The theme of the meeting is “2001: A Fisheries Odyssey,The Journey of Science and Education Continues”. The theme will address the future of aquatic resources as our odyssey continues into the first full year of the new millennium. Nearly all fisheries across North America are faced with threats to population sustainability.
Among many other symposia and technical sessions, the 2001 Annual Meeting will explore some of these extremely complex issues in a special symposium: Can the Journey of Science and Education Lead to Fisheries Sustainability in North America? Sponsored by the Western Division of AFS and the Sustainable Fisheries Foundation, the symposium will explore the most challenging sustainability issues and hopefully provide solutions to guide fisheries into the future. This multi-day session will address human population growth, urbanization, the effects of broad landscape changes on fisheries, the biological, social, and economic impacts of overharvest, and new paradigms for management that account for ecosystem-wide effects. Invited experts will recommend solutions that, in addition to improving fisheries science and management, will help move fisheries management to a new level of involvement with other societal sectors that often dramatically influence the success of fish populations, their habitats, and the fisheries they support.
If you have never attended a Parent Society annual meeting, as those past attendees already know, this is a great opportunity to learn about groundbreaking fisheries science and to network with fisheries folks from all over North America and the world. Some exciting features are planned. There will be a stimulating plenary session, continuing education workshops, up to ten concurrent technical sessions and symposia, several fun social events, and the biggest trade show yet. Anyone interested in further involvement in AFS service or in sharpening their leadership skills, should seriously consider attending the Leadership Training session on the opening Sunday.
Another highlight at the meeting will be the Western Division Annual Business Meeting breakfast, scheduled for 7:30-9:30 on Tuesday, August 21. The breakfast cost will be included in the meeting registration fee and will be open to everyone. This will be an occasion not only for Division business, but for celebrating Western Division annual award winners, so please plan to attend.
The host hotel for the meeting is the Crowne Plaza - Phoenix Downtown City Center. Located in the heart of Phoenix, the hotel is a short walk from the primary meeting venue, the Phoenix Civic Plaza. The hotel has reasonable rates and other good hotels nearby will be affordable to students.
The
Program Committee is soliciting good ideas for symposia from individuals or
groups. Topics should be related to the meeting theme or be of general interest
to AFS members. Symposium organizers are responsible for recruiting speakers,
soliciting their abstracts, and submitting speaker abstracts as one packet.
To be considered for review, proposals must be submitted by 15
December 2000 and comply with the format for symposia as described in the
September 2000 of Fisheries and on
the web.
The
deadline for submitting contributed papers and posters is January 19. Abstract
submission is via the web site. See recent Fisheries
or the Web site for complete information on submitting abstracts for talks and
posters at the meeting.
For complete and up to date meeting information, or to submit an abstract, see http://www.fisheries.org/annual2001