President's Message
by Price Smith

I don't know about everyone else, but I feel like this year has flown by and Christmas is right around the corner. I suppose that means the year has been busy and fun. Well, busy yes, fun, I'm not so sure. The State's fiscal crisis has put a lot of things in jeopardy and made the norm, well, not normal. Yes, all this mess has trickled down to our Chapter and affected many plans. First and foremost, plans for a normal two-day annual meeting are, by necessity, being altered. Yes, Virginia, there is going to be an annual meeting. Annual meetings are a top priority of all AFS chapters and are the best way for all of us to keep in direct contact and maximize the viability of the Chapter. The meeting will be held jointly with the Virginia Tech Chapter, and it will be held in Blacksburg. But it will also be scaled down and the Chapter will be subsidizing many of the accommodations and activities. More about the specifics of the meeting follow in this newsletter.

I feel that any changes that are coming in the near future are only temporary. Things should return to what we consider more normal and, in the mean time, we need to do the best with what we have. Let's make the annual meeting happen, let's gain a lot of knowledge and have fun in the process, let's meet old and new friends, let's refuse to give in to complacency and let's make the future happen today. Make it happen, please do your best to attend.

Meeting Announcement

The joint annual meeting of the Virginia and Virginia Tech Chapters will be held March 20-21, 2003 (Thursday and Friday) in the Fralin Biochemistry Auditorium, which is adjacent to Cheatham Hall on the Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg. The meeting will consist of professional presentations, a continuous raffle to raise funds for student scholarships, as well as Chapter business meetings and a social. Registration is free. In keeping with past meetings, you will be asked donate an item for the traditional raffle. Presentations will begin the morning of the 20th, with each chapter conducting separate business meetings at 4:00 PM. That night there will be a social at the New River Superbowl bowling alley in Christiansburg with a $5.00 admission fee collected at the door. Your admission fee will cover light snacks and non-alcoholic beverages. A cash bar for beer and wine will be available. You will also have the opportunity to bowl at group rates as part of the social event. Presentations will continue on the 21st. The meeting will end at 11:00 AM.

Attendees should make their own room reservations if they plan to stay overnight. Please contact the Microtel Inn in Christiansburg (adjacent to the bowling alley) at (540) 381-0500 to make reservations and specify that you will be attending the AFS meeting. A block of 15 double rooms is reserved at $49.46 per room. The VCAFS EXCOM has pledged to provide partial payment for motel rooms to facilitate meeting attendance. Two free rooms will be available for student attendees.

Anyone planning to attend the meeting should contact John Copeland, VCAFS Arrangements Chair, to register. Please register so he can have a head count to help with planning. Contact John via email at jcopeland@dgif.state.va.us or by phone at (540) 951-7923 (voice mailbox 2).

Call for Papers

This is the first call for papers on all fisheries related topics for the Virginia and Virginia Tech Chapters of the American Fisheries Society Joint Annual Meeting.

General Information:

The joint annual meeting of the Virginia and Virginia Tech Chapters will be held March 20 - 21, 2003 at the Fralin Auditorium on the Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg. Presentations will begin on Thursday the 20th and will continue through 11:00 AM on Friday. Presentations will be 15-minutes, followed by a 5-minute question and answer period (total of 20 minutes per presenter). Slide projectors will be provided but presenters should provide their own power point projectors.

Title Submissions:

You are cordially invited to submit abstracts on all fisheries topics for review and submission in the program. Please submit draft title(s) via email by December 15, 2002. The deadline for submission of abstracts (250 words maximum) is January 10, 2002. Draft titles and abstracts should emailed to Mark Hudy at hudymx@jmu.edu or mailed to Mark Hudy, USDA Forest Service, MSC 7801, 225 Burruss Hall, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA 22807, (540) 568-2704. Include with the abstracts the phone number, email address, fax, and mailing address of the presenter. Students competing for the “Best Student Paper” should indicate so by placing an asterisk by their name.

2003 Chapter Awards
by Becky Wajda

Professional Fisheries Biologist & Natural Resource Conservationist Awards

The Virginia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society is seeking nominations for its Professional Fisheries Biologist and Natural Resource Conservationist Awards. The Professional Biologist Award is given to a professional who makes significant contributions to the field of fisheries science over an extended period of time, or who makes outstanding contributions to the field in the past year. The Conservationist Award is given to a citizen (nonprofessional) who has demonstrated outstanding protection or enhancement of aquatic resources on their property, or who has made significant contributions to the protection of aquatic resources within the state of Virginia.

The nomination process is very simple, and there are many deserving people. The nomination letter should include the name and address of the nominee, the specific award for which the person is being nominated, and a description of why the person deserves the award. Nominations must be received by January 31, 2002. To nominate someone for either of these awards, please send your letter of nomination to:

Becky Wajda
Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries
4010 W. Broad St., Richmond, VA 23230
(804) 367-0488 (fax)
bwajda@dgif.state.va.us (email)

Please take the time to recognize the valuable efforts and contributions of those who've made a difference.

2003 Student Scholarships
by Becky Wajda

The Virginia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society is inviting applications for a $500 Undergraduate Scholarship and $500 Graduate Scholarship in fisheries and related aquatic sciences. The scholarships will be awarded at the Chapter's annual meeting to be held on March 21-22, 2003. Application materials should be sent by January 31, 2003, to:

Becky Wajda
Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries
4010 W. Broad St., Richmond, VA 23230
(804) 367-0488 (fax)
bwajda@dgif.state.va.us (email)

Application criteria for the $500 Graduate Scholarship in Fisheries and Related Aquatic Sciences Virginia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society:

1. The applicant must be a graduate student in a fisheries, biology, or related aquatic science program at an accredited Virginia
university.

2. The applicant should demonstrate academic excellence at the undergraduate and graduate levels as well as promise for future
contributions to fisheries and aquatic resource conservation.

3. Preference will be given to applicants who wish to pursue a career in fisheries or related aquatic fields and who have demonstrated
interest in professional activity in addition to required academic activities.

Applications should consist of (1) a letter from the applicant (not to exceed 500 words) describing his/her background in fisheries and related sciences, the significance of his/her research to management and conservation of fisheries and aquatic resources, and career aspirations, (2) official transcripts (not photocopies) from all institutions of higher learning attended, and (3) two letters of recommendation, at least one of which should be from the applicant's major advisor.

Application criteria for the $500 Graduate Scholarship in Fisheries and Related Aquatic Sciences Virginia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society:

1. The applicant must have junior or senior class standing at an accredited Virginia college or university.

2. The applicant should be pursuing a 4-year degree and should demonstrate in his/her letter of application a desire to pursue a career in aquatic resource management or conservation, or in a field consistent
with these areas.

3. The applicant should demonstrate academic excellence.

4. The scholarship is for one academic year but may be awarded to the same student for up to two years.

Applications should consist of (1) a letter from the applicant (not to exceed 500 words) describing his/her background, qualifications and interest in fisheries or related aquatic sciences, (2) official transcripts (not photocopies) from all institutions of higher learning attended, and (3) one letter of recommendation from a professor in the applicant's major field of study.

As for the undergraduate award, graduate award applications, transcripts, and letters of recommendation should be sent to the contact listed above no later than January 31, 2003.

Exotic Zebra Mussels Threaten Native Wildlife

Richmond, VA - The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries confirmed today that exotic zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) have been found in an inactive quarry in Prince William County in northern Virginia. While it is not known how the mussels were transported to the quarry, the area is a popular underwater diving spot. It is possible that animals were carried in unintentionally via diving gear previously used in infested waters elsewhere in the United States. The Department is currently surveying other likely sites and examining its options for eradication of the mussels.

The zebra mussel is one of the most significant non-native species ever to be introduced into the country's freshwater ecosystems. The species can tolerate a wide range of conditions and is extremely adaptable. Department biologists are especially concerned about the potential for zebra mussels to devastate populations of rare and declining freshwater mussels in southwest Virginia. Zebra mussels can attach themselves to the native mussel shells, making it impossible for them to open or close, burrow in the stream bottom, or feed. As a result, in 1992, the Board of Game and Inland Fisheries added the zebra mussel to its list of predatory and undesirable animals that are prohibited in the state without a special permit. State laws and regulations also prohibit the release of any native, naturalized or exotic animal into the wild unless specifically permitted and/or authorized to do so.

Extremely efficient filter feeders, zebra mussels increase water clarity or transparency by removing microscopic organisms from the water. However, this increased clarity is directly related to a decrease in the types and availability of these food sources to the native fish and freshwater invertebrates dependent upon them. There are very few natural predators of this species in Virginia, and biologists expect that zebra mussels would spread rapidly through parts of the state unless otherwise eliminated.

Zebra mussels can also have a serious economic impact on facilities that depend on water intake by clogging or blocking pipes, valves, drains, and other workings. In fact, these animals will attach to almost any hard surface in the waters in which they occur, quickly spreading and covering that surface. The Department is asking public utilities and other major water users to check their intakes for any signs of zebra mussels.

To minimize the possibility of the further spread of zebra mussels in Virginia, the Department is asking divers and boaters to take extra precautions with their equipment. All dive equipment should be thoroughly checked and cleaned, especially the buoyancy control device and other items that retain water, and rinsed with hot water (greater than 140 degrees Fahrenheit). After a final rinse with clean fresh water, divers should allow all gear and equipment to dry completely before diving again. Hunters and anglers should follow similar procedures with waders, bait buckets, and any other equipment used in the water. Boaters should inspect and scrub boat hulls, anchors, and trailers, then hose equipment with hot and/or high-pressure water, keeping in mind appropriate water conservation requirements. Bilges, live wells, and any other compartments that could hold water should be drained at the site of origin, and, if possible, flushed with disinfectant or hot water. All boat equipment should be allowed to dry thoroughly before being used again.

First sighted in the United States in 1988, zebra mussels have spread quickly throughout the Great Lakes region and the Mississippi River drainage, as well as other waterways east of the Rocky Mountains. In 1993, zebra mussels were found attached to the hull of a motorboat transported to Smith Mountain Lake from the Great Lakes region. Appropriate actions were taken to clean the hull before the boat was launched, and the mussels were not introduced into the lake. For more information about zebra mussels and actions to reduce their spread, visit the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries Web site at www.dgif.state.va.us.

Legislative Update
by Becky Wajda

As of this writing, very few new bills have been pre-filed for the upcoming session of the Virginia General Assembly. Legislators have until specified dates in December to make decisions about continuing bills carried over from the 2002 session as well. Given the current status of the Commonwealth's budget, it is likely that this next session of the General Assembly, a "short" or 45-day session, will focus primarily on finding solutions to revenue shortfalls and prioritizing further budget reductions. Chapter members are encouraged to track legislation directly on the Virginia General Assembly's web site at http://leg1.state.va.us/031/bil.htm.

All new legislation can be viewed by selecting "By a given day" in the "Introduced" section. The default "given" day for all pre-filed bills is the first day of the next session, January 8, 2003; use this for a comprehensive listing of new bills until the session begins. Please remember that, during a short session, most decisions about legislation will be made by early February. If you are interested in expressing your opinion about a particular bill, plan to do so early!

New Book Releases from AFS

Catch and Release in Marine Recreational Fisheries. Jon A. Lucy and Anne L. Studholme, editors

Catch and release fishing has a long history in freshwater recreational fisheries, as a management tool to reduce the impact of fishing on fish populations. Aside from regulatory requirements, freshwater anglers have long practiced catch and release fishing in the interests of promoting conservation-oriented angling. However, in comparison to freshwater, catch and release fishing in marine fisheries is proving more difficult to define relative to its full impact on anglers and use as a fishery management tool. This symposium proceeding brings together information from researchers, fishery managers, coastal resource management and conservation organizations, and angling community leaders, addressing the issues that have arisen in relation to recreational fishing. Includes sections on:Release Mortality and Circle Hooks; Stress Effects Related to Catch and Release; Conventional and Ultrasonic Tagging Studies; Angler Attitudes and Behavior; Management Issues;

AFS Symposium 30
275 pp., hardcover, August 2002, Stock Number: 540.30
List price: $50; AFS member price: $35
ISBN 1-888569-30-1

To order:
Online: http://www.fisheries.org/cgi-bin/hazel-cgi/hazel.cgi
Phone: (678) 366-1411, or Fax: (770) 442-9742
Email: afspubs@pbd.com

Biological Indicators of Aquatic Ecosystem Stress. S. Marshall Adams, editor

This book is a practical guide to the use of biocriteria for assessment of the effects of environmental stressors on aquatic ecosystems and organisms, especially fish. Written by scientists who are the best in their fields, this book provides helpful information for designing and applying bioindicators in the field to reliably assess the health of aquatic organisms and ecosystems. This volume may be used as a manual for scientists, students, and others, in a variety of disciplines and applications.

Includes chapters on:Biochemical Responses as Indicators of Aquatic Ecosystem Health; Genetic Responses as Population-Level Biomarkers of Stress in Aquatic Ecosystems; Reproductive Indicators of Environmental Stress in Fish; Integration of Population, Community, and Landscape Indicators for Assessing Effects of Stressors; Statistical Considerations in the Development, Evaluation, and Use of Biomarkers in Environmental Studies

656 pp., August 2002
Stock #: 550.37C / 550.37P
List Price: $89 hardcover / $62 paper; AFS member price: $69 hardcover / $48 paper
ISBN# hardcover: 1-888569-28-X; ISBN# paper: 1-888569-43-3

To order:
Online: http://www.fisheries.org/cgi-bin/hazel-cgi/hazel.cgi
Phone: (678) 366-1411, or Fax: (770) 442-9742
Email: afspubs@pbd.com

Fisheries in a Changing Climate. Nature A. McGinn, editor

Representing the culmination of a very successful multi-agency effort organized by AFS, Sea Grant and others, this book brings together papers from scientists from US and Canadian governmental agencies and universities to discuss fisheries and climate change. This comprehensive, state-of-the-art volume is a valuable resource for anyone with an interest in the topic, and will serve as a guide to those continuing to study the future of fisheries in a changing climate.

Highlights include: Cutting-edge research on the impacts of climate change and variability on marine and freshwater fisheries; Reviews of recent climate impact fisheries research; Stakeholders' Forum on Fisheries and Climate Change report; A comprehensive bibliography of recent journal articles on the influences of climate change and variability on fisheries.

AFS Symposium 32
319 pp., paper, August 2002
Stock #: 540.32;
List price: $60; AFS member price: $42
ISBN#: 1-888569-40-9

To order:
Online: http://www.fisheries.org/cgi-bin/hazel-cgi/hazel.cgi
Phone: (678) 366-1411, or Fax: (770) 442-9742
Email: afspubs@pbd.com

The AFS Online Bookstore is a valuable resource for all fisheries and
aquaculture related books.

Job Center Online and other AFS Links

Find AFS Job Center Online and other employment resources at http://www.fisheries.org/jobs.html.

What's new at AFS? Read all about it at http://www.fisheries.org/whatsnew.shtml.

Don't forget to browse featured articles from the latest issue of Fisheries magazine at http://www.fisheries.org/fisheries/fishery.shtml.

Renew your AFS Membership online at http://www.fisheries.org/forms.shtml.