Section Minutes – 2012

AFS Fish Habitat Section

Annual Meeting for 2012

Minneapolis

Monday, 20 August 5:30-7:00PM, State I Crowne Plaza

Present:  Section officers:  Joe Margraf, Past President; Kyle Hartman, President; John Sweka, President-Elect; and Amanda Rosenberger, Secretary Treasurer.

1)  Call to order.   Kyle Hartman call to order at 5:35

2) Determination of quorum.  Quorum met (12 members present including 4 officers)

3) Kyle Hartman mentions changes to agenda, in particular, John Boreman, current AFS President, and Jesse Trushenski, AFS Resource Policy Committee have other commitments and have been moved to top the of the agenda.  No objections by membership to changes.

4) Statement by John Boreman:  John summarized his workplan for the coming year, which is centered on prepping for challenges ahead and forward thinking.  He emphasized three major themes:

• Working with and training the future workforce
  1. Using social media for communication and training purposes
  2. Updating the list of Universities with graduate and undergraduate degrees in Fisheries and related disciplines and investigate curricular standards and compare with current AFS certification program, which is presently the best guideline for accreditation.
• Impacts in DC and congress:
  1. Broker for AFS and fisheries related issues
  2. Raise awareness among students and the publics of fisheries as a profession
• Creating a virtual meeting and continuing education environment for its members
  1. Implement recommendations of the Continuing Education Committee Distance Education Plan.
• Involvement with the search for the new executive director

Discussion from the Habitat Section membership in regards to John’s statements primarily centered around the Professional certification process and integration into curricular review and course listing.

• Policy Committee X FHS exchange program Jesse Trushenski, chair resource policy committee
  1. Because more engaged in the policy front, communicating best available info to policy and decision makers
     1. New policy on commercial aquaculture is up for revision.
  2. Suggestion made to the policy committee to select most relevant and urgent policy issues to bring to the Habitat Section and use the listserve to alert members to revision needs.
• Statement of the Habitat Section President, Kyle Hartman.
  1. Report of the content of the Governing Board Meeting: retention of members, relevance of the society and return on member investment, focus on deliverables.  The Habitat Section should focus accordingly on what it can do for its members.
• Approval of 2011 Annual Business Meeting Minutes as given entertained by Amanda Rosenberger. Joe Margraf so moved, seconded by Margaret Murphy.  Unanimous approval of minutes by the membership.
• Review and Approval of Financial Report by Amanda Rosenberger. Primary income from dues, and the treasury is healthy.  Expenses primarily webpage, refreshments for meetings, and bank charges, which are not expected to continue in upcoming years.  Little discussion regarding the report, but a general agreement that the section is on solid financial footing.
• Committee Reports:
  1. Nominating Committee: Joe Margraf still looking for someone to replace Amanda as Secretary Treasurer, but has received interest in the President position from Dr. Tammy Newcomb, who was present and affirmed her interest.  Joe will continue to beat the bushes for interest (particularly from students) and a second nominee for president so an election can take place over the year.  Thank you, Tammy!!
  2. FHS webpage: Kyle Hartman has arranged for a web platform for the next two years, and he is working with members in updating and design.  Some discussion on what to include in the webpage that would count as deliverables for members, including sample syllabi for those of us teaching habitat-related classes, a list of members, a discussion form for major issues, and easy access to the listserve.  Also a primer on career development for those interested in habitat issues.
• Old Business
  1. Logo: Amanda will work with the logo designer for something amenable for a logo and something with a simple motif for patches, etc.  The current design is excellent for a web banner and perhaps should be used so.
• New Business
  1. Formation of an Awards Committee – Kyle Hartman
     1. Interest in having awards and soliciting nominations from the membership. Some talk of piggybacking on existing award processes; however, it is important to retain Section identity and recognition in the process.
     2. Some potential award titles: (look to other awards for procedural guidelines)
        1. Excellence in Habitat Research
        2. Excellence in Habitat Education
        3. Excellence in Habitat-related Paper in AFS journals
        4. Tom Bigford volunteered to pursue some of these options. Thank you, Tom!
     3. Symposium ideas/ committee/ workshop – John Sweka
        1. New perspective symposium put together and all looks well for an excellent session. Planning more for our next meeting.
        2. Workshop hosting would be great – we have the treasury to sponsor travel for an instructor
           1. IBM?
           2. Outcomes of large research programs – how to turn greatness into practical decision making.
           3. Make sure to have them on Sunday or will be poorly attended.

• Co-host a symposium with another section (Estuary) – connecting forage and diadromous fish via habitat features led by Karin Limburg would be a good choice.

1. Keep theme of the meeting next year in mind – futuristic. Water quality, passage, and bioengineering, plus mechanistic ecology.
2. Kyle will send query to the membership

1. John Sweka solicited ideas from the section on topics to be addressed by “Hatcheries and Management of Aquatic Resources” Two main themes discussed:  How can hatchery release and effluent impact habitat?  How can we use habitat concepts to enhance raceways?

• No other new business. Joe Margraf motions to adjourn.  Motion seconded by Pat Mazik.  Motion unanimously approved by membership.

Adjournment.

Quorum maintained throughout meeting prior to adjournment.