TO:         International Fisheries Section membership

FROM:  Robert Meyer, President International Fisheries Section

RE:        Annual Section Business meeting report

DATE:   August 19, 2001

·        Excellent audience attendance and participation demonstrated the success of the first SINO/US symposium (held during the 130th Annual AFS meeting), which was organized by IFS, the Fish Culture Section and the China Society of Fisheries.  This action included hosting 12 delegates from China and organizing a technical session. A reception followed the symposium (combined with the student reception) and dinner followed the reception.  Major sponsors and contributors included the St. Louis local organizing committee, AFS headquarters, the International and Fish Culture Sections, Western Division and Northwest Marine Technology, Inc.

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

·        The IFS has been extremely active preparing for the 4^th World Fisheries Congress.  IFS member, Max Stocker has been appointed by AFS President Carl Burger to serve on the Executive Committee (EC) for the 4^th World Fisheries Congress.  Other appointees include, the International Steering Committee (ISC)(Bernard Megrey as chair, Max Stocker, and 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 4^th World Fisheries Congress ISC, preparing written letters of invitation to potential ISC participants, serving, along with the ISC, as points of contact for meeting theme ideas, circulating relevant ISC background documents and materials prior to ISC or 4^th World Fisheries Congress Executive Committee (EC) conference calls or meetings, leading ISC meetings to determine the final theme, structure and topic sessions that will make up the scientific program of the Congress, conducting other business as required or requested by the EC, preparing written reports on ISC activity for the EC, overseeing the activity of any Congress subcommittees assigned to ISC oversight, and preparing 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, 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). A complete list of the ISC delegates is attached.

·        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).

·         IFS and the Western Division provided support to the "International Conference on Wood in the World Rivers” which was 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.

·        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, four 3-year memberships were awarded to four Australians, David Crook, Ashley Webb, Kylie Hall and Wayne Erskine.  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.

·        A letter has been sent to Australian Society of Fish Biology president, Andrew Sanger, attempting to establish a long-term relationship with the Australian society. Australian Society of Fish Biology has a grant for a selected student to attend an international conference somewhere in the world (they have to request location for approval).  The AFS meeting is "approved".  If the student applies for the AFS meeting, that student would get a "bonus" three year membership from the IFS.  All members of the Australian Society of Fish Biology can compete for the Sullivan membership grant.