Winter 2004 - This issue was submitted by Shelly Miller, newsletter editor

How about starting off your spring with a bang? Join us for the

2004 Virginia Chapter AFS Annual Meeting

When : March 18th to noon on the 19th, 2004

Where : Howard Johnson Inn, 2836 N. Lee Highway , Lexington , VA

Tentative Schedule : Meeting will start Thursday morning with presentations. Presentations will continue through Friday morning. The Chapter business meeting will be held Thursday after presentations.

The chapter business meeting will probably be held on Thursday afternoon after the presentations.

We have a block of rooms reserved for March 17-19. The room rate is $52.00 for single or double occupancy. Call the hotel directly to make your reservation (540-463-9181). Make sure you tell the hotel you are with the American Fisheries Society.

Registration Fee : $20 (pay at the meeting)

***Add to the fun of the raffle and bring an item to donate. The raffle benefits the VA-AFS scholarship fund.***

Pre-registration is NOT required. However, please contact Steve Reeser, president-elect at reesers@dgif.state.va.us if you are planning to attend. This will facilitate event planning.

Practice for the 2004 US Presidential Election! Cast your vote for the VA-AFS Chapter President-Elect.

The decision may be difficult, but in this election it's because you like both candidates! This year, the Chapter is electing a President-elect. You can vote by e-mailing Steve Reeser at reesers@dgif.state.va.us (preferred) or phoning Steve at 540-248-9360. The deadline to cast your vote is February 20.

We have 2 excellent candidates. Please take a moment to read through their bios and statements:

William B. Kittrell, Jr.

Bill Kittrell is a Regional Fisheries Manager for the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries in Southwest Virginia . He is a native Tennessean and received a B.S. degree in Biology from Lipscomb University in Nashville in 1980. He then accepted a Graduate Research Assistantship at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville . In 1982, he completed an M.S. degree in Fisheries Science and began his fisheries career as a coastal fisheries biologist with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department on Galveston Bay . From 1986 to 1989, Bill worked as a fisheries biologist in the Ocala Regional Office for the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission. He moved to Farmville , Virginia in 1989 to accept a position as district fisheries biologist for the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. He has been in his current position as Regional Fisheries Manager in Marion since 1995. Bill is responsible for directing fisheries management and research activitie s and programs within an 18 county region.

Bill has been a member of the AFS Parent Society since 1981 and became a Certified Fisheries Scientist in 1987. He served on the Southern Division's Striped Bass Technical Committee from 1990 to 1995 and is currently a member of the Fisheries Management and Fisheries Administrator's Sections. Bill was formerly a member of the Tennessee , Texas and Florida Chapters of the American Fisheries Society and is a charter member of the Virginia Chapter. Bill served as Virginia Chapter Treasurer from 1999 – 2001. He has served on the Nominating and Arrangements Committees and has been very active in Chapter fund-raising efforts. Currently, Bill serves on the Outreach Committee. He would consider it an honor to serve as Virginia Chapter President.

John Odenkirk

John Odenkirk is a fisheries biologist with the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries where his work focuses on river and reservoir fish management – he's worked out of the Fredericksburg Regional Office since 1989. John earned his Bachelor's degree from Virginia Tech in 1985 and his Master's degree from Tennessee Tech in 1987. He also worked as a researcher with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services' Office of Fisheries Assistance (anadromous fish project) in Panama City , FL.

John is a certified fisheries scientist and has been a member of AFS since 1984. He has served the Southern Division as Secretary-Treasurer and participated on the Small Impoundments Committee. He is also active in the Virginia Chapter where he has chaired the Continuing Education Committee and served as Treasurer, and he's a member of the Fisheries Management Section.

If elected, John's first goal will be to find a Chapter Webmaster and ensure open lines of communication between Chapter EXCOM and Division officials.

WANTED

VA-AFS WEBMASTER

Reward : the admiration and gratitude of VA-AFS ExCom and Chapter members

Description : The VA-AFS webmaster is an individual who enjoys providing valuable information to interested fisheries professionals and the public. Computer proficiency and a willingness to learn a must. Web site design experience a plus.

What to do if I meet this description or know someone who does? Contact Shelly Miller at millers@dgif.state.va.us or 804-367-0909. Tips can be kept anonymous.

Outreach Committee brochure in the works

The VC-AFS outreach committee is working with an external professional to develop a recruitment brochure for the Chapter. To begin, the brochure may only be available online. Printing costs preclude large scale printing of the document. A first draft of the brochure has been developed. Comments are being gathered by the executive committee. The draft contains many photos and statistics related to the fisheries work done in the state, the diversity of aquatic organisms in Virginia , and the work of the Chapter. This should be an excellent promotional tool for the Chapter.

VDGIF embarks on a planning adventure

The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) has been charged with completing a Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Plan (CWCP) for Virginia by October 2005. This plan is a federal requirement of all states participating in the State Wildlife Grants and/or Wildlife Conservation and Restoration Program, (sometimes referred to as CARA lite). The plans are intended to focus on “species of greatest conservation need” and their habitats.

As a first step, VDGIF has developed, with input from expert committees, a list of species of greatest conservation need for Virginia . This list was developed using existing information on rare and declining species such as the federal and state T&E lists, AFS lists of the conservation status of freshwater mussels and fish, and the VA Dept. of Natural Heritage list of rare animals.

There are currently 98 fish species on the list distributed amongst 4 tiers of relative conservation need. The VDGIF Fish Taxonomic Committee chaired by Mike Pinder and consisting of many VC-AFS members reviewed and made changes to the draft list. Thanks to them and their efforts.

If you would like to learn more about this plan, check out the presentation at the annual meeting!

Other meetings

Southern Division-AFS Spring Meeting

Oklahoma City , OK

February 26-29, 2004

For more information, visit this website: http://www.sdafs.org/meetings/04sdafs/2004home.htm

AFS 134 th Annual Meeting

Madison , WI

August 22-26

For more information visit this website: http://www.afs2004madison.org/

4th World Fisheries Congress: Reconciling Fisheries with Conservation: The Challenge of Managing Aquatic Ecosystems

Vancouver , BC , Canada

May 2-6- 2004

For more information, visit this website: http://www.worldfisheries2004.org/home.htm

60th Annual Northeast Fish and Wildlife Conference: The Northeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies will hold it's 60th Annual Conference on April 25-28, 2004 in Ocean City , Maryland .  The conference will be hosted by Maryland and Delaware . Registration information will be mailed in late winter 2004.

58th Annual Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Conference

Hilton Head, South Carolina

October 30 – November 3, 2004