American Fisheries Society
Organized 1870 to Promote the Conservation and Wise Utilization of the Fisheries
News Release – Download PDF Version
MEDIA Contact
Larry Dominguez
(360) 915-4194
LD50_ [at] msn.com
American Fisheries Society to Meet in Seattle, September 4-8, 2011
The American Fisheries Society (AFS), the world’s largest association of fisheries professionals and scientists, will hold its 2011 annual meeting at the Washington State Convention Center in downtown Seattle. Organizers anticipate over 4,000 fisheries professionals from across the globe to attend the meeting, drawn by the attractive location, the importance of fisheries to the Pacific Northwest and Pacific Rim countries, and an exciting program.
The theme for this year’s AFS meeting is “New Frontiers in Fisheries Management and Ecology: Leading the Way in a Changing World.” Plenary speakers include:
- Billy Frank, Jr., Chairman of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission and a legendary figure in tribal fishing rights, who has also played a leading role in efforts to restore the Puget Sound ecosystem;
- Robert T. Lackey, a Professor of Fisheries Science and Adjunct Professor of Political Science at Oregon State University and a retired veteran of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, who is well-known for his thought-provoking and insightful articles on the interplay of science, management, and policy;
- Randall Peterman, Canada Research Chair in “Fisheries Risk Assessment and Management” at Simon Fraser University, who is an internationally renowned researcher and lecturer on quantitative methods as they apply to fisheries management; and
- Jesse Trushenski, President of the American Fisheries Society’s Fish Culture Section and an Assistant Professor at Southern Illinois University – Carbondale, who will discuss the education of future fisheries scientists, fish culturists, and fisheries managers.
The technical program will feature a broad range of technical, social, and legal topics of regional, national, and international interest. Regional topics will highlight:
- Habitat restoration and salmon recovery;
- Climate change and the future of Pacific salmon;
- Recreational and commercial harvest management; and
- Controversies and conflicts related to federally protected salmon populations in the Pacific Northwest.
Topics of national and international interest include:
- The ecological aftermath of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico;
- Status of marine fish populations and the effects of fishing on world food supplies;
- Ocean acidification;
- International programs for the conservation of aquatic ecosystems;
- Effects of tidal and other renewable energy development on marine ecosystems;
- The role of marine protected areas in sustaining fisheries; and
- The effects of climate change on freshwater and marine fisheries resources.
The AFS conference will also feature a popular slate of technical training sessions, workshops, and field trips. Members of the public, non-governmental organizations, and non-fisheries professionals who are interested in fisheries science and management, marine and freshwater habitat protection, or fisheries-related recreation are welcome to attend the meeting. The meeting venue in downtown Seattle is within walking distance of Seattle’s vibrant waterfront and world famous Pike Place Farmers Market. For more information, see http://afs2011.org/.
