2024 Annual Meeting

Examining Infrastructure and Fisheries Interactions

The Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the American Fisheries Society (MAC-AFS) is a professional organization that promotes the conservation, development, and wise use of fisheries in the Mid-Atlantic region. Each year, MAC-AFS hosts a meeting that gathers fisheries professionals from the Mid-Atlantic. This meeting provides a platform for sharing information and ideas about the latest advancements in the region’s fisheries and aquaculture science and management. Cutting edge science, new policy perspectives, challenges facing the region, and success stories worth celebrating are all discussed through oral presentations, poster displays, and informal social events.

This year, we are excited to be co-hosting our 2024 meeting with the Northeastern Division of the American Fisheries Society (NED-AFS). Fisheries professionals and stakeholders from throughout the region, and from the other chapters within NED, are emphatically encouraged to attend.

Make sure to check back regularly for updates!
Questions about this meeting?
Please contact the MAC-AFS Executive Committee at [email protected]

Theme:	Infrastructure and Fisheries Interactions
When:	October 27-29, 2024
Where:	Hyatt Regency – New Brunswick, New Jersey Two Albany Street New Brunswick, NJ 08901 United States
Meeting Schedule:	Sunday, October 27^th (10:00am – 8:30pm) Professional Development Activities – Grants Management 101 (10:00 am – 12:00 pm) – Improving Your Scientific Writing (12:30 pm – 2:30 pm) – Introduction to Gyotaku – The Art of Fish Printing (3:00 pm – 5:00 pm) Socializing in New Brunswick Student-ONLY Social Event (6:30pm – 8:30pm) All Sunday meals are “on your own” Monday, October 28^th (8:00a, – 8:00pm)* Plenary Speaker Oral Presentations Workshop on Cumulative Effects of Offshore Wind Afternoon Cocktail Reception, Poster Session, and Student Fund Silent Auction Evening Banquet Monday breakfast and lunch are “on your own” Tuesday, October 29^th* (8:00am – 6:00pm) Oral Presentations Luncheon Business Meetings Announcing the Winners of the Student Awards *Tuesday breakfast and dinner are “on your own”
Meeting Registration:	To register, please use the link and complete the registration form: https://forms.gle/wk7vi27qTcCoKoDaA Each attendee must register separately, even if several attendees are a part of a group that’s paying with a single transaction. Pre-payment by mailed check or credit card is preferred. Standard Registration: $265 (Register by Friday 10/4) Late Registration: $300 (Register after Friday 10/4) Fishing Industry Stakeholders (e.g., commercial fishermen) have a reduced registration fee of $225. All Fishing Industry Stakeholders must pay with check. To pay with a credit card, please use our SquareSite: https://afs-mid-atlantic-chapter.square.site/ To pay with check, please make out your check to “AFS Mid-Atlantic Chapter” and send to: DE DIV Fish & Wildlife Attn: Richard Wong 3002 Bayside Drive Dover, DE 19901 For questions regarding payment, please contact MAC-AFS Treasurer Rich Wong via [email protected].
Abstract submission:	To submit an abstract, please use the link and complete the abstract submission form: https://forms.gle/karuenKKK7gwmPq59 Abstracts are due by September 6, 2024 Please use this example of a properly formatted abstract as your template when drafting your abstract. Click to download: Lastname_MACNEDAFS2024.docx
Hotel Information:	Free Student Lodging: We are providing free lodging for students (based on room availability and funding) at the Hyatt Regency. This will be offered on a “first come, first serve” basis, with student presenters receiving top priority. To be eligible, students need to be currently enrolled, or need to have graduated during the 2023-2024 academic year. We ask students who do receive a room to pitch-in with the conference support throughout the meeting. Students must register by Friday, September 6th and will be notified of their free lodging by September 15th. The Local Arrangements Committee of MAC/NED-AFS has secured a limited number of reduced rate rooms for meeting attendees. Reduced rates are only available for the nights of 10/27, 10/28, and 10/29. Rooms in these blocks must be reserved by Friday September 27th. Non-Federal and Non-State/Provincial Employees: Please book your reduced rate room ($179 USD/night) using this special link: https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/group-booking/EWRRN/G-MACN Federal and State/Provincial Employees: Please contact us directly to secure one of the limited GSA per diem rate ($118 USD/night) rooms. Questions regarding your lodging options can be directed to the MAC/NED-AFS Local Arrangements Committee via [email protected].

AFS Meetings Code of Conduct

Plenary Speaker

We are excited to announce our plenary speaker, Dr. Elizabeth (Lisa) Methratta. Dr. Methratta is a Fisheries and Wind Scientist at the NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center Offshore Wind and Ecology Branch. She will be discussing her work into the cumulative effects of offshore wind on fish and fisheries.

Professional Development Activities

(Sunday, October 27th)
Professional development activities will take place on Sunday October 27^th at the Rutgers University Cook/Douglass Campus. Click on the program descriptions to learn more.
If you are interested, you can register using this form – https://forms.gle/GWzbfdEZvPNynjvx7

Introduction to Gyotaku (Art of Fish Printing) – program description
Grants Management 101 – program description
Improving Your Scientific Writing – program description

Cumulative Effects of Offshore Wind on Fisheries

(Monday, October 28th)
NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center Offshore Wind Ecology Branch is organizing a workshop to foster conversations with researchers, managers, and stakeholders about the cumulative effects of offshore wind on fish and fisheries. Participants will explore and discuss the definition of cumulative as it relates to the impacts of offshore wind and will discuss what information must be collected to evaluate cumulative effects. All meeting registrants are welcome to participate in this workshop, which will include a special session of oral presentations and breakout groups. More details about this session can be found HERE.

Exploring the Impacts of Dam Removal on Fisheries Among Northeast U.S. Basins

(Tuesday, October 29th)
American Rivers, The Nature Conservancy, and The Watershed Institute are organizing a workshop to introduce attendees to the concept of removing dams for the benefit of fish populations. Participants will have the opportunity to learn how research and monitoring impacts and evaluates restoration outcomes and discuss challenges surrounding restoring rivers with practitioners and researchers. All meeting registrants are welcome to participate in this workshop, which will include a special session of oral presentations and a panel discussion. More details about this session can be found HERE.

WindTech 2024

Please also consider staying in New Brunswick after the MAC/NED-AFS Meeting and attend the NAWEA / WindTech 2024 Conference. NAWAE / Wind Tech 2024 is a premier technical event on wind energy in North America, hosted by Rutgers University, and co-organized by the New Jersey Academic Alliance for Offshore Wind (A2OSW). The main conference will take place on Wednesday 10/30 – Friday 11/1 at the same venue at MAC/NED-AFS (Hyatt Regency in New Brunswick, NJ). Side events will be held on various Rutgers–New Brunswick locations (College Ave. and Busch campuses).

Silent Auction

Every year we hold a silent auction to support our student members and the Hutton Junior Fisheries Biologist Program. Visit our silent auction page to see who has donated.

Our Sponsors

This meeting couldn’t happen without the support of generous sponsors. Thanks to them, students and professionals have the opportunity to discuss cutting-edge science, new policy perspectives, success stories, and challenges facing the Mid-Atlantic region.

For more details about becoming a sponsor, visit our sponsorship page.