| Archives | Reports and Minutes |

Western Division of the American Fisheries Society
Annual EXCOM Meeting
Salt Lake City, Utah
Date: February 29, 2004

Participants:

Tom McMahon (President)
Lynn Starnes (President-Elect)
Joe Margraf (Vice President)
Don MacDonald (Past President)
Monica Hiner (Secretary/Treasurer)
Eric Wagner (Bonneville)
Carol Kerkvliet (Alaska)
Casey Harthorn (AZ-NM)
Mark Brouder (AZ-NM)
Dave Zafft (Co-WY)
Carl Reese (Humboldt)
Dave Ward (Oregon)
Jim Steele (Cal-Neva)
John Monahan (NPIC)
Vaughn Paragamian (Idaho)
Jim Tilmant (Western Native Fishes)
Bill Bradshaw (Grants Funding and Investment)
Hilda Sexauer (Riparian Challenge)
Casey Harthorn (Audit)

Secretary/Treasurer Report (Monica)

• The group reviewed the revised budget (from the Phoenix Retreat) and up to date income and expenses (as of 2/25). Although the Division has very little cash reserves, we should be in better shape after the meeting seed money is paid back, we receive our dues rebate, and if we realize a profit from this year's annual meeting
• Meeting minutes were presented from last year's Executive Committee mid-year meeting in Phoenix, and teleconferences on 20-Jan and 24-Feb. Joe moved that we approve the minutes as a batch, and Monica seconded the motion. Lynn had comments on the 20-Jan notes, which were incorporated into the notes. The vote to approve the minutes was unanimous.

2004 Annual Meeting (Dave and Eric)

• The meeting is now upon us…………..
• As of Friday, we had approximately 525 registrants.
• Registrants will receive two volumes of abstracts (WDAFS and Whirling Disease).
• Budget--were originally looking at 30K of profit, and now we are anticipating approximately $40K, which will be split three ways between the Division, Colorado-Wyoming, and Bonneville Chapters.
• Registration running smoothly this year.
• Hotel is reporting approximately 1200 room nights.
• Program kicks off this afternoon with Joe's Continuing Education class--Robert's Rules of Order.
• Plenary Monday morning at the Grand America, kicking off the meeting sessions.
• Coffee and danishes will be available first thing every morning at the meeting.
• Film festival Monday evening, list of films available in program.
• WDAFS Luncheon on Tuesday at Grand America.
• Banquet was originally to be held at the Union Station Depot, but due to the increased registration, the Depot could not accommodate the group. The banquet will now be held at the hotel.
• Posters will be set up in Ballroom B. Room will be available at 4pm for set-up. Vendors will also be in that area, with a few overlapping into Ballroom D. We have 17 vendors so far.
• The raffle items will be housed in the Sinclair Room.

Chapter Reports

Tom has compiled the Chapter Reports into one report that will be available at the Business Meeting if people are interested

Oregon

The Chapter's annual meeting was held February 18-20 th with approximately 475 attendants (in SunRiver, Oregon). This year's meeting was the 40 th annual meeting, so the focus was the past, present, and future. There was a Past President's lunch, and they invited all past presidents to attend. Workshop topics included technical writing, radio telemetry, how to give an effect professional presentation. The Chapter has developed their five-year plan, with the help of Mary Buckman. Next year's annual meeting will be held in Corvallis, Oregon--it will be the first time they have been at this location for approximately 30 years. The Chapter will be having their annual mid-year retreat in April.

NPIC

The Chapter is reorganizing and focusing on establishing a relationship with its members. The have a new newsletter, which Jon passed around the table. The Chapter has 7 existing standing subcommittees, but they are very inactive and if the Chapter does not have a report from the committee, they will be abolished and new subcommittees will be created according to the priority of the Chapter officers. The Chapter is anticipating approximately 300 people to attend their upcoming annual meeting. The theme of the meeting will be: Pacific Northwest Ecosystems: Then and Now. One of the Chapter's focus during the next year will be increasing the involvement of student subunits. The Chapter has a five year plan, and at the end of the five years hopes to be a contender for the outstanding chapter award. The Chapter would like to co-convene in 2006 with the Division, however, the Division has already committed to co-convene with the Montana Chapter. Joe suggested that the Chapter contact Dirk Miller to assist in updating the bylaws.

Montana

Tom briefed us on the Chapter report. The Chapter has a new student subunit at Montana State University. They will co-convene with the Division in 2006.

Greater Portland

After discussion with the NPIC and Oregon Chapters, it appears that this Chapter no longer exists. They have also been inactive within the Division. Joe suggested that we take before the governing board to dissolve the Chapter. Gus commented that there are several other chapters throughout the Parent Society that are dissolving.

Idaho

The Chapter held their annual meeting several weeks ago in Moscow, Idaho. The Chapter lost Richard Wallace, an outstanding Chapter member and ichthyologist. In remembrance, the Chapter gave out a conservation award in his honor--the recipient was Jim Fredericks. Next year's annual meeting will be held in Boise.

Humboldt

The Chapter has finally found its bylaws, and realized they are now aware that they are wildly out of compliance since they have not been updated since 1974. The Chapter has a new website that is hosted by HSU. The upcoming annual meeting will be co-convened with the Cal-Neva Chapter in Redding (April). Dana McCanne (Chapter President) is the co-chair of the Klamath River Committee, along with Dave Ward and Jim Steele. The committee will meet Monday evening and invited interested people to attend.

Colorado-Wyoming

The Chapter is co-hosting this year's annual meeting with the Division and Bonneville Chapter. The Chapter has been in charge of the meeting's program. Also in the past year, the Chapter has been busy updating its bylaws, which have now been approved. In the bylaws, they included financing Chapter officers to attend the Annual Meeting and also potential increasing the amount of money that they filter to the student subunits. They have also formed a budget review committee (comprised of 5 Past Presidents, appointed by Vice President) that is in charge of finalizing and getting the budget approved. The Chapter has also developed a Program of Work this year that parallels the Division's Program of Work. The Chapter has several active standing committees, including membership and environmental concerns.

Cal-Neva

The Chapter has been focusing lately on endangered species issues and has written several statement letters. A new brochure has been developed detailing the benefits of membership to the professional society, and the Chapter has been visiting interested universities promoting AFS and has been very well received. The Chapter is also interested in cataloging historical information and notes from fisheries professionals with long careers in the state. The upcoming annual meeting will be co-convened with the Humboldt Chapter in Redding in April. Several thousand dollars are being provided to students to assist with travel. Chuck Knutson (last year's President) was very involved in updating the Chapter's bylaws. A member of the Chapter is also involved in assisting with the formation of the Mexican Chapter. The Chapter will co-convene with the Division and Parent Society in San Francisco in 2007.

Bonneville

The Chapter has been very busy organizing this meeting. They have also worked to update and rebuild their list server. The environmental concerns committee has been busy with reviewing riparian management in a couple of forest plans and reviewing BLM's new grazing policy.

Arizona-New Mexico

This year's meeting was February 2-4 th in Safford, Arizona and was co-hosted with the Arizona and New Mexico Chapters of the Wildlife Society. Approximately 360 people attended and there was a competitive golf game between the two states, with Arizona as the winner. The Chapter is working on developing two pamphlets: one targeting the general public and the other targeting upper government. They are currently working on re-writing the bylaws and creating their first student subunits. It has always been assumed that the New Mexico State University Chapter was a subunit within the Chapter, however, it is actually a full Chapter (if this is the case, they will need to begin participating at the Division level). This subject needs researched to determine whether NMSU is a student unit or full unit. A new program 'Fish in the Classroom' is being created that will focus on ecosystem structure and will include aquariums representing native fish assemblages. Paul Cassidy is the Chapter's incoming President. They are also interested in forming partnerships with Tribes and Mexican Fisheries biologists.

Alaska

The Chapter has 414 members and 2 student subunits (Fairbanks and Juneau) and has recently added the Sheldon Jackson University. Their annual meeting was held in Fairbanks last November that was well attended. The Chapter annually presents a cultural diversity award to assist with travel to the annual meeting. The Chapter also wrote a letter regarding the transfer of Fish and Game's Habitat Division to the Department of Natural Resources from the Department of Fish and Game. Despite the Chapter's recommendations, the transfer was made. Planning for next year's annual meeting, which is being co-convened with the Parent Society and Division, is coming along. Ray Troll, a local Alaskan artist, is working on the meeting poster.

Committee Reports

Get from Joe

Environmental Concerns

A number of issues were addressed by the committee (Klamath River, Coal Bed Methane, Pallid Sturgeon, Lamprey Review) and we have three reports out, with a fourth pending. Don will have procedures for addressing environmental concerns done by March or April.

Nominating

Don had two excellent candidates for Vice President, Mark Brouder and Bob Hughes. He was also responsible for finding two candidates for Nominating Representative, and Eric Knudsen and Pete Bisson. Winners will be announced at the upcoming Business meeting.

Time and Place Committee

2005 Anchorage, 2006 co-convene with Montana Chapter, 2007 San Francisco, 2008 ?????

Cutthroat Trout Conservation Documentary

Work on the documentary was slow for a while due to the slow progress from KUSM. A letter was sent to KUSM voicing our concerns and requesting all progress and footage be sent to the Division. They have responded and have agreed to send footage, but we have not seen it to date.

Eugene Maughan/SFF William Trachtenburg Scholarships

Winners of Eugene Maughan scholarship: Richard Bush (MS) and Andrew Johnson (MS)

Winner of William Trachtenburg scholarship: Andrew Whiteley (PhD)

Sustainable Fisheries

This chapter has been inactive and has not yet written a Terms of Reference. If we are serious about this committee, we need to solicit for new committee members that are willing to be active and help develop a terms of reference.

Lamprey Review

The committee developed their recommendation by reviewing the petition for listing the Pacific Lamprey species. A letter has been sent to the USFWS saying that we are willing at any time to assist the USFWS in understanding the status of Pacific Lamprey.

Pallid Sturgeon

The three co-chairs (Jack Williams, Molly Webb, and Larry Hildebrand) have been working with the Upper Basin Pallid Sturgeon workgroup to better understand what the issues are and how to facilitate recovery of the species. The committee is working on a final report.

Pike in Western Reservoirs

A terms of reference has been developed.

Klamath River

A terms of reference is being developed and the committee is seeking volunteers.

Mexican Chapter Formation

Fisheries folks in Baja and La Paz are still working on this issue and will hold a meeting next April concerning both Mexican and US Fisheries issues. They are hoping that the Division will support the meeting by co-sponsoring and providing financial support. A petition is being developed (that needs 25 signatures) to facilitate the official formation of the Chapter. They are thinking about naming it the Mexican Pacific Chapter. Eric suggested that we have space on the website that recognizes the formation of the committee.

New Business

• Funding Request--Mussel Symposium
• Tom was solicited at the Oregon Chapter for assisting funding a mussel symposium, but has since been informed that they are fully funded.
• Native Fish Committee contract
• Jim sent out the contract for review by the Executive Committee, and a few comments have been received.
• The executive committee has approved subcontracting through Garcia and Associates, and Tom signed the official contract. The Division has requested the funds, which are already in place at the Parent Society, and anticipate receiving a check from Betsy soon.
• Mexican Chapter -- Draft Mission Statement and Commitment from Mexican Scientists
• They are requesting that we co-sponsor the meeting, publicize the meeting on our website, and financial support. Don proposed that the committee come forward with a specific proposal with meeting theme and draft budget, and specific request for providing seed money and other financial support to the meeting.
• Tom suggested that the committee also solicit funds from the Parent Society.
• Don suggested that the committee identify key people within US Based governmental agencies that may be interested and involved in research work being conducted and presented.
• Jim and Casey suggested that the Cal-Neva and Arizona-New Mexico Chapters may be interested in co-hosting the meeting also since they border Mexico.
• 2005 Annual Meeting
• Eric is program chair, and Joe will be on the program committee. Eric is hoping that Joe will focus on the involvement of the Division in the meeting (i.e. fundraising and coordinating the Business Meeting, etc). There was discussion about whether or not we should have a business lunch or breakfast, and the group voted that we would like to have a business lunch.
• Eric passed out a list of suggested symposia for the meeting. He also suggested that the symposium 'Replacing the Ricker Curve in Fisheries Management' be replaced by 'Pacific Salmon Capacity-based Models: Advancing Science for Sustainable Salmon in the Future'. He suggested that the Division co-sponsor this session with the Wild Salmon Center. He would like the Executive Committee to review the summary he passed out and would like us to consider it and vote on it at a later teleconference. Jim Steele made a motion that we sponsor the symposium, Monica seconded the motion, and the motion passed unanimously.
• Vaughn solicited the Division for support for his Burbot symposium. Vaughn made a motion that the Division support the development of the Proceedings of the 2 nd Burbot Symposium. John seconded the motion. Unanimously approved. Vaughn will begin soliciting manuscripts from presenters so that a proceedings for the symposium can be published.
• Outstanding Chapter Awards
• Deadline is May 7 th for both small/large chapter applications.
• Honorary Membership for Stan Moberly
• Ira brought forth to the Executive Committee that someone get together a petition to make him an honorary member on the Parent Society level.
• Procedures to Facilitate Grants Funding and Increase the Grants Endowment
• Bill submitted procedures to the group and asked that the Executive Committee approve them. The procedures were unanimously approved.
• Logo Items
• Eric has t-shirts in Anchorage (all XL). There are approximately 100 left over.
• There are approximately 10 hats left over (8 on site).
• Eric suggested that Tom appoint an ad hoc committee to deal with Logo Items.
• Safety for the Fisheries Biologist
• Casey recently attended the Southern Division's meeting and this was a topic. He asked the group about whether there was an interest on the Division level to create some procedures.
• Jim suggested that the Division host a workshop on field crew safety.
• Don suggested that this topic be raised at the Parent Society level. He then suggested that we form an ad hoc committee and develop a terms of reference.

Don suggested that we move the time of the 2006 annual meeting so that it does not conflict with the Transboundary group meeting. Tom will draft a letter to send to Montana to suggest we have an early fall meeting.