What’s coming next?

Hello Iowa Chapter members! As of the Executive Committee meeting last Thursday (10/6/22), I am your new President, with Tyler Stubbs stepping into the Past-President position and our new President-elect joining the ExCom. Who is that, you ask? Please welcome George Scholten, Iowa Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Research Supervisor, to the role of President-elect for 2022-2023.

I heartily thank Chris Larson for his prior service on the ExCom and Seth Fopma for his willingness to run for President-elect. I am doubly blessed because we get a new President-elect AND get to keep Seth around as Secretary-Treasurer. Finally, I thank Darcy Cashatt for her long-time service as our newsletter editor. We would be in a silent void without her regularly scheduled messages with President’s Corners, student updates, and recipes!

We have a few other important developments to announce:

• The 2023 Annual Business Meeting will be held in conjunction with The Wildlife Society AND immediately preceding Iowa DNR’s Fisheries Bureau statewide staff meeting. Please block the dates March 1-2 for the Iowa Chapter AFS Meeting.
• The State Fish recommendation has been selected. The Iowa Darter Etheostoma exile was voted on by the membership to represent Iowa as a whole. See call for volunteers below.
• We will be hosting a Chapter Logo contest! See details below.
• We have revamped the Undergraduate Student Scholarship for the 2022-2023 school year. See the announcement in this newsletter and apply before 12/31/22. See call for volunteers below.

We have several volunteer opportunities available, so please contact Seth at [email protected] if you are interested in helping with any of the following. If you raised your hand at the 2022 Business Meeting, we will also be reaching out soon.

• Develop the formal State Fish recommendation to the Iowa legislature
• Develop formal criteria for the new Chapter Awards as part of the Awards Committee
  • Outstanding Early Career Professional Award
  • Award of Professional Merit
  • Award of Professional Excellence
  • Aquatic Conservation Achievement Award
  • Undergraduate Student Scholarship

I look forward to a productive year with you all! Please let us know how AFS can better serve you and provide value to you, and enjoy this beautiful autumn of fish-squeezing.