Interested in joining an ORAFS committee?
Membership on committees is open to both AFS members and non-members alike; however, only current Oregon Chapter AFS members may serve as committee chairs.
Committees in the Chapter are grouped into two broad categories:
Internal Committees are those responsible for the internal relationships of the Chapter and Society and include Arrangements, Awards, Scholarships, Nominating, Resolutions and Bylaws, Student Paper and Poster Awards, Raffle and Auction, Annual Meeting Volunteers, Historian, and Investments. External Committees address fishery issues external to Chapter operations, usually at the request of the ExCom, and provide relevant research and responses to ExCom for potential use in communication with external entities (legislative bodies, agencies, NGOs, media, etc.).
External Committees (ExCom) include: Education and Outreach, Fish Culture, Freshwater Habitat, Legislative, Marine Habitat and Ecology, and Natural Production.
The terms of office for members of Chapter committees shall end upon the discharge of the duties for which they were appointed, or at the next annual meeting of the Chapter, whichever comes first, except that the chair of the Legislative Committee shall have a 2-year term of office, and that all Committee Chairs are allowed to serve multiple years with ExCom approval.
Each Committee Chair will be responsible for keeping the respective External or Internal Director, or appropriate ExCom officer, informed of committee activities and will provide him or her with a copy of the minutes of each committee meeting. Committee Chairs will recruit members to their respective committees as soon as possible after they take office and so notify their respective Director. Suggested size is 3-10 members.
INTERNAL COMMITTEES ASSIGNED TO INTERNAL DIRECTOR
Arrangements Committee
The Arrangements Committee is chaired by the Internal Director, who is responsible for making all logistics arrangements for the annual meeting.
Historian
The Historian shall be recruited and appointed by the Internal Director, and serves for a minimum of 2 years. The Historian maintains records of the Chapter that are not in active use by committees or officers, prepares a display for the annual meeting, and maintains lists of award and scholarship winners.
Awards Committee
The Awards Committee is responsible for seeking and nominating worthy candidates for each Chapter professional award: Fishery Worker of the Year, Fishery Team of the Year, Bill Wingfield Memorial Award in Fish Culture, Award of Merit, and Broken Oar Award. The Awards Committee chair shall be recruited and appointed (or reappointed) by the Internal Director by the spring ExCom planning meeting or retreat.
Scholarship Committee
The Scholarship Committee is responsible for soliciting, collecting, and reviewing applications for the Chapter’s student scholarships (community college, B.S. M.S., Ph.D, and Carl Bond). The dollar amount awarded, type, and number of scholarships will be determined each year as part of the annual work plan and budget approved by ExCom. The goal of these scholarships is to further the objectives of the Chapter by rewarding and promoting the educational and development of future fisheries professionals. Scholarships will be formally awarded at the annual meeting. Currently winners receive a $2,000 scholarship except the Carl Bond scholarship which is $5,000. The Scholarship
INTERNAL COMMITTEES ASSIGNED TO OTHER OFFICERS
Nominating Committee
The Nominating Committee is responsible for selecting and confirming a list of viable and available candidates for ExCom offices to present for election at the annual meeting. The Committee is chaired by the Past-president.
Resolutions and Bylaws Committee
The Resolutions and Bylaws Committee is responsible for the presentation of all resolutions and proposed changes in the Bylaws at the annual meeting. Resolutions will be dealt with through establishment of ad hoc committees. Bylaws will be dealt with annually by the incoming officers. The Committee is chaired by Vice President.
Student Paper and Poster Awards Committee
The Student Paper and Poster Awards Committee is responsible for determining the best oral and poster presentation(s) made by student(s) at the annual meeting. Awards will be framed certificates and presented to the winner and first runner-up for the Best Student Technical Paper and Best Student Poster presentations, including co-authors. Awards will be presented at the annual meeting (Banquet).
Raffle and Auction Committee
The Raffle and Auction Committee is responsible for organizing the raffle, and the silent and oral auctions held at the annual meeting and possibly other events. This is one of the Chapter’s major annual fundraisers.
Annual Meeting Volunteers Committee
The Annual Meeting Volunteers Committee recruits and assigns volunteers from the student subunits and other sources as needed to help conduct the annual meeting.
Program Committee
The Program Committee is responsible for developing the program and agenda for the annual meeting.
Investments Committee (Ad-Hoc)
Starting in 2005, an Investment Committee was formed to develop an investment policy for the Chapter. The goal of the policy is to invest the financial resources of the Chapter to provide future opportunities for the membership, while minimizing the risk to the annual operations of the Chapter. Future opportunities for funding could include focused grant programs, endowments for long-term scholarship funding, and so on. The Investment Committee shall consist of, at a minimum, the Secretary-Treasurer, President, and Past President. The President will appoint a Chairperson for the Investment Committee, and may include a Chapter member outside of ExCom, as necessary.
The Investment Committee shall review investments at least quarterly and report findings t0 ExCom. The financial resources of the Chapter will be considered in three tiers. In the first tier, the operating funds for the annual budget cycle shall be maintained in a primary checking account. In the second tier, additional funds equivalent to the annual operating budget shall be invested in fixed income instruments, such as Certificates of Deposit, becoming mature every 3 months. In the third tier, any additional funds over twice the annual operating budget shall be invested in stocks, mutual funds, or other traditionally high-return instruments. Other structures and strategies may be more appropriate based on the current and expected economy and are acceptable providing they are approved by ExCom.
The Investment Committee shall promote diversification by selecting stocks or mutual funds from several asset classes. The Investment Committee will give special consideration to funds and companies whose objectives are consistent with the mission of the Chapter.
EXTERNAL COMMITTEES
Committee Chairs may change annually, except for the Legislative Chair who serves a 2 year term. All External Committees can and should provide public testimony in accordance with the Guidelines for Public Statements (see Appendix). All External Committees can and should serve
as technical advisors to various agencies, commissions, councils, and institutions. Committee Chairs submit a written report of committee activities, annual work plan, and budget to the External Director before the spring ExCom planning meeting or retreat. Position papers and comments generated by the External Committees will be submitted (via e-mail) to the External Director, who will forward them to the remainder of ExCom for review and approval. Review by ExCom shall be completed within 7 business days (unless otherwise requested by an ExCom officer) via an email response. Position papers and comments are to be signed only by the President, and shall be made available to all Oregon AFS members by posting them on the Chapter website and announced in the Piscatorial Press newsletter. Position papers should also be distributed to Western Division Executive Committee and the Parent Society.
Legislative Committee
The Legislative Committee is responsible for informing the Oregon Chapter membership of pending legislation related to fish, fisheries, aquatic environments, the fishery profession, and guiding Chapter activities through the legislative process. A member from each External Committee will be designated at the annual meeting to serve as a liaison on legislative matters with the Legislative Committee.
Freshwater Habitat Committee
The Freshwater Habitat Committee is responsible for advocating for the protection and restoration of surface and ground waters in Oregon, promoting the advancement of techniques to protect and restore water bodies, documenting problems in Oregon’s waters, and developing
strategies for their solution. Concerns of the Freshwater Habitat Committee include physical habitat and water quality and quantity in estuarine and fresh waters.
Marine Habitat and Ecology Committee
The Marine Habitat and Ecology Committee is responsible for advocating the protection and restoration of marine environments and their inhabitants in Oregon, promoting the advancement of techniques to protect and restore marine species and habitats, documenting fisheries problems in Oregon’s marine waters, and developing strategies for their solution. Its concerns include, but are not limited to: marine fisheries management, bycatch in commercial and recreational fisheries, population status of marine species and their assessment, climate-related issues, marine reserves, essential fish habitat, ocean aquaculture, and rebuilding marine fish stocks in Oregon’s ocean, bays, and intertidal areas.
Education and Outreach Committee
The Information and Education Committee is responsible for distributing information on the Chapter, fisheries, and water resources to members, fisheries professionals, the general public, organizations, and schools.
Natural Production Committee
The Natural Production Committee is responsible for advocating conservation of genetic and habitat diversity to protect and restore the natural productive capacities of fishes and aquatic resources in Oregon.
Fish Culture Committee
The Fish Culture Committee is responsible for promoting advancements in fish culture techniques that protect the biodiversity of native fishes, the exchange of ideas among fish culturists, and public knowledge about fish culture in Oregon.