Mid-Year Award Summary

Distinguished Service Award

David Rizzuto

Dave has been active in the American Fisheries Society. He served as Secretary/Treasurer of the Tennessee Chapter from 1995 to 2000 and served as President from 2001 to 2002. He also received the Chapter’s Outstanding Service Award in 2000.  In the Southern Division Dave has been a long time member of the Small Impoundments Committee, having been on that committee for the past 15 years.  Dave’s most important contributions to the Southern Division however have been his involvement with hosting the Spring meetings.

Greg Summers

Greg has been a tireless worker on behalf of the greater good for the SDAFS. Greg has led efforts to compile the archives of the SDAFS in electronic format. Further, over the past several years he has coordinated and implemented the use of podcasts for all presentations given at the SDAFS meetings. These podcasts allow people who were not in attendance to see the slides and hear the speakers for every presentation, which is wonderful service to our members. Because of Greg’s hard work the SDAFS has been a leader in communication within the society, and other Divisions are now following suit and providing podcasts to their members.

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Hall of Excellence: Fisheries Management Section of AFS

Phil Bettoli

Phil Bettoli was inducted into the FMS Hall of Excellence for 2012. This honor is given to fisheries professionals who have made outstanding contributions to the advancement of fisheries management. Each inductee has a plaque on display with their likeness and highlights of their careers and contributions to the fisheries management profession. Congratulations, Phil!

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John F. Dequine Best Paper Award for 2012

Tie for 1^st place:

Brandon W. Baker and Steve E. Lochman. Aquaculture/Fisheries Center, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.

Title:  A Population Assessment and Minimum Length Limit Evaluation for White Bass in the Arkansas River, Arkansas.

Mike Morgan, Sterling Hayden, and Robert Pierce II.  Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism and Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences, University of Missouri.

Title:  Social and Cultural Aspects of Paddlefish Anglers at Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri.

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Best Student Subunit Award:

Mississippi State University

From faculty advisor Dr. Wesley Neal:

This incredible group of students has been extremely active this year both in AFS activities and community outreach. They provided a tremendous amount of assistance with planning and logistics to the Mississippi Chapter in hosting the 2012 Southern Division meeting in Biloxi, including helping with organization, registration, AV, and even bartending!

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Best Poster Award:

First Author:  Cher Newman (University of Southern Mississippi). Length frequency changes of longspine porgy from 1987 to 2011: evidence of shrimp trawling bycatch impacts?
 – certificate for co-author (G. Walter Ingram, Jr.)

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Best Student Presentation Award:

1^st place, Best Student Presentation:
First Author:  Michael Bednarski (University of Georgia). Influences of drought on shortnose sturgeon in the Altamaha River, Georgia
– certificates for co-authors (Douglas L. Peterson)

2^nd place, Best Student Presentation:
First Author:  Jamie Morgan (University of Georgia). Endocrine disruption in juvenile fathead minnows exposed to cyanobacteria
– certificates for co-authors (James Herrin, Kristen Kellock, Rebecca Haynie, Susan Wilde, and Robert Bringolf)

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Additional Plaques

Meeting and Local Arrangements Chair: David Rizzuto
Program Chair:  Phil Bettoli and Frank Fiss
Fund Raising Chair:  Bobby Wilson
Outgoing President Plaque (2012 – 2013):  Brian R. Murphy

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Thank You to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC)

SDAFS thanks the AGFC for hosting the 66th Annual Conference of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (SEAFWA) in October 2012.

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