Southern Division
of the
American Fisheries Society

SDAFS Resolutions

RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE
SOUTHEAST AQUATIC RESOURCES PARTNERSHIP
& THE SOUTHEAST AQUATIC HABITAT PLAN

WHEREAS, the promotion and implementation of cooperative programs among its members and other entities for the benefit of the fish and wildlife resources and the citizens of the southeastern United States is among the objectives of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society (SDAFS); and 

WHEREAS, the Southeast Aquatic Resource Partnership (SARP) is an organization of resource conservation agencies and other entities dedicated to protecting, conserving, and restoring aquatic resources, including habitats throughout the southeast, for the continued benefit, use and enjoyment of the American people; and

WHEREAS, the intent of SARP is to develop partnerships between state and federal agencies, non-governmental organizations, academia, and private industry that will extend beyond the boundaries of traditional fisheries management and establish a commitment to work cooperatively for the benefit of aquatic resources; and

WHEREAS, the southeastern United States is a globally important area of aquatic biodiversity that faces multiple threats to the integrity of its aquatic resources; and

WHEREAS, habitat, in its many forms, is one of the most critical components of healthy and functional aquatic ecosystems; and

WHEREAS, SARP, in cooperation with numerous stakeholders and conservation agencies, is developing a Southeast Aquatic Habitat Plan that will identify priorities and critical areas and help guide efforts towards habitat conservation, restoration, and protection on a regional and landscape scale; and

WHEREAS, the Southeast Aquatic Habitat Plan will serve as the southeastern regional component of the National Fish Habitat Initiative and Action Plan;

 BE IT RESOLVED, the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society, assembled at its annual meeting on this 9th day of February in the year 2007, supports the efforts of SARP and the development of the Southeast Aquatic Habitat Plan, and agrees to work cooperatively with SARP when opportunities are present to benefit aquatic resources.