Welcome to Ottawa!
On behalf of our Organizing Committee, I welcome you to Ottawa and the 138th Annual Meeting, August 17-21, 2008. The last AFS Annual Meeting held in Ottawa was in 1920! Since then, a lot of changes have occurred, both to the City of Ottawa, and to fisheries management. At that time Ottawa was beginning to grow into a truly national capital, and was just recovering from a devastating fire that destroyed much of the Parliament Buildings. Today, Ottawa is a modern capital city home to our national museums, government buildings, and embassies from around the world, all set along the shores of the Ottawa River and the Rideau Canal, a World Heritage Site.
While in Ottawa you can enjoy many of these attractions within a few minute walk of the major hotels. A short drive will bring you to whitewater rafting on the Ottawa River, pleasant hikes in the beautiful Gatineau Park, or to the cosmopolitan city of Montreal. The organizing committee is very excited about the social events we have planned starting with the Sunday night welcome on the Terrace of the Congress Centre and concluding with the Wednesday social at the spectacular Museum of Civilization. With so many things to see and do in Ottawa, why not come a few days early, or plan to spend time after the meeting enjoying the area. Check out http://www.ottawatourism.ca for more information. With an excellent program and a beautiful location, I hope you find your stay at AFS 2008 in Ottawa a rewarding experience that makes you want to come visit us again.
Dave Maraldo
General Meeting Chair
AFS 2008