Minutes of the Business Meeting of the 58th Canadian Conference for Fisheries Research (CCFFR)

Hilton Windsor, Windsor, Ontario - January 8, 2005

 

I.                     APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

The business meeting for the 58th Canadian Conference for Fisheries Research (CCFFR) was call to order by the president Dr. Brian Shuter.  The agenda was approved (Lark/Gunn). 

 

II.                   APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF JANUARY 5, 2004

Minutes for the 2004 business meeting were reviewed and a motion to approve with amendment to list the nominees for the 2006 meeting was carried (Powles/Post).  These minutes will be posted on the official CCFFR website. 

 

III.                 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Dr. Shuter gratefully acknowledged the financial contributions from the following organizations and institutions:

·         The University of Windsor and its following institutions, Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, and the Office of Research Services.

·         The Department of Fisheries and Oceans

·         The Canadian Climate Impacts and Adaptation Network

·         Beckman Coulter

·         UNBS Quesnel River Research Center

·         Applied Biosystems

·         Smith-Root

·         Aqua Mach

·         Halltech

·         Grant Systems Engineering

·         TD Friends of the Environment

These contributions support the meeting and the Clemens-Rigler Student Travel fund.  Dr. Shuter also wished to thank the local organizing committee (Dan Heath, program chair (Joe Rasmussen) and all of the session chairs and volunteers who’s hard work have once again made this annual CCFFR/SCL meeting an outstanding success.  This year’s joint meeting had over 400 participants, 200 oral papers, and 61 posters.

 

IV.                TREASURER’S REPORT

The treasurer’s report for 2003/04 was read by Andrew Cooper.   The motion to approve was passed (Lark/Gregory).  The treasurer’s report will be posted on the official CCFFR website. 

 

V.                  CLEMENS-RIGLER TRAVEL FUND

Rob Mackereth reported on the activities of the Clemens-Rigler travel fund and selection committee for 2004/05.  The number of applicant was very high at this year at 96 compared to 57 last year.  The total requests were over $43K for travel related expenses.  Due to the high number of applicants and the limited funding available to the travel fund a maximum award of 250 was offered, with reduced funding to repeat applicants and students who are travelling from local institutions. 

 

There was some discussion regarding the selection criteria and equal contribution by supervisors.  A letter from the supervisor stating that an equal contribution will be made from the supervisor or institution has been required by the applicant.  This requisite has been administratively burdensome and is difficult to enforce.  A motion to drop the mandatory request for such statements of equal contribution was approved (Lark/Rasmussen). 

 

In relation to a growing number of applicants and limited resources available to the Clemens-Rigler travel fund, there was a general agreement to find ways to increase the average amount available to CRTF from about 17K to 25K.  The Society of Canadian Limnologists agreed to raise their contribution to the fund.  An amount of $1500 was suggested but would require approval from SCL.  A motion to increase CCFFR registration by $20 per regular registration, to directly support the travel fund was approved (Lark/Rasmussen).  It would be the responsibility for the future local committees to include this direct contribution within the budget planning of the annual meetings. 

 

Howard Powles welcomed any ideas to attract more donors regarding fund-raising for the Clemens-Rigler travel fund.  Howard has also drafted a procedure document for the Clemens-Rigler travel fund (attached).  This document will be posted on the website and available to both applicants and future administrators of the fund.  As guidance, local sponsorship contributions should be directed to support the local meeting.  Surplus funds from this can be rolled over to support security deposits for the future meeting and as a contribution to the travel fund for the following year.  The amounts for this are difficult to assess from year to year since different venues require varying amounts for security (historically 5 to 8K), there is also no guarantee of a surplus budget from year to year, and the CRTF requests can also vary.  The requested contribution for display booths (usually between $500 and $1000) will continue to be the responsibility of the local organizing committee and their budget planning.  Consideration needs to be made regarding contributions associated with vendor displays and encouraging good participation from both large and smaller vendors. 

 

VI.                UPCOMING MEETINGS

a.        Officers and Arrangements – 2006 (Calgary, Alberta)

President: Michael Fox (Trent University)

Local arrangements: John Post (University of Calgary)

Program Chair: Allan Curry (University of New Brunswick)

Nominations Chair for 2007: Rob McLaughlin (University of Guelph)

 

John Post announced that the meeting would take place at the Palliser Hotel in Calgary since the logistics of hosting the meeting in Banff were difficult and expensive.  Local sponsorships are currently being sought with some promising prospects to support the banquet.  Allan Curry announced that the meeting running from Thursday evening to end of day Saturday.  This includes two full days of papers running 5 concurrent sessions.  Their will be 20 minutes time slots for oral papers and more oral posters to accommodate the increased number of participants.  Students would get preference for the oral paper sessions. 

 

Theme suggestions include:

·         Stream and River Ecology and Management

·         Recreational Fisheries

·         Alpine Lakes

·         Prairies and Wetlands

·         Climate change Prairie, Wetlands drought

These will be coordinated with SCL and Allan requested that participants E-mail him any additional ideas over the next few months. 

 

b.        Officers and Arrangements – 2007 (Montreal, Quebec)

Daniel Boisclair accepted to organize CCFFR 2007 in Montreal.  He and Grant Brown from Concordia will head the local arrangements.  Nominations for the 2007 executive are:

 

President: Jeff Hutchings (Dalhousie University)

Local arrangement: Daniel Boisclair (University of Montreal), Grant Brown (Concordia University)

Program Chair: Nick Mandrak (DFO-Burlington)

Nominations Chair for 2008: Lynda Corkum (University of Windsor)

 

c.        Venue 2008

A motion was passed naming Halifax as the location for CCFFR in 2008 (Lark/Gregory).  The nominations chair Lynda Corkum will provide the list of nominations for the 2008 executive to be read at the next business meeting in 2006. 

 

VII.              REPORT FROM THE CANADIAN JOURNAL OF FISHERIES AND AQUATIC SCIENCES

There was no report from the journal. 

 

VIII.            OTHER BUSINESS

The Society of Canadian Limnologists reported on their recent membership survey.  Membership indicated that they approve of the joint meeting with CCFFR but disliked the timing of the meeting in January.  SCL asked if CCFFR would consider change the meeting to a time in the spring (April or May).  Discussion at the business meeting indicated that this would be more expensive.  Availability of venues and less opportunity to get room deals as the spring/summer season peaks.  CCFFR agreed to consider a web survey similar to that conducted by SCL to solicit membership input on the possibility of changing the timing for the meeting.

 

IX.                ADJOURNMENT

Dan Heath and his committee were once again thanked for their hard work and success of the 2005 meeting.  Noting that the cash bar would close in 12 minutes the meeting was quickly adjourned (Powles/Gunn).


 

Appendix A

January 4, 2005

Clemens Rigler Travel Fund Procedures

 

Background

The CRTF is a fund to support graduate student travel to the CCFFR and SCL meetings which are held annually in January.   History and development of the CRTF are summarised on the CCFFR web site; the CRTF has operated (under different names and conditions) since 1973.

 

Since 1994 the CRTF has been operated by the Canadian Aquatic Resources Section of the American Fisheries Society (CARS).

 

The CRTF is made up of contributions from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (maximum of $6000 per year, matching non-DFO contributions) and contributions from other donors.   A Contribution Agreement is signed annually between CARS and DFO to support the DFO contribution.     A Selection Committee chooses the recipients of awards and advises the recipients of their grants, based on criteria established by them.   Awards are paid by the CARS Treasurer following the meetings, on presentation of claims and receipts.

 

Donations have been received from a variety of sources in the past decade, including CARS, CCFFR, and SCL; American Fisheries Society Divisions and other units; exhibitors at the CCFFR/SCL meetings; and other sponsors of the annual meetings.   In recent years support from exhibitors and sponsors to the meeting has increased considerably and there has been active fund-raising for the meetings, as a separate activity with some potential for  conflict with fund-raising for the CRTF.    Another recent issue has been confirmation of funding support late in the process, ie after the Selection Committee must advise recipients of awards; the resulting “risk management” has added to uncertainty to the CRTF award process for all participants.

 

Principles

1.   The CRTF Selection Committee Chair must receive advice by end of October on the amount to be awarded for the January meetings.    Any funding coming after this date to be applied to the following year’s CRTF.

2.  Fund-raising must be coordinated with the Local Arrangements Chair to ensure no double solicitation.

3.   Unless specified to the contrary by contributors, surplus amounts left in the CCFFR meeting account after the annual meetings will generally be applied to the following year’s CRTF; this way the fund-raising for the annual meeting will benefit the CRTF as well as the meeting, without competition for funds.   If this happens, donors to the meeting should be acknowledged as donors to the CRTF as well (the following year).

 

Process

The “CRTF Committee” consists of the CRTF Coordinator, the CARS Treasurer, the Secretary-Treasurers of CCFFR and SCL, and Selection Committee Chair.

 

1.   Call for applications for travel grants is posted on CCFFR web site along with meeting information by the CCFFR organising committee (ca September or earlier)

2.   CRTF Coordinator (appointed by CARS) contacts CCFFR and SCL to confirm their contributions, does fund-raising and documents the contributions committed from all sources (CCFFR, SCL, CARS, DFO, AFS.....)

3.   CRTF Coordinator advises the Selection Committee Chair (appointed by CARS) of the total amount available – by October 31 (cc CRTF Committee)

4.   Selection Committee chooses and advises grantees, provides a list of names and amounts to CARS Treasurer and CRTF Coordinator (cc CRTF Committee)

5.   The DFO-CARS Contribution Agreement for the DFO payment is signed by CARS and DFO (December)

6.   Donations to the fund are received by the CARS Treasurer, who keeps a record (November onward)

7.   Students travel to the meeting (January)

8.   Donors to the CRTF are acknowledged in the CCFFR/SCL program and at annual CCFFR and SCL business meetings (CRTF Coordinator with meeting organisers)

9.    CARS is acknowledged in the CCFFR/SCL program and at annual CCFFR and SCL business meetings for its role in expediting the CRTF process (CRTF Coordinator with meeting organisers)

10.   Students submit claims to CARS Treasurer who pays these in accordance with the list produced by the Selection Committee (January onward)

11.   Letters of thanks to CRTF donors are sent by the CARS President, drafted by CRTF coordinator (January onward)

12.   The annual report of the CRTF operations required in the DFO Contribution Agreement is published on the CARS web site, once all claims have been received and settled (cc CRTF Committee)(March?)