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Western Division of the American Fisheries Society
Annual Business Luncheon
Salt Lake City, Utah
Date: March 2, 2004

Western Division Officers: Tom McMahon, Lynn Starnes, Joe Margraf, Don MacDonald, and Monica Hiner

Tom introduced all Western Division officers, Chapter officers, Committee Chairs, and all attending Past Presidents.

Ira Adelman, President, Parent Society

Highlighted the Fisheries Conservation Foundation, which will be funding its first round of grants this year. Several weeks from now, the Parent Society will be holding a briefing on Capitol Hill. The fourth World Fisheries Congress will be held in Vancouver in May, with over 1200 papers being presented. The Society's Strategic Plan is under revisions, and they are hoping to have a new Plan by this year's annual meeting.

Gus Rassam, Executive Director, Parent Society

Gus has been working with the Division on many projects, including the Western Native Fishes Project. The Fisheries InfoBase is now up and running with access to journal articles back to 1988, and they plan to include all published articles. AFS is diversifying in the type of books it is offering. Gus solicited ideas on how to improve member services, and urged the group to spread the word on the importance of being an AFS member.

Appointment of Parliamentarian -- Joe Margraf

Quorum Established (need 20 members in good standing)

President's Address -- Tom McMahon

In 1999, the Parent Society developed the Strategic Plan, and the Western Division has adopted it and is working on three major goals: Promote Aquatic Stewardship, Provide Leadership and Information Outreach, and Provide Member Services. Standing and ad hoc committees have been formed to address promoting aquatic stewardship, including western native fishes, pallid sturgeon, and the Klamath river committee. Member services include student scholarships and student support at this year's annual meeting. Information outreach has been achieved through co-hosting this year's annual meeting and being active in the Hutton Program.

Secretary/Treasurer's Report

• Minutes from last year's business meeting were dispersed to the group, and Joe made a motion to approve the minutes. Eric Wagner seconded the motion, and the vote was unanimous to accept the minutes.
• The YTD budget was presented and account balances were:
• Checking $5,616.22
• Savings $17,639.74
• 6-Month CD $13,491.73
• Special Projects: Cutthroat Documentary $16,255.59, Pallid Sturgeon $11,171.75
• Grants Funding Endowment $67,156.50

Chapter Reports and Committee Reports were passed out to the group

• Lynn put committee sign-up sheets on each table and solicited volunteers. Tom also stressed the importance of committees, and asked for a volunteer to run the Newsletter.

Awards

• Riparian Challenge Awards
• USFS--
• BLM--Carson City Field Office, Truckee River Project
• 'Other'--Nez Perce Tribe, McComas Meadows Project
• Eugene Maughn and William Trachtenberg Scholarships (Bob Greswell)
• 15 Applicants (10 MS and 5 PhD from 5 states)
• Winners of Eugene Maughn Scholarships ($1,500 each): Richard Bush, UC Davis and Andrew Davis, BYU.
• Winner of William Trachtenburg Scholarship: Andrew Whiteley, University of Montana
• Award of Merit
• Bruce Crawford and Dave Lentz
• Award of Special Recognition
• George Guillen and Mike Belchik for their work on the Klamath River Committee
• Shawn Chase for his work on the Lamprey Review Committee
• Glen Contreras for his work in Mexican fisheries
• Bill Bradshaw for his work on the Coal Bed Methane Committee

2004 Annual Meeting Update and Wrap-up

• Lynn thanked the students for all of their help in volunteering to make sure this meeting was a success! There are 59 registered students at the meeting.
• Lynn presented awards to Dave Kumlein and Jerri Bartholomew who worked on organizing the Whirling Disease symposium.
• Awards were presented to Eric Wagner and Dave Zafft in recognition of all of their hard work in planning this meeting.
• Dave Zafft recognized and gave certificates to all session chairs, continuing education presenters, and the organizer of the poster session.
• Eric Wagner recognized and gave certificates to people from the Bonneville Chapter who assisted in local arrangements.

2005 Annual Meeting Update

• The 2005 annual meeting will be held in Anchorage with the Parent Society and Alaska Chapter during September.
• Several sessions are coming together well, including a Native People Fisheries, the Effects of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill, and Replacing the Ricker Curve.
• Local Arrangements are being made, with the highlight being an evening at the Alaska Native Heritage Center.

New Business

• 2004 Election Results: Nominating Representative Pete Bisson; Vice President Bob Hughes