Message from the President

Enduring drought. Warmer ocean. Declining fish populations. Competing demands outstripping available water. As California and Nevada grapple with these impacts, the role of fisheries professionals is more crucial than ever. I encourage all to become AFS members and take advantage of the many resources and opportunities AFS provides:

The Annual AFS Meeting in Portland in August highlighted the best AFS has to offer.

I and fellow officers Norm Ponferrada, Joe Merz, Stephanie Theis, and Jim Hobbs connected with dedicated officers in the Western Division who inspired with their energy and ideas, including President Hilda Sexauer (WY) and incoming President Jim Bowker (MT).

 The Society offered leadership training and panels on using new media to connect and communicate. I met with Executive Director Doug Austen, who announced the joint 20  19 meeting of AFS with The Wildlife  Society in Reno.

I attended a fraction of the 1,900+ talks, and quickly learned about valuable cutting-edge techniques, and conservation conundrums in common with California. We met many members while manning a booth to promote our upcoming 2016 WDAFS meeting. CalNeva members made a strong showing, including a large contingent from the Humboldt Student Subunit. Dancing in the streets with a crowd of fishheads will endure as a favorite memory.

We are now busy organizing to host the 2016 WDAFS Annual Meeting in Reno, Nevada, March 21-24. The Annual Meeting will offer many opportunities to learn, network, and have fun. President-Elect Joe Merz's thought-provoking theme, "Fisheries, Society, and the Scientific Method: Challenging our perception of science, policy, and management," highlights the important role we fisheries scientists serve at the crossroads.

I encourage you all to attend. Keep in mind there are many ways to get to Reno. Your agency or company will be more receptive to attendance if you are presenting, or have a role in the meeting organization. Submit a symposium topic that is important for your agency, and take advantage of the opportunity to reach colleagues from other western states. Volunteer on a committee and be a part of a great team that will expand your own network. Students and interns can volunteer to work during the meeting to help offset registration costs, and are eligible for travel awards (check the website for upcoming information). There are many opportunities to get involved!

Dive in and get the most out of your Society and Chapter!

See you in Reno.

This call for session topics and papers seeks oral and poster contributions relevant to the meeting theme, Fisheries, Society, and the Scientific Method: Challenging our Perception of Science, Policy, and Management.


Symposium Submission:

Symposium proposal submission deadline	11/30/2015
Accepted symposium proposals posted	12/14/2015
Deadline for symposium organizers to submit complete list of confirmed presenters and titles	1/30/2016
Contributed paper/poster abstract submission deadline	1/21/2016
Presenters contacted regarding abstract acceptance or refusal	2/21/2016

• Type of presentation preferred (oral or poster);
• A general statement of how it is related to the conference theme;
• Presentation Title;
• Author, full affiliation, mailing address, phone number, and email address;
• Name of presenter and contact person if different from first author;
• Students indicate participation in "best student paper or poster";
• Text of abstract in 200 words or less

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1. Excellent scholarship as evidenced by grades in rigorous course work during the last 60 hours as an undergraduate and during graduate studies.
2. Potential for future contributions to the fisheries profession through management, research, or teaching.
3. Significant progress toward attaining a graduate degree in fisheries science with a defined thesis or dissertation project.

1. Applicants must be a member of the American Fisheries Society or have submitted 2016 membership materials by the time of application. AFS Member number should be placed on application.
2. Applicants must have completed one semester or two quarters in a graduate degree program at a university within the geographic boundaries of the Western Division.
3. Applicants must have a major field of study that is related to fisheries or aquatic science.
4. Applicants must submit an application package (electronically preferred) that contains of each of the following:
   • A letter to the award committee that includes (three separate items):
• A brief description of the student's degree program and the anticipated date of completion. 
• A statement of the applicant's career goals and reasons for applying for the scholarship (up to 200 words).
• A statement of the academic and professional activities and contributions to AFS and the fisheries science profession (up to 200 words).
• Copies of a resume (including professional activities, pertinent publications, and scientific presentations) and graduate transcripts. Please list GRE scores in your resume; a copy of the original form is not necessary.
• A one-page abstract outlining the goals, objectives, design, methods and expected outcome from the thesis or dissertation project.
• Letters of reference from two faculty members (one must be the graduate students advisor) familiar with the student's background and abilities. Letters may be sent separately by the individual providing the reference.