Beyond Inclusion: Holistic Strategies for Actionable Change

Description: This symposium presents sustainable strategies for fostering inclusive fisheries workplaces. Thought leaders will cover cultural responsiveness, leadership models, policy adaptation, data-driven impact, and overcoming resistance to inclusion. Attendees will gain actionable tools to enhance equity, engagement, and long-term sustainability in the industry.

Supported by: North Central Division FishCAST

Session Organizers: Maxwell Jasper Oubre, Fruits by the Fish; Brittany Harried, Missouri Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri; Kaylyn Zipp, University of Maine; Jory Jonas, Michigan DNR

Session Contact: Maxwell Jasper Oubre, [email protected]

Celebrating 75 Years of the Dingell-Johnson Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act

Description: This symposium celebrates the 75th anniversary of the Dingell-Johnson Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act, highlighting its historical successes and current challenges. It focuses on the legislation’s impact on sustainable fisheries, recreational boating, and connecting communities with aquatic resources, while exploring innovative future directions for the program.

Supported by: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Office of Conservation Investment

Session Organizers: Craig Kelling, USFWS – Office of Conservation Investment

Session Contact: Craig Kelling, [email protected]

Crayfish Ecology: Pathways to Effective Conservation and Management

Description: Recent crayfish conservation efforts leverage advances in taxonomy, habitat studies, and threat assessments, incorporating inferences from molecular data, zoogeography, and environmental disturbances. This symposium offers a platform for researchers and managers across North America to share lessons learned, discuss strategies, and present findings on crayfish conservation, fostering collaboration and innovation.

Supported by: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, University of Texas – Tyler, West Liberty University, US Forest Service

Session Organizers: Archis Grubh, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department; Joshua Banta, University of Texas at Tyler; Zachary Loughman, West Liberty University; Zanethia Barnett, USDA Forest Service; Ryan Shartau, University of Texas at Tyler

Session Contact: Archis Grubh, [email protected]

Enhancing Fisheries Management and Research: Innovations and Applications of PIT Technology

Description: Discover the latest innovations and applications of PIT tags in fisheries, including stock assessments, migration studies, data management, and conservation. This symposium will highlight technological advancements, standardization challenges, and strategies for enhancing sustainable management practices, fostering collaboration to address research challenges and improve conservation efforts for aquatic ecosystems.

Supported by: Voda IQ, Oregon RFID

Session Organizers: Brian Beckley, VodaIQ; Warren Leach, Oregon RFID

Session Contact: Brian Beckley, [email protected]

Failing Successfully: How Unexpected Results Improve Fisheries Science (Part 2)

Description: This symposium will provide examples from fish scientists demonstrating how unintended outcomes, originally perceived as failures, ultimately turned out to be pathways to progress, learning, and understanding. Shifting the idea of what makes science “successful” or “presentable” will help grow our field and encourage fisheries scientists to fail successfully.

Supported by: AFS Data & Technology Section

Session Organizers: Drew Holloway, Bureau of Water Quality

Session Contact: Drew Holloway, [email protected]

Fisheries Bioengineering: Designing for Stream Restoration and Fish Passage

Description: Waterway projects frequently involve elements of aquatic organism passage and/or riparian habitat restoration (stream crossings, channel stabilizations, diversion structures). Success often requires a multidisciplinary team to achieve multiple objective projects, particularly dam removal.  This session presents information on approaches, tools, and organizations that are moving this collaboration forward.

Supported by: AFS Bioengineering Section (AFS-BES) and AFS-BES/ASCE-EWRI Joint Committee on Fisheries Engineering and Science

Session Organizers: Jon Burgi, McMillen; Dave Minner, HDR; Denis Ruttenberg, Santa Clara Valley Water District

Session Contact: Jon Burgi, [email protected]

Fisheries Research and Conservation in Latin America

Description: In this session, we seek to highlight the diversity of cutting-edge fisheries research and conservation efforts underway in Latin America and to provide a platform by which AFS members can discuss and prepare for the next Latin American and Caribbean Fisheries Congress (scheduled for Spring 2027).

Session Organizers: Erica Ferrer, University of California Santa Cruz; Miguel Garcia-Bermudez, American Fisheries Society; Anabell Espinosa, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego; Catalina López-Sagástegui, Gulf of California Marine Program, Institute of the Americas

Session Contact: Erica Ferrer, [email protected]

From Application to Interview: Navigating Career and Graduate School Challenges in Fisheries

Description: This symposium will provide guidance for successful application and interviews for jobs and graduate school in fisheries. Topics may include developing position-specific resumes, navigating USAJobs/state agency application portals, graduate school application pointers, interviewing tips, and other guidance related to successfully getting your foot in the door.

Supported by: Student and Early Career Professional Subsection

Session Organizers: Hadley Boehm, Minnesota DNR; Logan Zebro, South Dakota State University; Kelsey Crowley, South Dakota State University; Meredith Pfennig, Hawai’i Institute of Marine Biology

Session Contact: Hadley Boehm, [email protected]