2019 AFS-OC Annual Meeting

Theme: Sustainable Development and Fisheries, can the two co-exist?

February 28–March 2, Geneva Park, Orillia, Ontario

On February 28-March 2, the Ontario Chapter of the American Fisheries Society hosted our 2019 Annual General Meeting & Conference at the YMCA—Geneva Park in Orillia, Ontario.

The conference was attended by a total of 73 participants including 43 professionals, 27 students and 3 exhibitors. Sixty-seven percent of attendees were AFS-OC members. Professional attendance included a full range of representatives including consultants, conservation authorities, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, academic researchers and Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry.

Our Keynote speaker at this year’s AGM was Dr. Mark Ridgway, Research Scientist & Director, Harkness Laboratory of Fisheries Research, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources & Forestry. Dr. Ridgway gave a captivating overview of some of the new research occurring at one of Ontario’s most important aquatic conservation areas, Algonquin Park. In his talk “Algonquin Park as an Aquatic Conservation Area: History, Ecology and a Modern View of an Iconic Landscape and Waterscape” the audience got an inside look into the role this park has played, past and present, in preserving some of Ontario’s most iconic aquatic species.

In addition to the keynote, conference attendees enjoyed a total of 28 oral presentations and 6 posters, including the 2018 Outstanding Mentor Award winner, Dr. Kathleen Gilmour from the University of Ottawa. Katie talked about the metabolic cost of chronic social stress in Rainbow Trout.

Ted Lawrence from Great Lakes Fishery Commission was onsite to give hands-on (literally) presentations of Sea Lamprey, an invasive and destructive species present in Ontario.

Andrea Reid from Carleton University, was awarded the E.J. Crossman Award for best student oral presentation, and the inaugural President’s Award for best student poster was shared by University of Waterloo co-winners Britney Firth and Jacob Burbank. Abstracts for all presentations can be found within the 2019 Annual Meeting Program. The 2019 Outstanding Mentor Award was won by Dr. Andrew Drake from Great Lakes Laboratory for Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, University of Waterloo.

The business meeting was held on Friday evening, after dinner. Following the meeting, a mentoring session and social took place that included a raffle to support the student subunit. On Saturday afternoon, Gary Prichard instructed a half-day continuing education workshop attended by 18 participants, focused on providing an overview of First Nation Treaties and advice on Engagement.