AFS Fisheries Information and Technology Section

Executive Committee Meeting Minutes

February 10, 2021

Attendees: Kayla, Paul, Tiffany, Chelsea, Rebecca

• Communication and Outreach Coordinator (COC) update (Chelsea)
  • Working on learning how FITS systems work
  • Rebecca to make a video for posting on wordpress to share with ExCom and future volunteers.
  • Chelsea mentioned that the emails look different in google vs outlook accounts, Rebecca, Bryan, and Chelsea to work on template options.
    • Members should contact Chelsea and Bryan if their newsletter does not look right in their email system.
    • Members should contact Chelsea and Bryan if they are not receiving newsletters.
  • Action Item: Chelsea to follow up with Sarah to get social media account information
  • In the future, keep an updated document and guide for social media account information and other information useful to future volunteers. This can be housed with the Secretary.
• President-elect election (Tiffany)
  • Tiffany will reach out to prospective individuals
• Center for Fisheries Technology and Collaboration (CFTC) news (Rebecca)
  • Check out the Center here: https://units.fisheries.org/fits/solutions/
  • What is the CFTC? Read more here: https://units.fisheries.org/fits/2020/09/13/need-fisheries-equipment-nets-software-solutions/
  • Students and early career section has been a big help and are very enthusiastic about helping with this webpage
  • Rebecca held a short training session last week. Large attendance of interested volunteers. Contact her or Jason Doll if you are interested in helping with partner outreach, user outreach, or Center management and updates
  • 13 volunteers so far to focus on
    • partner outreach and sending invitation letters and follow ups to companies that may be interested in posting their product on the CFTC.
    • user outreach: sharing with subunit and chapters (starting in Wisconsin) to market the tool and obtain feedback
  • 5 new companies have signed up
  • 15 new posts have been added to the platform
• Webmaster Bryan Minihan (Rebecca)
  • FITS has a new Section Webmaster (Bryan Minihan) – Thank you for your time, Bryan!
  • Action Item: Paul will invite to ExComm Meetings
• History webpage collaboration with the History Section (Paul)
  • Paul reached out the history section for help in updating the History page. He received a lot of feedback and volunteer interest – for both section and technology history.
  • Paul sees an opportunity to link this effort with the CFTC. Technology history vignettes would live on the FITS website, but it may be possible to link to them from that tech’s CFTC page (example coded wire tags).
  • Starting points: generate a long list of tech topics listed on CFTC, give this list of potential topics to History volunteers. These volunteers can develop or share vignettes on list topics that interest them. Volunteers can reach out to other experts for input, or choose their own topics.
• AFS Baltimore
  • “COVID Effects” Symposium (Tiffany) – Read draft abstract here: https://units.fisheries.org/fits/2021/02/10/consider-contributing-to-the-2021-covid-symposium/
    • 6 speakers so far, and other leads to follow up on.
    • ExCom discussed what preference we had for the format : online, in person, panel discussion at end
    • ExCom decided in person but agreed to go online if meeting goes online
    • We will request a blended option to include those who cannot attend due to travel restrictions
    • Excom decided discussion panel would be useful and allow to expand this topic into different directions
    • Action item: Tiffany will submit papers today and continue recruiting speakers
  • Data Management workshop?
    • ExCom would like to offer this popular workshop again
    • Action item: Paul to reach out to organizers and Keith Hurley
  • By-law change (Paul)
    • We have a green light from AFS to hold a member vote on proposed bylaw changes to formally limit required duties for the first year of President Elect, and the second year of Past President.
      • Rebecca proposed a further amendment requiring the Past President to formally recognize contributing members
        • ExCom would like to do better at recognizing contributing members. This is a good role for past president, as they will most likely have more knowledge of section projects and volunteers
        • Action Item: Add to bylaw roles, to make sure we are regularly acknowledging volunteers.
        • Action item: Add as a recurring agenda item to monthly ExCom meetings
      • Citizen Science Task Force (Paul)
        • This Task Force is exploring options to better engage citizen scientists through science communication. FITS is involved because a lot of the data are logged via mobile apps. The Task Force is up and running with Paul as the de facto FITS rep, but it is a good member opportunity, so Paul will draft a call to members.
      • Member recruitment and retention lotteries (Paul)
        • Membership lottery update
          • List finalized and Kayla will send over to Paul
        • Conference registration giveaway once costs are confirmed
          • Costs are not listed yet
        • We could also hold a draw for some number of $X vouchers that members can use to purchase items from the CFTC.
          • This will be tricky to pull off, so table for later
        • Other business
          • Letter of appreciation to Dan and shout out in newsletter and social media
            • Paul will send this to Chelsea to share with membership newsletter
            • ExCom offered a FITS section membership and conference registration to Dan for his efforts in organizing last year’s symposium.
          • Member request to make the minutes more informative
            • Member comments difficult to interpret, too many acronyms and short-hand
            • Solutions: We will provide definition of acronyms when first mentioned in the minutes of that month, and use acronyms thereafter. We will also make the text more detailed and add links to posts that explain more about the related topic or provide links to actual websites.

Next Meeting is March 10^th