The American Fisheries Society (established 1870 in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
), is the "world’s oldest and largest organization dedicated to strengthening the fisheries profession, advancing
fisheries science
Fisheries science is the academic discipline of managing and understanding fisheries. It is a multidisciplinary science, which draws on the disciplines of limnology, oceanography, freshwater biology, marine biology, meteorology, conservation, eco ...
, and
conserving fisheries resources." It is a member-driven
501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
A 501(c)(3) organization is a United States corporation, trust, unincorporated association or other type of organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of Title 26 of the United States Code. It is one of the 29 types of 50 ...
governed by an executive director, a governing board, and officers who are guided by the AFS's organizational documents, a constitution, and a set of rules.
Their stated mission is "to improve the conservation and sustainability of fishery resources and aquatic ecosystems by advancing fisheries and aquatic science and promoting the development of fisheries professionals."
AFS publishes five peer-reviewed fish journals, books, and the magazine ''
Fisheries
Fishery can mean either the enterprise of raising or harvesting fish and other aquatic life; or more commonly, the site where such enterprise takes place ( a.k.a. fishing ground). Commercial fisheries include wild fisheries and fish farms, both ...
'', organizes seminars and workshops that promote scientific research and fisheries management, and encourages fisheries education through 58 university-based student subunits. AFS has 48 chapters comprising four geographic regions in
North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...
— North Central, Northeastern, Southern, and Western — and includes two "bi‐national" chapters (the Atlantic International and
Washington
Washington commonly refers to:
* Washington (state), United States
* Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States
** A metonym for the federal government of the United States
** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
‐
British Columbia
British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
chapters) and a
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
chapter.
[
]
Publications
Journals
AFS publishes five peer-reviewed journals including:[
*''Transactions of the American Fisheries Society'' - features papers on basic fisheries science;
*''North American Journal of Fisheries Management'' - covers research, experiences and recommendations regarding fisheries management;
*''North American Journal of Aquaculture'' - coverage of breeding and raising aquatic animals;
*''Journal of Aquatic Animal Health'' - coverage relating to fisheries health maintenance and the treatment of diseases;
*''Marine and Coastal Fisheries'' - covers marine, coastal, and estuarine fisheries.
]
Books
By the end of 2017, AFS had published 185 books. A limited selection of titles follows:
"Managing the Impacts of Human Activities on Fish Habitat: The Governance, Practices, and Science"
American Fisheries Society, pages=264.
*Michael C. Quist, Daniel A. Isermann, editors (November 2017)
"Age and Growth of Fishes: Principles and Techniques"
American Fisheries Society, pages=359.
*Lawrence M. Page, Héctor Espinosa-Pérez, Lloyd T. Findley, Carter R. Gilbert, Robert N. Lea, Nicholas E. Mandrak, Richard L. Mayden, and Joseph S. Nelson (April 2013
Common and Scientific Names of Fishes from the United States, Canada, and Mexico, 7th edition
American Fisheries Society, pages=243.
References
{{Authority control
Non-profit organizations based in New York City
Fisheries conservation organizations
Fisheries science