Special Committees are formed when the AFS President or Governing Board decides that a formalized AFS action or position is needed on some issue. Examples include internal studies of the Society or specific Society functions (e.g., long-range planning), developing issues of national or international importance (e.g., reorganization of federal fisheries agencies), or new initiatives by the Society (e.g., fish photograph library).
Special Committees are established by the AFS President, with no additional authorization needed. They exist for one year, but may be re-appointed in subsequent years at the discretion of the subsequent AFS President. Members may include individuals who are not Active Members of the Society, particularly for Special Committees established in partnership with other professional/scientific societies or for issues on which current AFS expertise is limited.
Society Committees and their current chairpersons are listed in the annual AFS Membership Directory and Handbook and on the AFS website.
Special Committees address topics that do not fall under the responsibilities of Standing Committees. In the past, the terms “ad hoc” and “sessional”, as well as “special”, have been used by the Society to denote this type of organizational unit. The term “Special Committee” is now designated in the Constitution as the standard name for any group acting for the Society that is not specifically authorized in the Constitution.
2025 Assignments
- John Moring Student Travel Award
— - Northeast Fisheries Administrators Association (NEAFAA) Liaison
— - Representative of the Student and Early Career Professionals
— - NED Emerging Leader Awardee
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Division Representatives
- AFS Nominating Committee
— - AFS Certification Board of Appeals Committee
— - AFS Hutton Award Committee
— - AFS Resource Policy Committee
— - Annual Meeting Sponsorship Team
— - Program Committee
— - Education Section
— - Marine Fisheries Section
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