AFS Science Communication Section

Submit your nomination for the excellence in public outreach award. submission deadline is April 1, 2026.

What is the award for excellence in public outreach? The award for excellence in public outreach was established in 1998 and is presented to a current AFS member who goes the extra mile and connecting the value of fishery science to the general public through various communication channels. This award is administered by the AFS science communication section executive committee.

Who is the ideal candidate for the excellence in public outreach award? Recognizing that many positions in the fisheries field can have aspects of science communication and outreach is part of their job. We are seeking exceptional candidates who have demonstrated a strong commitment to effectively sharing fisheries science, in ways that have advanced the public understanding of our aquatic natural resources. The nomination can be either yourself an individual or a collaborative team.

Nominate a person/team/yourself for the AFS Excellence in Public Outreach Award, administered by the AFS Science Communication Section.

Deadline for nomination submission is April 1. Additional information can be found at fisheries.org/about/awards...

A bowfin (fish) closeup in an aquarium. It appears to have a concerned expression on its face. Probably because Minnesota is currently occupied and there’s a lot of other crazy stuff happening.

Empathetic Bowfin asks “How are you doing?”

REMINDER - Today is the final day to submit a session proposal for this years @amfisheriessoc.bsky.social Annual Meeting in Columbus, OH.

🚀 Upskill in 2026 with one of our training courses!

🔵Mapping & spatial analysis with R
🟠Stock assessment
🟢Ecopath with Ecosim
🔵Reimagining complex data-intensive reports
🟠Writing bespoke assessment models in RTMB
🟢Environmental Impact Assessments

Registration is open
www.ices.dk/events/Train...

“I podcast to give biologists a platform to deliver their science to the public.”

“This stuff [fisheries science] works on podcasts. People love this stuff on podcasts… We are willing and ready to help the scientists communicate their science to our angler audiences!”

“Networking with AFS members is one of the best ways to find guests for [our] podcasts.”

We are LIVE with tonight’s webinar! There is still time to join to learn all you need to know about starting and succeeding at your own #fishscicomm podcast.

Why not grab a big ol’ mug of hot cocoa and join us TONIGHT for some #fishscicomm fun?

Advertising flyer with a blue water color background and a small line image of a carp. Text reads: Members only Science Communication Section Webinar. Make ‘Em Give A Carp - a series on effective science communication across a variety of platforms. The topic of the webinar is podcasts. Date: Tuesday January 27. Time: 8:15pm ET, 5:15pm PT. Meeting access information sent to SciComm Section members via email. List of panelists: Andrew Hayes (Tackle Talk podcast), Katrina Liebich (Fish of the Week podcast), Liam Whetter (Doc Talks Fishing podcast).

Join the AFS Science Communication Section on Tuesday, Jan. 27 at 8:15pm as we kick off our new “Members Only” webinar series - Make ‘Em Give A Carp!

Tuesday’s webinar will focus on podcasts and will feature a panel of podcast hosts.

Webinar link was sent via email to all section members on 1/23.

Text: ‘Tis the season to renew your membership. Renew your AFS membership today and be sure to “check the box” to enroll in the Science Communication Section. Registration for the Science Communication section is now free for students. Image: a black and white illustration of a mountain surrounded by pine trees along the banks of a lake set in front of a light blue background.

❄️ ‘Tis the Season! ❄️
Renew your @amfisheriessoc.bsky.social membership for 2026 today!

Be sure to ✅ the box to renew your AFS Science Communication Section membership too (psst, it’s free for students!)

Renew before 2026 to avoid a service fee when you pay by card.

Photo: wildfire in a wooded area Text: AFS Webinar - Science Communication Through Emotionally Charged Extreme Events, supported by the AFS Climate Committee and the AFS science Communication Section. Presentations by Corinne Burns (Leading Solutions LLC in support of NOAA Fisheries), Jeff Jolley (Michigan Dept of Natural Resources), Sara Thompson (San Antonio River Authority), and Kerry Flaherty-Walia (Tampa Bay Estuary Program).

The AFS Climate Committee and the Science Communication Section will be hosting an encore presentation of our lightning talks and a summary of our session from this summer’s annual meeting!

The webinar will be held on Wed , Nov 19 at 3pm ET. Registration required - fisheries.org/2025/10/webi...

#muskratsformorale

Group picture of session participants from the Science Communication Through Emotionally Charged Extreme Events symposium at AFS155 in San Antonio.

Session participants around a small table review prompts to engage in an improvisation exercise to improve effective messaging, active listening, and empathy skills.

Thank you to everyone who made our session at #AFS155 a huge success - our speakers, our organizers, and our active and energetic audience!

You can find more photos from our session on our Instagram page! Follow us @afs_scicomm

See you next year in Columbus?!

a white cat with a sad look on its face is being held by a person . ALT: a white cat with a sad look on its face is being held by a person .

Last day of #AFS155 mood:

(Too much fun! I regret nothing!)

Happening TODAY after the lunch break. Starting at 1:30pm in Rivercenter Conf Rm 9.

#AFS155

Say cheese! Free, professional headshots will be available this week at Booth 107 in Rivercenter Salon E. A great time to take advantage of this service is during the Poster and Tradeshow Networking event tonight.

Say Cheese!

Be sure to take advantage of the free professional headshots at Booth 107 in the Rivercenter Salon E.

Stop by the booth during tonight’s Poster and Tradeshow Networking Event! #AFS155

Text: Tomorrows catch: securing our future fisheries. Image: A shadow of an angler against a sunset background.

Content With Purpose (CWP) and @amfisheriessoc.bsky.social debuting “Tomorrow’s Catch: Securing our Future Fisheries” at #AFS155.

Through storytelling, this movie series connects data with emotion to educate audiences about issues for our freshwater and marine ecosystems across the US and Canada.

Flyer advertising lightning talks for the session “Science Communication Through Emotionally Charged Extreme Events”. Talks will be held from 1:35-1:50 on Tuesday August 12 in Rivercenter Conf Rm 9. Speaker Jeff Jolley from Michigan Department of Natural Resources will present “When the Dam Breaks: The Cost of Poor Communication on Controversial Issues” Abstract: communicating in conflict with the public requires clarity, consistency, and empathy - especially when emotions run high and trust is fragile. Poor communication in these situations can fuel misinformation, deepen mistrust, ans erode support for necessary actions, making recovery or resolution significantly more difficult.

Meet Jeff! Jeff is slated to present a 5-minute Lightning Talk during our session TOMORROW !! at @amfisheriessoc.bsky.social #AFS155 in San Antonio.

Jeff will present on the consequences of poor science communication with the public during a dam removal project.

BUTTONS BUTTONS COME GET YOUR BUTTONS!

Airplane on tarmac

En route to @amfisheriessoc.bsky.social #AFS155 🐟✈️

Flyer advertising lightning talks for the session “Science Communication Through Emotionally Charged Extreme Events”. Talks will be held from 1:35-1:50 on Tuesday August 12 in Rivercenter Conf Rm 9. Speaker Sara Thompson from the San Antonio River Authority will present “Flooding in Our Region: Risks, Responses, and Resilience” Abstract: This talk covers the key factors that contribute to flooding, the types and severity of flood events, and how communities can prepare and respond. We’ll highlight local tools like BEXARflood.org and the HALT system, discuss public safety efforts, and explore how proactive planning and post-event reviews help build resilience and preparation.

Meet Sara! She is one of three fabulous speakers lined up to present a 5-minute Lightning Talk during our session next Tuesday at @amfisheriessoc.bsky.social #AFS155 in San Antonio.

Sara will talk about local efforts being made in and around central TX to prepare and respond to flooding events.

Flyer advertising lightning talks for the session “Science Communication Through Emotionally Charged Extreme Events”. Talks will be held from 1:35-1:50 on Tuesday August 12 in Rivercenter Conf Rm 9. Speaker Kerry Flaherty-Walia from Tampa Bay Estuary Program will present “Fishing After Hurricanes: is it safe to get back on the water?” Abstract: in the span of 2 weeks in 2024, Hurricanes Helene and Milton packed a one-two punch over the Tampa Bay Area leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. Extreme storm surge and rainfall caused widespread flooding and concerns about debris and water conditions. By staying informed and engaged with regional partners, accurate and timely information was communicated to address concerns and alleviate fears.

Meet Kerry! She is one of three wonderful speakers lined up to present a 5-minute Lightning Talks during our session next Tuesday at #AFS155 in San Antonio.

Kerry will present her experiences communicating about water quality in the aftermath of two major hurricanes that hit Tampa Bay.

Tardibabe makes microscopy cool for everyone 🙌

A schedule for the innovative session titled “Science Communication Through Emotionally Charged Extreme Events”. 1:30-1:35 Introduction to the session. 1:35-1:50 Lightning talks by Jeff Jolley, Kerry Flaherty-Walia, and Sara Thompson. 1:50-2:05 Q and A with presenters. 2:05-2:35 Skill building exercise - put yourself in the shoes of a scientist who is tasked with communicating after a natural disaster. 2:35-3:00 Open Discussion. Session will be held on Tuesday August 12 from 1:30-3:00pm in the Rivercenter Conference Room 9

What can you expect from our session next week at the @amfisheriessoc.bsky.social Annual Meeting? Check out our session schedule below!

This session is open to EVERYONE! Come and go as you need/please. Stop in, make a friend, maybe learn something! #AFS155

Calendar page of August 2025. “X”es cross out the days of the month that have already passed. AFS Annual Meeting logos are present on the dates of August 10 through 14.

We are less than one week away from the 2025 @amfisheriessoc.bsky.social Annual Meeting in San Antonio!

Stay tuned to our socials for information on the AFS Climate x AFS SciComm session on “Science Communication Through Emotionally Charged Extreme Events” taking place on Tuesday 8/12 at 1:30.

Happening tonight! T minus 2 hours!

A reminder email with meeting link information was sent to all section members this afternoon.

Planning your work week on this beautiful Sunday?

Dont forget to pencil in our student feedback session this Thursday, 7/31 at 7pm CT. Students attending the @amfisheriessoc.bsky.social Annual Meeting can present their oral or poster presentations, and attendees can provide feedback.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS! Your AFS SciComm Section will be hosting another student feedback session on Thursday, July 31 at 7:00pm CT. We encourage student members to attend and present their presentation or poster for the upcoming @americanfisheries Annual Meeting in San Antonio, TX! Students will receive feedback from other AFS SciComm Section members on how to improve their presentations ahead of their big days in the Lonestar State. Members can find a link to access the 7/31 feedback session in their email.

We will be hosting another student feedback session on Thursday, July 31 at 7pm CT. Students can receive feedback on how to improve their #fishscicomm ahead of their big days at the @amfisheriessoc.bsky.social Annual Meeting in the Lonestar State.

Check out these open graduate positions ⬇️⬇️⬇️

Screenshot of the preliminary American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting schedule for Tuesday, August 12. The innovative session “Science Communication Through Emotionally Charged Extreme Events” will be held on August 12 from 1:30-3:00pm Central time in Rivercenter Conference Room 9.

Heading to the @amfisheriessoc.bsky.social Annual Meeting in San Antonio?

Got plans on Tuesday, 8/12?

No? Not yet?

Wanna hang out?

You do?

Come hang out with us in our session on 8/12 from 1:30-3 😎 Learn some new #scicomm skills. Listen to some cool lightning talks. Make some new friends!