The big news from the governing board meeting was the IFS lead motion to create two new categories of memberships, a $5 membership for interested members from developing countries and a similar $25 membership for potential members from developing countries that would include a paper copy of Fisheries. This is a fabulous opportunity to increase membership in AFS and in the Section. The Section has set aside some money to provide these memberships to folks in developing countries. If you know of folks, labs etc...that could benefit from these memberships, please let me know and we'll figure out how to make it happen. Please pass the word to others on this too!

The other big news for IFS, was the overwhelming success of the World Fisheries Congress. In addition to being a fabulous program, it will provide a substantial financial benefit to the Section. We are anticipating approximately $10,000 will be available to help with Section activities and members decided to set aside $5K of that money to help the Japanese with the next World Fisheries Congress. Second we are expecting approximately $80,000 for the International Endowment Fund. That is good news indeed, and I've asked Glen Contreras and Bern Megrey to co-chair a group to accomplish three things for the Endowment Fund: a) develop an investment plan; b) develop a spending strategy; and c) develop some priorities for types of activities that would be supported with the Endowment Fund. There were a number of great activities that were discussed at the meeting as potential ways for the IFS endowment fund to have an impact on global fisheries. If you are interested in being involved with this, please get in touch with me.

These were the two major items we discussed during the meeting. As per usual, if you have more questions, ideas or in some other way would like to be move involved with the Section, please give me a call or drop me an e-mail.