Strategic Plan

AFS 2020 Vision
AFS Strategic Plan for 2010-2014
November 10, 2009

Preamble

The American Fisheries Society has followed a pattern of preparing an organizational strategic plan every five years. This new plan will steer the Society during 2010 – 2014, but has been crafted with a vision to 2020 and beyond. The AFS Strategic Plan Revision Committee used information from a 2008 AFS member survey and input from several committees and the Governing Board to develop a draft Plan. The Committee then submitted the draft to the Governing Board and the members (via the Internet), for their review and input. The Plan contains a worldview of the fisheries future, revised AFS mission and vision statements, and three goal statements with objectives and suggested strategies under each goal. The three overarching Plan goals cover: 1) Global Fisheries Leadership, 2) Education, and 3) Values of Membership. The Plan does not include specific actions. Rather, it is suggested that the annual operational plans of the Society, and each of its subunits, include development of specific actions to implement the Plan.

In short, we must plan for the unpredictable, seize opportunity, and thrive on change. We will use our collective intellectual capacity to the fullest to achieve our goals. It is recommended that implementation of the new Plan include an online reporting system where AFS unit leaders can report their accomplishments under each objective and share their unit’s ideas for implementing the Plan. This new Plan builds on the many successful and popular activities that AFS already engages in, such as our annual meetings and publications, and emphasizes topics the Committee believed could be improved upon. Among the many topics included in the Plan, innovative ideas are presented for: increasing workforce and member diversity, expanded use of electronic communication technologies, additional fisheries resource policy promotion, and increasing retention and recruitment of members.

Worldview of the Fisheries Future

The future context within which fisheries science and management will occur will have significant changes from that of the previous Strategic Plan:

1. Globalization of trade and transportation will require greater cross-border understanding of the opportunities, threats and cultural perspectives affecting international stock management, invasive species, and disease introductions.
2. Climate change will drive decision-making for aquatic habitat protection and rehabilitation due to impacts on migration, invasive species, disease epidemiology, water supplies, food production, and energy resources.
3. Economic pressure, volatile markets, a transient and retiring workforce, and demands from rising economies will require organizations to do more with fewer resources, modify their training and hiring practices, and dramatically restructure some commercial and recreational fisheries, as well as restructure use of and access to aquatic resources.
4. Ecosystem-based management coupled with social and economic concerns will continue to drive research and management agendas that will, by necessity, be shared among agencies operating as consortia.
5. Nature deficit syndrome brought about by increasing urbanization and electronic media will present challenges with constituents who have minimal exposure to and appreciation for the scientific principles that control fisheries and ecosystem function, while at the same time being more receptive to environmentally sound “green” approaches, all of which affect the public perception of fisheries research and management practices.
6. Electronic communication and social networking will be the predominant means of interacting, particularly among young professionals, international colleagues, and dispersed organizations, replacing participation in traditionally-structured meetings. Professional societies will be expected to serve as information intermediaries that provide quality assurance and technical insight.
7. The business model for professional societies and government will shift to include greater demand for: services that immediately benefit members, more direct participatory decision-making in collective actions, and operation as an intelligent, adaptive, knowledge-based organization.

AFS 2020 Vision

To respond effectively to this future context, an organizational vision for AFS was developed:

The members of the American Fisheries Society (AFS) envision a future where world-wide fisheries production is optimized and sustained while structural and functional conditions of marine, freshwater, and estuarine ecosystems are maintained.

AFS will be the premier organization of fisheries-related professionals that:

1. Supports recruitment, training, and retention of fisheries professionals with a diverse array of technical skills to meet the needs for workforce continuity and adaptability.
2. Promotes sound, science-based research, management, and aquaculture practices for the conservation of fisheries populations, aquatic communities, and their habitats.
3. Functions as an intermediary for evaluation, interpretation, and transfer of high quality fisheries related information using the best available communications technology.
4. Prepares and positions fisheries information to inform society on how social, economic, and political decisions alter the world’s rivers, lakes, estuaries, and oceans, and the fisheries resources that depend on those habitats.
5. Provides forums for effective discourse contributing to the identification of science-based solutions to local, national, and global fisheries-related issues.
6. Supports an integrated network of AFS Units that collaborate to fulfill the Society’s mission.
7. Promotes diversity in the natural resources workforce to reflect the broad range of perspectives and skills needed to address complex fisheries issues.
8. Builds partnerships with other natural resource professional and scientific organizations to achieve common goals.
9. Supports adequate and stable funding for fisheries research and management.

AFS Mission Statement

Mission Statement: The American Fisheries Society will advance sound science, promote professional development, and disseminate science-based fisheries information for the global protection, conservation, and sustainability of fishery resources and aquatic ecosystems.

The mission of AFS will be carried out effectively, and our organizational vision will be attained, if each of the Goals described below is met. Conservation and sustainability will be achieved through stewardship, restoration, and responsible use of fishery resources and aquatic ecosystems. Fisheries, aquaculture, and aquatic science will be advanced through developing and disseminating research-based information to a variety of audiences and by enhancing the public image of fisheries professionals. Professionalism and excellence in research, policy, management, education, and public outreach will characterize the activities of AFS members.

AFS 2020 Goals, Objectives, and Strategies

Goal 1: Global Fisheries Leadership

AFS will be a global leader providing information and technical resources for the sustainability and conservation of fisheries resources.

Objective 1.1. Promote fisheries conservation throughout North America and the world, at all levels of government and society, and among all levels of AFS by supporting sound science and networking opportunities (see also Objective 3.4)

Strategies

1. Continue to host and sponsor excellent conferences and meetings at local, regional, and international levels of AFS to provide the platform for managers and scientists to exchange ideas.

Suggestion: Meetings and conferences will be convened in cooperation with other organizations.

Suggestion: Ensure that AFS meetings are as environmentally responsible as possible.

Suggestion: Encourage remote participation via electronic media including webcasts and videos.

2. Maintain and improve the excellence and expedience of AFS publications.
3. Identify and network with global, professional, and conservation organizations to promote mutual goals of conservation and encourage cooperation among professionals of different scientific societies.
4. Help lead the World Council of Fisheries Societies and strive to unite fisheries scientists worldwide to improve knowledge and conservation of the world’s fish stocks.
5. Work closely with interested foundations and agencies to increase funding and create endowments to support programs within AFS.
6. Encourage support for increased funds to support state/provincial, federal, academic, and tribal fisheries programs, particularly critical research and monitoring.
7. Build stronger partnerships with fisheries-related stakeholders, such as anglers, commercial harvesters, aquaculturists, watershed groups, and local governments, to promote benefits to fisheries among the array of competing demands on aquatic resources.

Suggestion: Solicit and document annual comments and input from external resource stakeholders.

8. Continue to pursue international relationships and establishment of additional units as needed worldwide.

Objective 1.2. Increase science-based fisheries conservation by increasing interactions with AFS members and government policy makers.

Strategies

1. AFS headquarters and all Units will use established guidelines for responsible science-based advocacy activities.
2. Communicate AFS goals for aquatic stewardship in resource advocacy more effectively through the use of sound science as it relates to fi