACCURACY OF AGE ESTIMATES IS CHALLENGING, TIME CONSUMING, AND OFTEN NOT FEASIBLE. FURTHERMORE, KNOWN AGE REFERENCE COLLECTIONS ARE LIMITED AND NOT PUBLICLY AVAILABLE, LIMITING THE ABILITY TO TRAIN NEW FISHERIES PROFESSIONALS. COLLECTIVELY, THIS GAP IN KNOWLEDGE AND OPPORTUNITY MAY CONTINUE TO FOSTER POOR AGE ESTIMATION PRACTICES AND LEAD TO WIDESPREAD MISMANAGEMENT FOR BOTH EXPLOITED FISHERIES AND NATIVE SPECIES IN NEED OF CONSERVATION. WE PROPOSE TO PUSH OUR PROFESSION S COLLECTIVE KNOWLEDGE FORWARD THROUGH THE CREATION OF A USER FRIENDLY APPLICATION THAT WILL TRULY ADVANCE THE SCIENCE OF FISH AGE ESTIMATION. WE CONDUCTED A PRELIMINARY SURVEY TO DOCUMENT NEED FOR THE PROJECT AND AVAILABILITY OF KNOWN AGE STRUCTURES. SURVEY RESULTS INDICATED OVERWHELMING SUPPORT FOR THE CREATION OF AN ONLINE REPOSITORY AND CONFIRMED THE AVAILABILITY OF KNOWN AGE STRUCTURES FROM OVER 40 FRESHWATER SPECIES. THIS PROPOSAL AIMS TO FUND ACTIVITIES CENTERED AROUND THE COLLECTION AND PROCESSING OF KNOWN AGE FISH STRUCTURES, THE CREATION OF A NEW ONLINE REPOSITORY, AND WEBSITE FUNCTIONS THAT WILL LEAD TO THE TRAINING AND TESTING OF INDIVIDUALS OR AGENCIES IN AGE ESTIMATION. SPECIFICALLY, OUR PROJECT WILL DELIVER A PUBLICLY AVAILABLE WEBSITE WITH ACCESS TO DIGITAL IMAGERY OF KNOWN AGE FISH STRUCTURES THAT WILL BENEFIT A WIDE SPECTRUM OF BOTH ASPIRING AND EXPERIENCED FISHERIES BIOLOGISTS.

PLANNING SUPPORT FOR FISHERIES AND AQUATIC RESOURCES

ENHANCEMENT OF THE MULTISTATE AQUATIC RESOURCES INFORMATION SYSTEM (MARIS) TO SUPPORT THE NATIONAL FISH HABITAT INITIATIVE

PROJECT TITLE NOT PROVIDED

FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE PROFESSIONALS IN THE U.S. ARE WELL TRAINED IN SCIENCE-BASED PROBLEM SOLVING BUT THEIR ROLES REACH FAR BEYOND BIOLOGY. THEY OFTEN SERVE AS THE PUBLIC INTERFACE RESPONSIBLE FOR EXPLAINING MANAGEMENT DECISIONS, PRESENTING REGULATION CHANGES, PARTICIPATING IN EVENTS AND SECURING COMPLIANCE FROM ANGLERS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS. FOR MANY CITIZENS, AGENCY BIOLOGISTS MAY BE THE ONLY POINT OF CONTACT WITH STATE AGENCIES BUT MOST FISHERIES PROFESSIONALS HAVE LITTLE TO NO FORMAL TRAINING IN COMMUNICATING WITH ANGLERS ESPECIALLY BLACK BASS (E.G., LARGEMOUTH, SMALLMOUTH, FLORIDA BASS) ANGLERS WHO ARE BOTH HIGHLY KNOWLEDGEABLE AND DEEPLY PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS GROUP OF SPORTFISH. THIS LACK OF COMMUNICATION TRAINING LIMITS FISHERIES BIOLOGISTS ABILITIES TO BUILD TRUST, RETAIN PARTICIPATION AND STRENGTHEN PUBLIC SUPPORT. THE BEYOND THE CATCH PROJECT ADDRESSES THIS NEED BY PROVIDING LONG-TERM RESEARCH-BASED COMMUNICATION TRAINING TAILORED FOR FISHERIES PROFESSIONALS THAT WORK WITH THE BLACK BASS ANGLING COMMUNITY. THE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO STRENGTHEN HOW STATE FISHERIES BIOLOGISTS EXCHANGE INFORMATION AND BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH ANGLERS WITH THE BROADER GOAL OF SUPPORTING RECRUITMENT, RETENTION AND REACTIVATION (R3) OF PARTICIPANTS IN RECREATIONAL FISHING. TWO OBJECTIVES GUIDE THE PROGRAM. OBJECTIVE 1 DELIVERS A MULTISTAGE COMMUNICATION TRAINING PROGRAM FOR TWO REGIONAL COHORTS, ELEVEN PARTNER STATES IN THE MIDWEST ASSOCIATION OF FISH AND WILDLIFE AGENCIES AND TWELVE PARTNER STATES IN THE SOUTHEASTERN ASSOCIATION OF FISH AND WILDLIFE AGENCIES. EACH STATE WILL BE ABLE TO ASSIGN THREE STATE AGENCY PERSONNEL TO THE PROGRAM. MONTHLY ONLINE SESSIONS AND REGIONAL IN-PERSON WORKSHOPS WILL HELP PARTICIPANTS BUILD SKILLS SPECIFIC TO AGENCY BIOLOGISTS WORKING WITH BLACK BASS FISHERIES INCLUDING AUDIENCE ASSESSMENT, CLEAR MESSAGING, INTENTIONAL LISTENING, PRESENTATIONS, INTERVIEWS AND OUTREACH PRODUCTS. THE PROGRAM S EMPHASIS ON PRACTICE, FEEDBACK AND PEER EXCHANGE WILL HELP PARTICIPANTS DEVELOP LASTING NETWORKS AND COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE THAT EXTEND THEIR SKILLS BEYOND THE PROJECT. OBJECTIVE 2 WILL BRING TOGETHER BLACK BASS ANGLERS AND AGENCY PARTICIPANTS FOR ANGLER DIALOGUE WORKSHOPS TO ADDRESS CONCERNS, CLARIFY MISUNDERSTANDINGS AND HIGHLIGHT SHARED VALUES AND GOALS. THESE WORKSHOPS WILL CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARTICIPANTS TO APPLY THEIR COMMUNICATION TRAINING AS THEY FACILITATE INTERACTIVE SESSIONS AND WILL PROVIDE ANGLERS A FORUM FOR SHARING THEIR PERSPECTIVES. PARTICIPANTS WILL GAIN CONFIDENCE THROUGH APPLIED PRACTICE WHILE AGENCIES GATHER INSIGHTS INTO THE AGENCY-ANGLER RELATIONSHIP. BLACK BASS ANGLER DIALOGUE REPORTS WILL CAPTURE THE RESULTS AND PROVIDE AGENCIES WITH ACTIONABLE NEXT STEPS. KEY DELIVERABLES INCLUDE PARTICIPANT SELF ASSESSMENTS TRAINING WORKBOOKS ANGLER DIALOGUE REPORTS REGIONAL COMMUNICATION REPORTS AND A FINAL SUMMARY REPORT. THESE WILL DOCUMENT HOW SKILLS WERE APPLIED HIGHLIGHT LESSONS LEARNED AND PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CONTINUED OUTREACH.THE PROJECTS BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE STATE BIOLOGISTS BASS ANGLERS AND THE WIDER ANGLING COMMUNITY. BIOLOGISTS WILL GAIN LASTING SKILLS AND PEER SUPPORT BASS ANGLERS WILL BENEFIT FROM CLEARER AND MORE RESPONSIVE ENGAGEMENT AND AGENCIES WILL BE BETTER EQUIPPED TO STRENGTHEN PARTICIPATION ADVANCE CONSERVATION GOALS AND SUSTAIN RECREATIONAL BASS FISHING FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. BEYOND THE CATCH DIRECTLY SUPPORTS THE STATUTORY PURPOSE OF RELEVANCY AND CAPACITY BUILDING BY ADDRESSING A CRITICAL SKILLS GAP. BY INVESTING IN COMMUNICATION TRAINING AGENCIES WILL ENHANCE THEIR ABILITY TO CONNECT WITH THE PUBLIC BUILD TRUST AND MANAGE BLACK BASS FISHERIES IN WAYS THAT ARE BOTH EFFECTIVE AND SUSTAINABLE.

WALLEYE CULTURE, STOCKING AND MANAGEMENT REPRESENTS ONE OF THE MOST INTENSIVE AND EXPENSIVE ASPECTS OF FISHERIES MANAGEMENT FOR MANY MIDWESTERN WATER BODIES. MONITORING OF THESE EFFORTS IS A CRITICAL PART OF THESE MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS IN ORDER FOR BIOLOGISTS TO ASSESS THE STATUS OF THEIR MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES. HOWEVER, THESE METHODS ARE RESOURCE INTENSIVE, WHICH MEANS ONLY A SMALL NUMBER OF PRIORITY WATER BODIES CAN BE SURVEYED EACH YEAR, LEAVING MOST WALLEYE FISHERIES UNMONITORED. IN IOWA, AROUND 100 AQUATIC SYSTEMS ARE ANNUALLY STOCKED WITH OR PROVIDE WALLEYE FISHERIES, YET LESS THAN 10 OF THOSE SYSTEMS CAN BE REGULARLY MONITORED TO ASSESS THE OUTCOMES OF THE INVESTMENT OF HATCHERY RESOURCES. REGIONALLY, WISCONSIN MONITORS WALLEYE LAKES ON A 14-YEAR ROTATING BASIS, AND MICHIGAN ON A 10-YEAR ROTATING BASIS. THESE GAPS IN STANDARDIZED SAMPLING ILLUSTRATE A SIGNIFICANT NEED REGARDING DATA ACQUISITION AND POPULATION MONITORING AND THIS PROJECT IS INTENDED TO CREATE AND EXPAND A NEW STANDARD STRATEGY FOR RESEARCH, SURVEY, DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS. ANGLERS CAN PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN ADDRESSING THIS MANAGEMENT CHALLENGE, AND THE STATE OF IOWA IN 2022 AND 2023 PILOTED A STATE-WIDE FISHING TOURNAMENT USING A MOBILE APP TO ADDRESS THIS KNOWLEDGE GAP IN THEIR MANAGEMENT PLAN. UNLIKE CONVENTIONAL FISHING TOURNAMENTS, THIS EVENT INCENTIVIZED ANGLERS TO REPORT ALL FISH CAUGHT (INCLUDING WHEN NO FISH WERE CAUGHT) IN ORDER TO COLLECT CRITICAL LENGTH-FREQUENCY AND ANGLER CATCH RATE DATA NEEDED TO SUPPORT THE STATES WALLEYE MANAGEMENT PLAN. ANGLER-DERIVED DATA FROM THIS EVENT WAS COMPARED WITH CONVENTIONAL SURVEY AND CREEL METHODS TO DETERMINE THE FEASIBILITY OF THIS APPROACH, AND INITIAL RESULTS WERE PROMISING. UTILIZING THESE NEW METHODOLOGIES ALLOWS FOR QUICK IDENTIFICATION OF AREAS THAT MAY NEED GREATER INVESTIGATION OF POPULATIONS VIA TRADITIONAL MEANS, WHICH WOULD LIKELY OTHERWISE GO UNDETECTED. THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO CONTINUE THE INVESTIGATIONS INITIATED IN THE IOWA EVENT (IOWA WALLEYE CHALLENGE), BUILD ON THIS SUCCESS BY ADDING REGIONAL PARTNERS (ILLINOIS, MANITOBA, NEBRASKA AND WISCONSIN), AND EXTEND THE BENEFITS TO STATES ACROSS THE MIDWEST IN ORDER TO IMPROVE THE ABILITY OF FISHERIES BIOLOGIST IN THESE JURISDICTIONS TO MANAGE THEIR WALLEYE FISHERIES. THE HIGH COST OF TRADITIONAL CREEL SURVEYS AND STANDARDIZED SAMPLING ELIMINATE THOSE TECHNIQUES AS VIABLE ALTERNATIVES TO THIS DISSEMINATED, USER-SUPPORTED DATA COLLECTION EFFORT. WITHOUT EXTERNAL SUPPORT, CONTINUED GROWTH AND BROADER UTILIZATION OF THESE TECHNIQUES WILL NOT BE POSSIBLE. THE INITIAL PROJECT IN IOWA HAS ALREADY RESULTED IN USE OF THIS CONCEPT TO COLLECT INFORMATION ON THE PREVALENCE AND GEOGRAPHIC EXTENT OF BLOTCHY BASS SYNDROME THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA. IF FUNDED, THIS PROJECT WILL YIELD INSIGHTS REGARDING WALLEYE POPULATIONS, THE APPLICABILITY OF TOURNAMENT RESULTS TO INFORM FISHERIES MANAGEMENT ACTIONS FOR ANY TARGET SPECIES, AND ANGLER ENGAGEMENT CITIZEN SCIENCE STRATEGIES AND OPPORTUNITIES. NEARLY EVERY STATE AND PROVINCE REPRESENTED IN THE MIDWEST ASSOCIATION OF FISH AND WILDLIFE AGENCIES IS SUPPORTIVE OF THE CONTINUATION OF THIS WORK, AND ARE EAGER TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS ENDEAVOR AS A POTENTIAL NEW TOOL IN THEIR FISHERIES MANAGEMENT TOOLBOX.

FISH AGE ESTIMATION IS A FUNDAMENTAL COMPONENT FOR FISHERIES MANAGEMENT BUT POOR PRACTICES AND IMPROPER TRAINING MAY LEAD TO WIDESPREAD MISMANAGEMENT FOR BOTH EXPLOITED FISHERIES AND NATIVE SPECIES IN NEED OF CONSERVATION. OUR COLLABORATIVE TEAM RECOGNIZED THESE CHALLENGES AND WITH SUPPORT FROM A MULTISTATE CONSERVATION GRANT IN 2023 CREATED FISHAGE, WWW.FISHAGE.ORG, AN ONLINE REPOSITORY OF CALCIFIED STRUCTURES FROM KNOWN-AGE FISHES. THROUGH THE SUPPORT FROM THE 2023 MULTISTATE CONSERVATION GRANT WE WERE ABLE TO COLLECT OVER 1,000 KNOWN-AGE STRUCTURES FROM 12 DIFFERENT SPECIES. THESE STRUCTURES WERE PROCESSED AND DIGITIZED TO BE FREELY AVAILABLE FOR VIEWING ON OUR NEWLY CONSTRUCTED WEBSITE. WE HAVE RECEIVED OVERWHELMING POSITIVE FEEDBACK ON THE WEBSITE WITH HELPFUL SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO BETTER SERVE FISHERIES BIOLOGISTS ACROSS THE NATION. THEREFORE, WE AIM TO BUILD ON THE MOMENTUM CREATED WITH THE 2023 MULTISTATE CONSERVATION GRANT THROUGH EFFORTS TO INCLUDE ADDITIONAL STRUCTURES, BUILD USER FRIENDLY FEATURES TO OUR WEBSITE AND INCORPORATE EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS FOR AN ALL-INCLUSIVE WEBSITE AIMED AT LEARNING THE SCIENCE OF AGE ESTIMATION. OUR INTENT IS TO SUBMIT PROPOSALS THROUGH THE MULTISTATE CONSERVATION GRANT PROGRAM OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS TO SEQUENTIALLY OBTAIN OUR GOALS. THIS PROPOSAL WILL FUND ACTIVITIES CENTERED AROUND THE COLLECTION AND PROCESSING OF ADDITIONAL KNOWN-AGE FISH, TAGGING NEWLY STOCKED FISH SPECIES FOR ADDITIONAL KNOWN-AGE FISH IN THE FUTURE, AND INCORPORATING EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL SUCH AS INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEOS TO FISHAGE.ORG. AFTER OBTAINING OUR 3-YEAR GOAL WE ENVISION FISHAGE.ORG TO BE AN INTEGRAL RESOURCE FOR ANYONE LOOKING TO LEARN THE SCIENCE OF AGE ESTIMATION. THROUGH PROMOTIONAL EFFORTS DURING THIS PERIOD WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT THIS RESOURCE WILL BE WELL KNOWN AND WIDELY USED AMONG ALL STATE AND FEDERAL FISH AND WILDLIFE AGENCIES AND INCORPORATED INTO CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION AT UNIVERSITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY.

THE AFS FISH HEALTH SECTION (FHS) BLUE BOOK - PROCEDURES FOR THE DETECTION AND IDENTIFICATION OF FINFISH AND SHELLFISH PATHOGENS - IS AN ESSENTIAL REFERENCE FOR STATE FISHERIES AGENCIES AND OTHER PROFESSIONALS ASSESSING THE HEALTH STATUS OF AQUATIC ANIMALS. ALTHOUGH IT IS PRIMARILY USED BY FISH HEALTH PRACTITIONERS AND LABORATORIES, BLUE BOOK METHODS HELP DETERMINE THE HEALTH STATUS OF WILD AND CULTURED FISH, WITH FAR REACHING IMPLICATIONS. MOST STATES REQUIRE THE USE OF BLUE BOOK METHODOLOGY BY EXPLICITLY REFERENCING THE DOCUMENT IN ADMINISTRATIVE CODES OR REGULATIONS. THE BLUE BOOK IS A CRITICAL RESOURCE FOR THE SAFE PRODUCTION AND MOVEMENT OF AQUATIC ANIMALS, AND A BLUE BOOK REVISION STEERING COMMITTEE HAS BEEN RECENTLY ESTABLISHED TO DIRECT THE AMENDMENTS.

FISH AND WILDLIFE PROFESSIONALS NEED HIGH QUALITY TRAINING TO ENABLE THEM TO MEET THEIR PROFESSIONAL CHALLENGES. SUCCESS IN THE WORKPLACE IS CRITICAL FOR THESE PROFESSIONALS BE THEY STATE OR FEDERAL AGENCY, NONGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS, INDUSTRY OR OTHERS. YET THE VAST MAJORITY OF EMPLOYING ENTITIES ARE POORLY EQUIPPED TO PROVIDE THEIR STAFF WITH SUCH TRAINING. THE SCIENCE SOCIETIES, NOTABLY THE WILDLIFE SOCIETY AND THE AMERICAN FISHERIES SOCIETY, PROVIDE SIGNIFICANT COURSE OFFERINGS BUT IT IS HIGHLY DISPERSED AMONG CHAPTERS, SECTIONS AND NATIONALLY WITH LIMITED COORDINATION. KEY TRAINING PARTNERS SUCH AS THE MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE TEAM, ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS, OTHER NONPROFITS AND EVEN PRIVATE INDUSTRY ALSO PROVIDE HIGH-QUALITY TRAINING COURSES HOWEVER THESE OPPORTUNITIES ARE OFTEN HARD TO IDENTIFY, ARE NOT COORDINATED WITH OTHER PROVIDERS AND COLLECTIVELY LEAVE GAPS UNRECOGNIZED OR KEY TRAINING NEEDS INSUFFICIENTLY MET. RECENT CONVERSATIONS WITH AGENCY HEADS SHOWCASE THESE GAPS WITH NUMEROUS TOPICS OF INTEREST FOR WHICH THERE ARE NO EXISTING TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES IDENTIFIED SUCH AS FISH KILL INVESTIGATIONS.BASED UPON A STRUCTURED AND FACILITATED WORKSHOP ON THE FUTURE OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE PROFESSION WITH PARTICIPANTS FROM A HIGHLY DIVERSE SET OF ORGANIZATIONS AND AGENCIES, IT WAS CLEAR THAT OUR PROFESSION WOULD GREATLY BENEFIT FROM A MORE COLLABORATIVE AND EFFICIENT APPROACH TO PROVIDING TRAINING. TO CREATE THE FOUNDATION FOR THIS IMPORTANT EFFORT, TWO KEY TASKS WERE IDENTIFIED AS FUNDAMENTAL TO ADDRESSING THE NEEDS.FIRST IS TO FULLY UNDERSTAND THE CONSTRAINTS, OPPORTUNITIES AND NEEDS OF STATE FISH AND WILDLIFE AGENCIES IN PROVIDING COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEIR STAFF. THE ABILITY OF STATE AGENCIES TO PROVIDE TRAINING VARIES GREATLY WITH SOME STATES ESSENTIALLY HAVING NO CAPACITY WHATSOEVER WHILE SOME STATES HAVE STRONG PROGRAMS WITH SOLID STRUCTURES IN PLACE. THE SECOND MAJOR GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF A STRUCTURED WEB-BASED OPEN ACCESS CLEARINGHOUSE OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES. THIS TOOL WILL ALLOW TRAINING PROVIDERS AND USERS TO SEARCH FOR AND SHARE COURSES ALREADY IN DEPLOYMENT, CRAFT TRAINING OPTIONS AND COURSEWORK PLANS, AND ALLOW FOR BETTER UTILIZATION OF QUALIFIED INSTRUCTORS ACROSS THE PROFESSION. THIS CLEARINGHOUSE WILL ALLOW FOR BETTER PLANNING ON COURSE DELIVERY, PROMOTE REDUCED DUPLICATION, AND ALLOW FOR MORE EFFICIENT SHARING OF INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES THROUGHOUT THE FISH AND WILDLIFE PROFESSION. THIS PROJECT WILL APPROACH THIS OBJECTIVE THROUGH A TWO-STEP PROCESS OF DEVELOPING A FORMAL SURVEY FOLLOWED BY A SERIES OF FOCUSED WORKSHOPS THAT WILL ENGAGE FISH AND WILDLIFE ADMINISTRATORS IN DISCUSSIONS AND EXPLORATIONS REGARDING TRAINING PROVISION SUPPORT AND NEEDS. THE PRIMARY BENEFICIARIES OF THIS PROJECT ARE STATE FISH AND WILDLIFE AGENCY STAFF AT ALL LEVELS WITH THE EVENTUAL GOAL OF ENSURING THAT EVERY STATE AGENCY HAS THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE STAFF WITH THE TRAINING TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THEIR CURRENT POSITION AND IN POSITIONS TO WHICH THEY ASPIRE. THIS PROJECT WILL HELP OUR PROFESSION MOVE TO A MUCH MORE THOUGHTFUL COLLABORATIVE AND EFFICIENT MODEL THAT WILL BENEFIT OUR PEOPLE AGENCIES AND THE RESOURCE.

ADVANCING EDUCATION AND TRAINING OF FISHERIES SCIENTISTS THROUGH AMERICAN FISHERIES SOCIETY

MODERNIZING FISH HATCHERY MANAGEMENT (AKA THE "PIPER MANUAL" OR "BLACK BOOK"), THE HOW-TO MANUAL FOR PRACTICING FISH CULTURISTS

COMMUNICATING THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON FISH AND FISHERIES

FISHERIES GRAY LITERATURE DATABASE EXPANSION AND SUPPORT

FISHERIES SCIENCE EXCHANGE

UPDATE AND FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF STANDARD SAMPLING PROTOCOLS FOR INLAND :FISHERIES (PHASE 2 OF 2)

ASSESSING THE STATE OF FISHERIES RESEARCH AGENDAS IN THE UNITED STATES AND OUTLINING BEST PRACTICES FOR DEVELOPMENT OF AGENDAS.

FISHERIES RESEARCH TRACKING AND INFORMATION EXCHANGE TOOL

UPDATING THE AFS BLUE BOOK: STANDARD METHODS FOR AQUATIC PATHOGEN IDENTIFICATION AND FISH HEALTH MANAGEMENT.

BLM-WO, FISHERIES AND AQUATIC RESOURCES SUPPORT

UPDATE AND FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF STANDARD SAMPLING PROTOCOLS FOR INLAND FISHERIES.

SUPPORT FOR THE 2008 HUTTON JUNIOR FISHERIES BIOLOGY PROGRAM.

IMPROVE NATIONAL COORDINATION AND CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIPS THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF A FISHERIES GRAY LITERATURE DATABASE.

UPDATING THE AFS'S PUBLICATION, INVESTIGATION AND MONETARY VALUES OF FISH AND FRESHWATER MUSSEL KILLS

PLANNING SUPPORT FOR AQUATIC GAP STRATEGIC PLANNING

INTEGRATION OF NATIONAL FISH HABITAT

FISHERIES DATABASE SUMMIT II

6TH WORLD FISHERIES CONGRESS

2010 ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL FISH AND CLIMATE CHANGE SYMPOSIUM

FISHERIES CONFERENCE SUPPORT

SUPPORT FOR CLIMATE CHANGE MEETING AND SYMPOSIUMS

ABANDONED MINE LAND GRANT FY 2007

FAC:2015 AMERICAN FISHERIES SOCIETY ANNUAL MEETING SPONSORSHIP

STUDENT AND YOUNG SCIENTIST TRAVEL SUPPORT TO THE 9TH INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON THE BIOLOGY OF FISH

CONTRIBUTION TO THE 7TH INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON AQUATIC ANIMAL HEALTH

TECHNICAL HANDBOOK ON TELEMETRY TECHNIQUES

PURPOSE: OVERVIEW OF MYCATCH MYCATCH (HTTPS://MYCATCH.CA/) IS DEVELOPED BY ANGLERS ATLAS, WHICH HAS BEEN A PROVEN, INVALUABLE ONLINE RESOURCE FOR ANGLERS SINCE 1999. ANGLERS ATLAS BEGAN COLLECTING ANGLER DATA FOR SCIENCE IN THE EARLY 2000S, AND MYCATCH HAS ENABLED US TO EFFICIENTLY COLLECT MORE MEANINGFUL, WORKABLE DATA. WE WORK WITH SCIENTISTS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA TO PROVIDE DATA THAT IS OTHERWISE DIFFICULT TO COLLECT, AND TO HELP INFORM FISHERIES MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION. MYCATCH IS CURRENTLY BEING USED TO COLLECT FISHERIES DATA ON A VARIETY OF SYSTEMS. FOR EXAMPLE, MYCATCH IS WORKING WITH SEVERAL MIDWESTERN STATE AND CANADIAN PROVINCIAL FISHERIES AGENCIES THROUGH A USFWS MULTISTATE CONSERVATION GRANT TO COLLECT WALLEYE (SANDER VITREUS) HARVEST RELATED DATA TO SUPPORT FISHERIES ASSESSMENTS. OTHER WORK HAS INCLUDED COLLECTION OF ANGLER DATA USED FOR ASSESSMENT OF BLOTCHY BASS SYNDROME (BBS), ESSENTIALLY A HYPERPIGMENTED MELANISTIC LESIONS ON THE SURFACE OF BLACK BASSES. SUCH DATA COLLECTION GREATLY EXPANDS THE LIMITED EFFORTS OF FIELD BIOLOGISTS TO COLLECT DATA AND PROVIDES AN INVALUABLE ADDITION RESOURCE FOR INVESTIGATORS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE EXTENT AND FREQUENCY OF BBS OCCURRENCE.

2016 AFS ANNUAL MEETING SPONSORSHIP

REVISION AND UPDATE OF THE AFS SPECIAL PUBLICATION 30: INVESTIGATION AND MONETARY VALUES OF FISH AND FRESHWATER MUSSEL KILLS

ANNUAL MEETING OF THE AMERICAN FISHERIES SOCIETY IN PITTSBURGH PA

""IDENTIFYING POTENTIAL LAKE TROUT SPAWNING HABITAT IN LAKE ERIE""

THE HUTTON JUNIOR FISHERIES BIOLOGY PROGRAM INCREASES INTEREST IN FISHERIES MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPS A POOL OF FUTURE FISHERIES MANAGERS.

SUPPORT FOR AMERICAN FISHERIES SOCIETY 144TH ANNUAL MEETING IN QUEBEC CITY FROM 17 TO 21 AUGUST 2014.

AQUACULTURE 2019/PHYSIOLOGICAL INSIGHTS TOWARDS IMPROVING FISH CULTURE V - FUNDING IS REQUESTED IN SUPPORT OF A FIFTH EDITION OF A SUCCESSFUL SYMPOSIA SERIES. THE SYMPOSIA IS HELD EVERY THREE YEARS AT THE TRIENNIAL MEETING OF THE WORLD AQUACULTURE SOCIETY AND IS ONE OF THE LARGEST AQUACULTURE MEETINGS IN THE WORLD. IMPORTANTLY, THE MEETING IS A JOINT MEETING BETWEEN THE WORLD AQUACULTURE SOCIETY AND THE FISH CULTURE SECTION OF THE AMERICAN FISHERIES SOCIETY. THUS, THE MEETING AND SYMPOSIUM BRINGS TOGETHER A LARGE NUMBER OF RESEARCHERS WITH A DIVERSITY OF INTERESTS RELATED TO THE PHYSIOLOGY OF FISHES, AND IS AN EXCELLENT FORUM FOR EXCHANGING SCIENTIFIC IDEAS, FOR ESTABLISHING COLLABORATIONS, AND FOR WORKING TOWARDS THE COLLECTIVE GOAL OF IMPROVING PRODUCTION CAPACITY OF VARIOUS FINFISH SPECIES.

SUPPORT FOR THE 8TH INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON THE BIOLOGY OF FISH, DATED 07/28/2008

AQUACULTURE AMERICA 2022/PHYSIOLOGICAL INSIGHTS TOWARDS IMPROVING FISH CULTURE VI - THE MEETING IS A JOINT MEETING BETWEEN THE WORLD AQUACULTURE SOCIETY AND THE FISH CULTURE SECTION OF THE AMERICAN FISHERIES SOCIETY. THE SYMPOSIUM BRINGS TOGETHER RESEARCHERS WITH A DIVERSITY OF INTERESTS RELATED TO THE PHYSIOLOGY OF FISHES, AND IS AN EXCELLENT FORUM FOR EXCHANGING SCIENTIFIC IDEAS AND ESTABLISHING COLLABORATIONS TO IMPROVE PRODUCTION CAPACITY.

SUPPORT OF THE AQUACULTURE 2016/PHYSIOLOGICAL INSIGHTS TOWARDS IMPROVING FISH CULTURE IV (PA-16-007)

TO HELP CONTAIN THE MEETING COST FOR PARTICIPANTS

TO CONDUCT ANNUAL MEETING OF THE SOUTHERN DIVISION OF THE AVERICAN FISHERIES SOCIETY.

SPONSORSHIP OF 2009 ANNUAL MEETING