American Fisheries Society Set for First Meeting in State Since 1961

The Nashville event is Aug. 30-Sept. 3 and has been held every year since 1870 and will be the 139^th annual meeting. The meeting was twice held in Memphis (1955 and ‘61), but this will be its first time in Nashville. TWRA and the Tennessee Chapter of the AFS are hosting the event.

 

More than 1,500 fisheries scientists from around the world are expected for the event to be held at the Renaissance Hotel and Nashville Convention Center. The meeting will include 32 organized symposia, more than 800 oral presentations, and over 130 poster presentations. This year’s meeting theme is “Diversity—the Foundation of Fisheries and of AFS: Are We Gaining Ground?”

 

“Our return to the state of Tennessee is long overdue,” said AFS President Bill Franzin. “This heartland state embodies our theme perfectly, from its rich aquatic biological diversity to the diversity of fisheries management issues that can be found here. It will be the perfect setting for international exchange on the latest advances in fisheries science and management from experts from over 70 countries.”

 

Some of the topics that will be addressed include Local Fisheries Issues, New Technologies and National and International Fisheries Policy. The meeting also will include several contributed paper and poster sessions, formal and informal educational workshops, socials, and a plenary session.

 

“We are looking forward to having the AFS meeting coming to Nashville and returning to our state,” said Bobby Wilson, TWRA Assistant Fisheries Chief and general meeting chair for the event. “A lot of people have been working very hard in advance for the meeting.”

 

AFS is the world's oldest and largest organization dedicated to strengthening the fisheries profession, advancing fisheries science, and conserving fisheries resources with more than 9,000 members worldwide.

---TWRA---