The Bylaws (January 2026) and Standing Rules, as well as the Procedures Manual (January 2020) are the defining guidelines for Western Division (Division) business and operations. The most recent versions of the Bylaws are linked here and an updated Procedures Manual will be posted soon.
Western Division AFS Bylaws
ARTICLE I. Division Name and Objectives.
1. Pursuant to the Constitution of the American Fisheries Society (hereinafter referred to as the
Society) there has been established within the Society a Western Division (hereinafter
referred to as the Division).
2. The objectives of the Division shall be those set forth in Article I of the Constitution of the
Society, and additional objectives include:
A. Provide a forum for the exchange of technical and policy information common to and of
interest to the Division membership.
B. Promote awareness among Division members, public officials, and the general public of
the nature and extent of fishery matters of concern to the Division membership.
C. Facilitate the timely exchange of information among Division units, Student Subunits, and
members of the Division.
D. Provide a vehicle for the active participation of individual members in Society business
and professional activities.
ARTICLE II. Division Membership.
1. The membership of the Division shall be those Society members in good standing residing in
the States of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawai’i, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New
Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming in the United States of America; U.S.
Pacific Territories and Associated States, and U.S. Pacific Remote Island Areas; the
Provinces of British Columbia and the Yukon Territory in Canada; Mexico; and individuals
residing in other Divisions who elect to be members of the Western Division.
2. All Society members residing in places identified in Article II.1 are automatically members
of the Division. They may elect to be a member of another Division upon notification of the
Executive Director of the Society in writing.
3. Individuals residing in places other than those identified in Article II.1 may become Division
members upon notification of the Executive Director of the Society in writing.
4. Only a Society member of the Division, in good standing, may be a voting member, hold
office, or chair a committee.
ARTICLE III. Division Officers and Representatives.
1. The officers of the Division shall be the President, President-Elect, Vice President,
Secretary-Treasurer, and Past President. The Executive Committee of the Division comprises
these officers, the elected Student Representative, and the elected Division Chapter
Presidents.
A. All officer candidates shall be Society members in good standing for at least two years
immediately preceding their nomination. Candidates should have served as officers
within a Chapter, another Division or in a similar position with another organization prior
to seeking candidacy in the Division. Candidates should have attended a Division annual
meeting in one of the preceding three years.
B. Candidates for officer positions shall be nominated by the Nominating Committee.
Officers shall be elected by a majority of ballots cast from the membership.
C. The Division President, President-Elect, Vice President, and Past President shall serve
for one year in each office for a four year tenure, and shall be ineligible for election to the
office of Vice President for a period of one year after the expiration of their term.
D. The Secretary-Treasurer shall serve for a period of two years and shall be eligible for re-
election for a maximum of two consecutive terms. Individuals may not run again for
Secretary-Treasurer for a year after completing their second term.
E. The officers and representatives shall assume office at such time as the Society’s officers
are installed.
F. If an elected officer or representative cannot complete their term of office, the Executive
Committee is authorized to appoint a replacement to serve the remainder of the unexpired
term until the annual election is held.
G. Division officers and representatives shall receive no salary or other compensation.
Expenses may be defrayed from Division funds when authorized by the Executive
Committee.
H. An officer may be removed from office for negligence, lack of performance, or other
reasons substantially detrimental to the Division upon 2/3 vote by the remainder of the
Executive Committee, in which case the Executive Committee shall appoint a
replacement to serve the remainder of the unexpired term.
I. Candidates for the Student Representative position shall be in good standing as
undergraduate or graduate student members of the Society from a recognized Division
Chapter. Candidates will be self-nominated or nominated by another Society member in
the Division. The Student Representative shall be elected by a majority of ballots cast
only from students in good standing with either a recognized Student Subunit or Chapter
within the Division.
J. The Student Representative shall serve for a period of two years. The Student
Representative must be an undergraduate or graduate student in good standing when
elected. Graduation does not affect the term in office. If the Student Representative is
unable or does not wish to serve for the second year of their term the Executive
Committee must be notified in writing at least one month prior to annual elections.
Individuals may not run again for Student Representative for one year after completing
their term.
2. As defined in the Society’s Constitution, the representatives for the Division in Society
matters shall be the Division Representatives to the Society Governing Board, Society
Management Committee, Society Nominating Committee, and other Society Committees as
requested.
A. The President and President-Elect shall represent the Division as voting members of the
Society Governing Board and will serve for a one-year term. The President may
designate a proxy should either of these officers be unable to attend a Governing Board
meeting provided the Executive Director is notified in writing in advance of the
meeting. This proxy may be any Past President or elected officer of the Division not
currently a member of the Governing Board or acting as a proxy.
B. The President-Elect elected into office on even years shall represent the Division as a
voting member of the Society Management Committee (as defined in the Society’s
Rules). The President-Elect remains on the committee for a two-year term serving
through their presidential year. Proxies for the Management Committee are determined
by Society Rules.
C. The President-Elect elected into office on odd years shall represent the Division as a
member of the Society’s Nominating Committee. The President Elect remains on the
committee for a two-year term, serving through their past-presidential year. If the
President-Elect is unable to fulfill these duties, the Division will elect one representative
by a majority of ballots cast from the Executive Committee or appoint one
representative to the Society Nominating Committee as defined in the Society’s Rules.
The representative shall be a member in good standing.
D. The Vice-President shall represent the Division as a member of the Society’s
Membership Committee as defined in the Society’s Rules.
ARTICLE IV. Duties of Elected Division Officers and Student Representative.
1. The President shall:
A. Preside at all Division meetings;
B. Serve as Chair of the Executive Committee;
C. Represent the Division as a member of the Society’s Governing Board;
D. Appoint committee chairs;
E. Perform other duties and functions as are authorized, necessary, and further described
within the Division Procedures;
F. Automatically advance to the office of Past President at the conclusion of the term of
office.
2. The President-Elect shall:
A. Assume the duties of the President should the President be absent or unable to
act;
B. Represent the Division as a member of the Society’s Governing Board;
C. Represent the Division as a member of the Society’s Management Committee if
elected into office in an even year, and continue to serve on the Management
Committee through his/her Presidency;
D. Represent the Division as a member of the Society’s Nominating Committee if
elected into office in an odd year, and continue to serve on the Nominating
Committee through his/her year as Past President;
E. Serve as Co-Chair of the Program Committee;
F. Perform other duties and functions as are authorized, necessary, and further described
within the Division Procedures;
G. Automatically advance to the office of President at the conclusion of the term of
office.
3. The Vice President shall:
A. Assume the duties of the President-Elect should the President-Elect be absent, unable to
act, or assumes the Presidency;
B. Serve as Chair of the Division’s Membership Committee;
C. Serve as a member of the Division’s Program Committee;
D. Serve as a member of the Society’s Membership Committee;
E. Perform other duties and functions as are authorized, necessary, and further described
within the Division Procedures;
F. Automatically advance to the office of President-Elect at the conclusion of the term of
office.
4. The Secretary-Treasurer shall:
A. Keep the official records of the Division;
B. Conduct Division correspondence;
C. Manage the Division budget;
D. Collect and be custodian for any fees or assessments authorized by these Bylaws or funds
allotted to the Division by the Society;
E. Disburse funds only as authorized by the membership or Executive Committee;
F. Submit minutes of the annual Division meeting to the Executive Director of the Society
within 30 days of the meeting;
G. Perform other duties and functions as are authorized, necessary, and further described
within the Division Procedures.
5. The Past President shall:
A. Serve as Chair of the Division committees related to awards and officer nominations;
B. Perform other duties and functions as are authorized, necessary, and further described
within the Division Procedures.
6. The Student Representative shall:
A. Serve on the Executive Committee as a liaison between students and the Division;
B. Perform other duties and functions as are authorized, necessary, and further described
within the Division Procedures.
ARTICLE V. Division Executive Committee.
1. The Division Executive Committee shall consist of the five elected officers (President,
President-Elect, Vice President, Past President, and Secretary-Treasurer), the President of
each Chapter within the Division, and the Student Representative.
2. All members of the Executive Committee share equal voting rights.
3. Each member of the Executive Committee shall have one vote on Executive Committee
decisions. The President may vote only in the event of a tie.
4. The Executive Committee is authorized to act for the Division between meetings and
transact necessary business.
5. The Executive Committee may levy such special fees as may be necessary to meet any
expenses of the Division.
6. A quorum for an Executive Committee meeting shall consist of a majority of the elected
officers and one-third of the Chapter Presidents. If unable to attend an Executive
Committee meeting, a Chapter President may appoint any Chapter Past President or one
of the current Chapter officers to represent the Chapter, with full voting rights. If such
substitution is made, the Division Secretary-Treasurer or President shall be notified prior
to the meeting.
7. The Executive Committee meets in conjunction with the annual Division meeting and
approximately midyear between annual meetings. Such meetings are open to Division
members.
ARTICLE VI. Division Annual Governance (or Business) Meeting and
Voting.
1. The Division shall meet at least once a year at a time and place decided at least two years
in advance by the Executive Committee.
2. Special meetings may be called by a two-thirds vote of the Executive Committee, or by the
President with the approval of the majority of the Executive Committee.
3. When mutually agreeable, the Division may meet jointly with other organizations or with
other units of the Society in accordance with the Society Rules.
4. When authorized by the Executive Committee, meetings and voting may be conducted
using electronic media.
5. Decisions at a meeting of the Division shall be by a majority of those voting except in the
case of amendments to the Bylaws (see Article VIII), suspension of the Standing Rules
(requires a two-thirds majority), or as otherwise specified in the latest edition of Robert’s
Rules of Order.
6. A quorum at the annual meeting of the Division for the transaction of official business
shall be at least 20 members in good standing.
7. Election of officers and the Student Representative shall be by electronic ballot/survey.
Elections for officers shall be open to membership for 30 days and open to only student
members for the Student Representative for 30 days. Results shall be announced at the
Division Annual business meeting. The procedure for the conduct of the officer’s
ballot shall be determined by the Executive Committee and executed by the Secretary-
Treasurer. The procedure for the conduct of the Student Representative ballot shall be
determined and executed by the Secretary-Treasurer.
ARTICLE VII. Division Standing and Special Committees.
1. Standing Committees, composed of Division members in good standing, shall be organized
by the President together with their chairpersons. Standing Committees shall assist the
President and the Executive Committee in conducting the affairs of the Division. The chair of
each Standing Committee shall report their committees’ activities, findings, and
recommendations at annual and interim meetings of the Division and Executive Committee
(if time allows). The term of duty for members of Standing Committees shall extend from
their appointment to the end of the following annual meeting, unless otherwise specified.
Division committees shall work in close coordination with comparable committees of the
Society. The structure and operating procedures of all committees are detailed in the Division
Procedures.
2. Special Committees may be created by the Division Executive Committee for a
specific purpose and are to be dissolved when their purpose is fulfilled. Details
for Special Committees are available in the Division Procedure Manual.
3. The President shall appoint and charge the chairs of all Standing and Special Committees, as
indicated in the Division Procedures.
ARTICLE VIII. Division Bylaws, Standing Rules and Procedures.
1. The Bylaws are the defining document for the Division and take precedence over all
Standing Rules and Procedures of the Division. The Bylaws cannot be suspended and cannot
be changed without prior notice to members as follows. Bylaws can be amended at any time
throughout the year.
A. The Bylaws may be amended by a 2/3 majority of voting members provided that the
proposed amendment(s) are circulated in writing (i.e., website, listserv) to the
membership at least 30 days prior to voting. Voting will be open for two weeks post
membership review.
B. In accordance with the Society Constitution, an adopted amendment shall be reviewed by
the Society’s Constitutional Consultant for conformity with the Constitution, Rules, and
Procedures of the Society prior to membership vote. The Constitutional Consultant
presents the adopted amendment as approved by the Division members to the Society
Management Committee for approval.
C. The amended Bylaws will take effect after receiving written notice from the Society’s
Executive Director.
2. The Standing Rules are the next highest level of documentation of Division operations. The
Standing Rules are generally established to facilitate the conduct of Division business, and to
describe duties and responsibilities of officers and committees. The Standing Rules may be
suspended or amended as follows:
A. The Standing Rules may be suspended during an Executive Committee meeting until the
next annual or special Division meeting by a 2/3 majority of the Executive Committee.
B. The Standing Rules may be suspended for the duration of a meeting by a 2/3 majority of
members voting at an annual or special Division meeting.
C. The Standing Rules may be amended by a simple majority of members voting at an
annual or special Division meeting.
3. The Procedures are the lowest level of documentation of Division operations. The Procedures
are generally established to provide continuity in the conduct of Division business. The
Procedures may be suspended or amended by a simple majority vote of the Executive
Committee.
Revised Dates: December 2011, December 2015, May 2017, April 2018, June 2023, January 2026
