Report/Item

The American Fisheries Society (AFS) Headquarters Hutton Program Coordinator has requested assistance from each Division of AFS to designate a Hutton Chair to assist in the development and implementation of the Hutton Program. The ultimate goal of the Hutton Program is to recruit young people into a fisheries career. These recruits would ultimately be able to fill the vacancies created by the retiring workforce that currently dominates the fisheries community. The responsibility of the Division Hutton Chair is defined in the Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program Policies distributed by AFS Headquarters. These responsibilities are listed below with specific plans for how the Western Division (WDAFS) will meet these responsibilities.

1) Recruit mentors and students with the assistance from Chapters.

For the 2002-2003 work year, the WDAFS has identified two Hutton Committee Co-Chairs: Cindy Williams and Casey Harthorn. The Co-Chairs mutually agreed to equally divide the division as follows:

Chairs coordinated with the AFS Coordinator to arrange for Hutton representation at the specific Chapter meetings. Every effort was made for one of the Co-Chairs to attend each meeting and actively solicit participation into the program from Chapter members. At Chapter meetings where representation was possible, a brief presentation was made using the canned CD program provided by the Hutton Program Coordinator to solicit mentors, students, and funds. Travel funds in the amount of $1000 were provided for each Chair to attend the designated Chapter meeting. However, schedules conflicted and prevented attendance at all Chapter meetings. In these cases, the respective Chair or National Coordinator contacted the Chapter President and provided briefing materials to that President for presentation at the meetings. The National AFS Hutton Chair was to provide the list of Chapter Presidents to the WDAFS Hutton Co-Chairs by October 1, 2002 and schedule of Chapter meetings, but this did not occur.

*Denotes Chapter where presentations were made by Co-Chair
**Denotes Chapter where presentations were made by President or other AFS member

2) Help to identify potential mentor for selected students

WDAFS Co-Chairs encouraged local Chapters to appoint a Hutton representative for their Chapter. WDAFS Chairs will ensure these representatives receive current and timely information about the Hutton program, and assist in program recruitment as needed. Chapter representatives should contact speculative mentors and forward these names to the WDAFS Chair who will contact AFS Headquarters with the information. AFS headquarters will contact the WDAFS Chair if a mentor or student is needed from a specific local. The WDAFS Chair will in turn contact the local Chapter representative and together a search will be conducted in an effort to match mentors with students. To date, no Chapter representatives have been identified. Several potential mentors have approached Cindy expressing interest in the program for 2004, but are not in a position to being until then.

3) Initial screening of the student applications to be done at the Division level.

Chairs will only recommend top students from those who have applied from the Western Divisions' geographic area. Student applications are initially sent directly to AFS headquarters, which in turn will forward the applications to the WDAFS Chairs. WDAFS chairs will make their selection based on criteria established by AFS headquarters.

4) Identify local fundraising possibilities.