Event Overview

THE FUTURE OF SUCCESS: FOR FISH, FOR PEOPLE, FOR THE PROFESSION

It’ll be different, but it will still be great!

SPECIAL EVENT AT YOUR HOUSE (OR OFFICE, OR BOAT, OR RV, OR…)

The 2021 Oregon AFS Annual Meeting is going virtual! It’ll be different, but it will still be great! We plan to have many of the same features of a regular meeting — Plenary sessions, technical sessions, student-mentor networking, business and awards meetings, a do-it-yourself spawning run and virtual social hours to remotely connect with our friends and colleagues around the region.

The 2021 program theme is “The Future of Success: For Fish, For People, For the Profession”. Our “successes” in fisheries have rightfully focused on recovery of endangered populations or restoration of habitats, on policy decisions in favor of fish and on scientific advances that help us better understand the intricate workings of the world. But those are not the only measures of success. This theme is designed to foster discussion around a more holistic view of “success” in fisheries as we look to the future. What are the issues of the future where success is paramount but we have not yet created a strategy to succeed? What are the wicked problems of human nature not yet solved? How do we think about, and build success and resilience for communities that rely upon healthy fisheries? Most importantly, timely, and critical is how do we succeed in transforming diversity, equity, and inclusion from being largely represented by the activities of one ORAFS committee to a concept that embodies the very culture and fabric of the chapter?

We do not currently intend to host any pre-meeting workshops, but if someone is interested in organizing one please let the program chair know and we will work with you to make it happen. Your suggestions and assistance are welcomed and encouraged. Please contact Program Chair Scott Heppell at Scott.Heppell@oregonstate.edu. 

Virtual ORAFS 2021 will be a three-day affair, approximately three-quarters of a day each day. Each day will start with a keynote address on one of the three sub-themes for the conference (Fish, People, Profession), proceed to technical sessions for half of each day, and then each day will include a social activity (Student-Mentor event, Poster session) to help keep us connected.