AFS Fisheries Information and Technology Section

Executive Committee Meeting Minutes 

August 13, 2021

Attendees: Kayla, Paul, Rebecca, Chelsea

• President-elect election (Tiffany)
  • We have permission from AFS to hold FITS officer transfer at the parent meeting in November. They had initially requested 12 August 2021 in line with the Governing Board meeting. Transitioning in November gives us more time to find a second candidate for President-elect and hold the election.
  • We have found a second candidate for President-elect and we are preparing the election materials. Candidate biographies and voting information will be set out shortly. We will also send out reminders to the membership throughout the voting period.
  • Action Item: Tiffany will work with Chelsea on getting election materials sent out to the membership.
• Governing Board meeting report (Paul and Tiffany)
  • This year the governing board meeting was an online and transitional meeting.
  • An update on Baltimore meeting: As of now the meeting will continuing as planned (hybrid and in person), but the meeting will be moved to online if necessary (by state or federal mandate or low in person registration numbers).
  • Leanne Roulson is new president and talked about her 5 proposed high-priority areas of focus. The following list is taken directly from her proposed plan of work:

1. 1. 1. 1. Increase AFS engagement and interactions with other professional societies on large-scale issues such as environmental policy and climate change.
         2. Continue to address the need for support of scientists from diverse demographic groups in fisheries, specifically to increase long-term retention of scientists who are members of one or more marginalized groups.
         3. Continue work of past presidents to encourage outreach and communication of fisheries science by fisheries professionals to the general public and policy makers.
         4. Support the JASM 2022 and AFS 2022 Meetings and plan for a successful transition to in-person meetings and/or continued blended meeting formats
         5. Keeping the organization of AFS up to date and provide resources relevant to our members and leadership

• • Paul will be serving as co-chair on the meeting oversight committee which will provide insight into future blended (virtual/in person) meetings.
• AFS Baltimore
  • Rebecca and Paul may need to ask FITS for financial assistance for travel to the annual meeting. ExCom agreed to help if needed.
  • “COVID Effects” Symposium (Tiffany)
    • Tiffany still cannot access symposium abstracts and has sent numerous messages to coordinators.
  • Data Management workshop (Kayla re. travel reimbursement)
    • Action Item: Kayla will reach out to Keith Hurley about travel reimbursement.
  • Registration lottery (Chelsea)
    • We have heard back from 3 recipients who have accepted the registration lottery. Action item: Chelsea will send reminder to recipients to accept by Aug 31^st deadline.
    • We did see a small membership increase from this recruitment strategy
    • Next step is retention. What can we do to retain members and keep them engaged?
      • Communication
      • Give back to members (membership and registration lotteries, travel award)
      • Opportunities to participate in AFS (ex: serving on committees)
      • Software insights
      • Turning workshops into online resources (ex. On-demand workshops) that are available for FITS members for free and available for purchase to non-members
    • Many people may not know that they “belong” in FITS. Anyone who has interest in data collection, management, and analysis belongs in FITS. How do we get the word out? Possible name change to Data Collection, Management, and Analysis Section?
    • Fish R – FITS could be a permanent home for this content and coordinate updates. Action Item: Paul to have conversation with Derek Ogle.
• Partnership travel award (Kayla)
  • No applications so far.
  • Action item: Chelsea to send out reminder about program and the deadline to apply is August 31^st.
• By-law change (Paul)
  • We did not make it onto the latest meeting (which was the Governing Board meeting) because it was a full schedule. Randy Schultz will push to get it on the agenda for the next Management Committee meeting (date not known).
• Other business
  • History webpage collaboration with the History Section (Paul)
    • Tabled until Paul is past president
  • Center for Fisheries Technology and Collaboration news? (Rebecca)
    • Recently have obtained new product listings
    • Rebecca is developing guide for volunteers on product listings
  • Citizen Science Task Force (Paul)
    • These are still happening. Action Item: Paul will prepare a call for volunteers
  • Fall meeting times?
    • Once we have election results, we can send out doodle poll

Next Meeting September 8^th 10 am eastern