Northeastern Division Mission
1. Advance the conservation, development, and wise use of fishery resources for optimum use and enjoyment by all.
2. Gather and disseminate information on fisheries science and management.
3. Promote and evaluate the educational, scientific, and technical aspects of the fisheries profession.
About the Northeastern Division
The Northeastern Division (NED) is one of four geographic subdivisions of the American Fisheries Society (AFS). Membership for NED-AFS includes residents of the states of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont, and the Provinces of New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Quebec.
Divisions
When you become a member of AFS, you are automatically placed in a Division based on your geographic location. The purpose of Division Units is to facilitate communication among members in that geographic region, promote technical communications relevant to that geographic region, and represent that geographic region’s members in interactions with AFS and the public. Each Division also contains many Chapters and Student Subunits. Divisions include:
Chapters
Chapter membership is typically a separate membership fee. Chapter membership is extremely valuable in bringing together fisheries professionals from the same state, province or other geographic region within a Division, and their annual meetings convey great amounts of information directly relevant to many attendees because of the localized nature of the Chapter. (As a member of AFS, it’s important for you to understand that there is a difference between membership in the Society and its Units like Chapters and Student Subunits. Whereas the Units work on a local level or single area of expertise, the Society encompasses everything and offers the greatest benefits. Only with a Society membership can you receive Fisheries magazine each month, obtain journal subscriptions, receive great discounts on AFS books and on Annual Meeting registration, and more. And you must be an AFS member to become certified or to lead any of our Units.) There are currently 48 Chapters in AFS, including two bi-national chapters.
Student Subunits are organized within Chapters and serve as a way for students to be involved within their institution and network with local professionals. There are many student subunits throughout North America. More information is typically housed on Division and Chapter websites.
Sections
In contrast to geographic-based membership, Sections are based on subject area interest and expertise. If you are interested in a specific topic, you should consider joining an associated section to find colleagues that share those interests.
Last updated July 2025. Spot an error, missing info, or broken link? Contact NED-AFS Webmaster Sarah Hudak at shudak@searisksolutions.com.
