The recipient of the Al Dextrase Award for Best Student Poster Presentation at the 2024 AFS-OC Annual Meeting was Cole MacLeod from Carleton University. Cole (left) received his award from Ontario Chapter President Erik Tuononen (right). His poster was titled “River-Scale Evaluation of Light as a Behavioural Guidance Mechanism for Out-Migrating American Eel Anguilla rostrata“.
The 2024 winner of the E.J. Crossman Award for Best Student Oral Presentation at the 2024 AFS-OC Annual Meeting was Mitchell Shorgan from Trent University. Mitchell (left) received his award from Ontario Chapter President Erik Tuononen (right). His presentation was titled “Validation of a new acoustic telemetry transmitter for the study of predation events in small fishes” and the abstract is available in the Annual Meeting Program.
The 2024 recipient of the Ontario Chapter Student Subunit Outstanding Mentor Award was Craig Paterson, St. Clair Region Conservation Authority. The award was announced by Markelle Morphet AFS-OC SSU President at the 2024 AFS-OC Annual Meeting.
The 2024 Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary is now available! Digital copies can be viewed online or as a PDF download.
Ontario’s fishing regulations are developed by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry in collaboration and consultation with Indigenous communities, recreational anglers, the tourism industry, non-government agencies and the public. Regulations are implemented to help ensure the sustainability of our fisheries for the future.
As you start planning your fishing adventures for 2024, there are some changes to the fishing regulations you should know about.
The January 2024 Mainstream Newsletter (Volume 40, Issue 1) is now available from the North Central Division website.
Ontario protects species at risk and their habitats through the Endangered Species Act, 2007 (ESA).
As part of efforts to improve the effectiveness and implementation of the species at risk program, amendments are proposed to several regulations made under the ESA.
Specifically, amendments are proposed in four key areas:
Feedback and input from the public, Indigenous communities, and stakeholders on these proposed changes are invited. This consultation closes at 11:59 p.m. on February 20, 2024. See https://ero.ontario.ca/notice/019-8016 for more information.
Let’s Go for a Swim! Print and colour some aquatic species at risk in Ontario, Prairies and Arctic, including Grass Pickerel, Spotted Gar, Lake Sturgeon, Redside Dace, Bigmouth Buffalo, and more.
Aquatic Species at Risk Ontario, Prairies, and Arctic
The Ontario and Prairie Region of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) includes Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario, while the Arctic Region includes the Yukon North Slope, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Nunavik, Nunatsiavut, and Hudson and James Bay. This boundary is inclusive of Inuit Nunangat. The purpose of Canada’s Species at Risk Act (SARA) is to conserve, protect and recover Endangered or Threatened species, and to encourage the management of species of Special Concern to prevent them from becoming further at risk. The Act aims to prevent indigenous species from becoming extirpated or extinct and preserve biodiversity within Canada.
Not all aquatic species at risk in Canada are shown in this book. For more information, including critical habitat and distribution data for all aquatic species listed under SARA, check out DFO’s National Aquatic Species at Risk Map.
A synopsis of the 2023 AFS-OC Annual Meeting and Conference held March 10–12, 2023, at Bayview Wildwood Resort, in Severn Bridge has been posted. See photos, poster presentations and review highlights of the event.
A link to Canadian Aquatic Barrier Database (CABD) has been added to the Links page under the Organizations / Associations category.
The CABD is a standardized, curated, central, and open repository for barrier and connectivity data in Canada. It is a tool to support work in a variety of fields and sectors related to freshwater connectivity and aquatic barriers.
Currently, the CABD offers data for three feature types: dams (and associated structures), waterfalls, and fishways.
Presentations from the recent AFS-OC Instream Barrier Removal Workshop – November 29, 2023 at the Tiffin Centre for Conservation, Utopia, ON are available for viewing on the Continuing Education page.
AFS-OC Annual Meeting and Conference – March 28-30, 2025November 14, 2024 - 18:35
155th American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting – August 10-14, 2025November 14, 2024 - 17:36
Society of Canadian Aquatic Sciences Conference – February 19-22, 2025November 1, 2024 - 15:00
NRTG Natural Resource TrainingJuly 11, 2020 - 20:32
TRCA Technical TrainingJuly 11, 2019 - 15:57
🐟PhD Opportunity!
Drs. Brett van Poorten and Fiona Johnston
#SimonFraserUniversity
Field work and analysis of whole-lake experiments examining how and why catch rates do not decline in step with fish abundance.
Fully funded! Interested? Learn more at
https://www.fisheriesmanagementlab.ca/opportunities
Interested in serving on a subcommittee related to freshwater or marine fishes, molluscs or marine mammals? Check out @cosewic !
https://www.cosewic.ca/index.php/en/news-and-events.html
