REPORT TO THE AFS GOVERNING BOARD

ANNUAL MEETING

August 19- 23, 2001

from

INTERNATIONAL FISHERIES SECTION

I. ACTION:

Action requested: None

Recommended Motion:

Background for Motion:

II. Outcome or Accomplishment as Relevant to the Strategic Plan

Change or Annual Program of Work: No charge or Program of Work Defined

Outcome and Accomplishments

Information Transfer and Outreach

ITO 1.1: Excellent audience attendance and participation demonstrated the success of the first SINO/US symposium (held during the 2000 Annual AFS Meeting). A reception follow the symposium (combined with the student reception) and dinner followed the reception. These events were sponsored by the International and Fish Culture Sections, Western Division and Northwest Marine Technology, Inc.

ITO 1.2: During the meeting of the International Steering Committee (ISC) meeting during the 3rd World Fisheries Congress, The AFS/IFS Organizing Committee presented the Societies bid to host the 4th World Fisheries Congress in North America in 2004/5. The bid received unanimous support from the IOC. Serving on the AFS/IFS team were Bernard Megrey, Max Stocker, Glen Contreras and Dale Burkett.

ITO 1.3: IFS has been extremely active preparing for the 4th World Fisheries Congress. IFS member, Max Stocker has been appointed by AFS President Carl Burger to serve on the Executive Committee (EC) for the 4th World Fisheries Congress. Other apointees include, the International Steering Committee (ISC)(Bernard Megrey as chair, Max Stocker, Dale Burkett), and the Fund Raising Committee (Glen Contreras).

Megrey, as chair of the ISC, has been charged by President Burger with identifying international and North American participants to ensure broad and equally balanced international representation on the 4th World Fisheries Congress ISC, prepare written letters of invitation to potential ISC participants, ensure that Megrey and the ISC serve as points of contact for meeting theme ideas, circulate relevant ISC background documents and materials prior to ISC or 4th World Fisheries Congress Executive Committee (EC) conference calls or meetings, lead ISC meetings to determine the final theme, structure and topic sessions that will make up the scientific program of the Congress, conduct other business as required or requested by the EC, prepare written reports on ISC activity for the EC, oversee the activity of any Congress subcommittees assigned to ISC oversight, and prepare agenda, schedule, and funding support requirements as necessary for ISC meetings.

To date, ISC delegates are representing the countries of Norway, England, Iceland, Greece, Australia, Japan, Russia, China, Pakistan, India, South Africa, Chile, USA, Canada, and Mexico. Several delegates on the ISC are also representing signatories of the newly drafted World Council of Fisheries Societies charter (Fisheries Society of the British Isles, Australian Society of Fish Biology, China Society of Fisheries, Japanese Society of Fisheries Science, Indian Society of Fisheries Professionals, Asian Fisheries Society, and the Zoological Society of Pakistan).

The first organizational ISC meeting will be in conjunction with the Annual AFS meeting in Phoenix Arizona. In preparation for the ISC meeting, the IFS has been requested by the EC to prepare certificates of appointment (Glen Contreras) and to identify an IFS member to take minutes at the ISC meeting (Mary Knapp).

ITO 1.4 IFS and the Western Division provided support to the "International Conference on Wood in the World Rivers” to be held in Corvallis Oregon October 23-27, 2000. Major Sponsors are the USDA Forest Service, University of Oregon, National Resource Conservation Service, the University of Washington, and other agencies and nongovernmental groups. Over 400 people attended the Conference and products including a book and bibliography will be produced. The website for the project status is http://riverwood.orst.edu

Membership Services

MS 1.1: The Carl Sullivan International membership program is directed towards subsidizing Society and Section memberships for fisheries scientists from non-North American English speaking countries. During the past year, 3-year memberships were awarded to four Australians, David Crook, Murry-Darling Freshwater Research Center, Abury NSW, AU; Ashley Webb University of Sidney (PhD candidate Sidney AU; Wayne Erskine State Forests of New South Wales, Pennant Hills, NSW, AU; Kylie Hall Marine and Freshwater Research Institute, Alexandria, VIC, AU. Since the AFS is not set up to handle multiple year memberships, the IFS will keep track of the memberships and will keep them current.

MS 1.2: The IFS Executive Committee met during the 3rd World Fisheries Congress and voted to support establish an “International Endowment Fund” to support Society and Section international activities, i.e., support international memberships in the Society, to purchase books and journals, to support speakers here and abroad, to provide seed money for international conferences, symposia and workshops, and to help publish articles and books.

The AFS Governing Board during the Mid-year Meeting approved establishment of the “International Endowment Fund”.

MS 1.3: At the recent 3rd World Fisheries Congress the International Fisheries Section Executive Committee voted to contribute $1,000 to start the fund. The IFS contribution of $1,000 is offered as a challenge to other AFS subunits to begin building for our Society's future in international fisheries.

Aquatic Stewardship

AS 1.2: IFS members hosted many scientists and managers from a variety of countries and continue to receive requests for books, journals, symposium proceedings. We currently need journals for two libraries in Chile and Argentina and a large collection of journals for a new fishery school in India

III. Financial Status

A copy of the Section’s Annual Financial Report has been provided to the Director of Administration and Finance.