CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY OF THE
TEXAS CHAPTER AFS

The 1990s

1990

The sixteenth annual meeting was held jointly with the Oklahoma Chapter AFS at the University of Oklahoma’s Biological Station on Lake Texoma. This was the second time that the Texas Chapter held a joint conference with the Oklahoma Chapter, and both times had very successful results.

The 1990’s was when the Texas Chapter really became a professional organization that had a lot of impact on fisheries resources in the state. The Chapter had enough members and financial resources to be highly recognized and respected for the work and issues it became involved with.

Efforts begun in 1986 to get the Chapter Proceedings sanctioned by the parent society as published and citable literature cleared their last hurdle. Next years Proceedings became the first one no longer considered “gray literature.”

The first two college scholarships were awarded this year for $150 each. The recipients were Tommy Michael Bates (TAMU) and Michael W. Brice (TTU). By comparison, in 2000 the Chapter gave four scholarships for $700 each. Since 1990, the Chapter has given 34 undergraduate and graduate scholarships. The Chapter considers the money well spent, representing an investment in the future of Texas fisheries.

The annual meeting was held at Lake Texoma on September 20-21. A Panel Discussion on “Interjurisdictional Fisheries Management” included Bob Hartman (Kansas Department Of Wildlife and Parks), Allan Carter (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission), Lee Redmond (Missouri Department Of Conservation), Benny Fontenot (Louisiana Department Of Wildlife and Fisheries), Kim Erickson (Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation - ODWC), Nick Carter and Maury Osborn (TPWD), and Dr. James Schooley (Northeastern State University). This was the Chapter’s first multi-state fisheries program. It generated a lot of regional interest in fisheries issues, which is one of the goals of the Society and the AFS chapters. Although this was the 2nd Joint Annual Meeting, it was the first time that fisheries issues from five neighboring states (Kansas, Arkansas, Missouri, Louisiana, and Oklahoma) were made a part of the program.

Issues considered during the Panel Discussion included: interjurisdictional management agreements between Oklahoma and Texas for Lake Texoma; Louisiana and Texas for Toldeo Bend Reservoir, Caddo Lake, and Sabine Lake; and Arkansas and Texas on the Red River. These agreements involve fishing licenses, sport fishing regulations, releases of exotic species, water quality, water rights, and a host of issues that the multi-state panel made fisheries workers aware of.

There were four awards for Outstanding Fisheries Worker of the Year. The recipient for fisheries administration was Gene McCarty (TPWD). He was recognized for his leadership role in the funding, design, construction, and operation of new and recently renovated state fish hatcheries. Glen Alexander and David Campbell (both with TPWD) shared the award for the culture category. Glen Alexander, Manager, Possum Kingdom State Fish Hatchery, was recognized for his work with striped bass and striped bass hybrids. David Campbell, Manager, Tyler State Fish Hatchery, was recognized for his work in handling and spawning big bass in the Lone Star Lunker Program. David Terre (TPWD) received the award for management. He was recognized for his participation in Chapter activities and for his contribution to the statewide fishery management database.

Joseph E. Kraai (TPWD) received the award for Outstanding Presentation for his paper “Relationship of Net Annual Water Level Changes with Largemouth Bass and Smallmouth Bass in a Texas Reservoir.”

1991

The seventeenth annual meeting was held in Galveston on October 13-14. There was no Discussion Forum at this year’s meeting, but there were 15 technical presentations.

The Chapter joined forces with the TPWD to host the 121st annual meeting of the American Fisheries Society in San Antonio. The meeting was a raving success and gained considerable respect nationwide for the Texas Chapter.

The Outstanding Fisheries Worker of the Year award went to Pat Hutson (TPWD). Pat was recognized for his administrative accomplishments as a TPWD program leader for largemouth bass, rainbow trout, paddlefish, and smallmouth bass. Under Pat’s direction, record numbers of largemouth bass fingerlings were produced this year (7 million).

The Fish Culture Award went to Jake Isaac, Jr. (TPWD) for his successes with raceway spawning of largemouth bass. Jake was also a key biologist in the development of techniques for intensive culture of paddlefish.

The Fisheries Management Award went to Mark Webb (TPWD) for his work with the promotion and development of urban fishing programs in the Houston metropolitan area. He was also a principal investigator on a study which evaluated the effects of an experimental 10-inch minimum length limit for crappie on three reservoirs.

The Fisheries Research Award went to Ronnie Pitman (TPWD) for her work on paddlefish restoration. An award for Special Recognition in Fisheries Work went to The Wetland Habitat Alliance of Texas, a non-profit corporation committed to the maintenance, preservation, enhancement and creation of wetland habitat. The organization contributed $1,000 for student scholarships.

This was the fourth year that the Chapter presented an award for Outstanding Presentation. This year it was presented to Mark Stacell (TPWD) for his paper “Photosensitivity of Channel Catfish to Oxytetracycline.”

Student scholarships were presented to Jim Tolan (Corpus Christi State University) and Michelle Badough (SWTSU).

1992

The Chapter held its eighteenth annual meeting at Camp Rio Vista near Ingram.

A total of 14 papers were presented at the annual meeting, including three invited papers and three technical papers for peer reviewed publication. The invited papers were intended to highlight “Critical Issues Of The 90’s.” Papers included a discussion by D.R. Sager (TPWD) on the “Effect of Contamination on Fishery Resources,” R.O. Anderson on “Biodiversity in the Realm of Fishery Resources,” and L.D. McKinney (TPWD) on “Biopolitics – Political Impacts on Biological Issues.” An overview of the Operation Share a Lone Star Lunker Program was provided by D.R. Wade and D.L. Campbell (both with TPWD).

The Outstanding Fisheries Worker of the Year award in the category of management went to Ken Sellers (TPWD) for his work promoting youth fishing in the Waco area and for helping to provide angling opportunities to the physically and mentally challenged. He was also involved in identifying and reducing pollution in the Bosque River. The award in the category of research went to Bob Colura (TPWD) for his efforts to develop methods for spawning and culturing spotted seatrout on a production basis. He conducted research to determine which conditions in culture ponds have the most influence on spotted seatrout survival.

The Fisheries Education Award went to Brian Murphy (TAMU). The award in the culture category went to Camilo Chavez, Jr. (TPWD) for his work in the culture of millions of marine and freshwater fishes during his career. As superintendent at the Dow Hatchery, the production of red drum broke an old record of 7.5 million fingerlings, with a new record of 9 million.

Maurice Muoneke (TPWD) received the award for Outstanding Presentation for his paper “White Bass Exploitation in the Brazos River System, Texas.”

A Special Recognition award was given to Bobby Farquhar (TPWD) for his years of service to the Texas Chapter and to the anglers of Texas. He has served as president of the Texas Chapter and played a key roll in initiating the TPWD’s Volunteer Angler Recognition Program. The need to inform the angler about the state’s fishing opportunities prompted him to co-author a book containing fishing information and maps on 133 reservoirs in Texas entitled “Set the Hook! Guide to Lone Star Lakes and Lunkers.”

The Chapter joined forces with the TPWD again to host the 46th annual meeting of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies in Corpus Christi. This joint effort was also a great success, adding additional prestige and professional respect for the Chapter.

1993

The nineteenth Annual Meeting was held at the University of Texas Marine Science Institute in Port Aransas.

At the Chapter’s awards ceremony, Bruce Hysmith (TPWD) was recognized as the Outstanding Fisheries Worker of the Year in management for his many educational activities with youth and civic groups, his continued dedication to the fisheries resource, and his work on striped bass management. Special Recognition in Fisheries Work awards were given to Joe Martin (TPWD) for his work on sport and commercial fish harvest surveys on the Texas coast and Steve Gutreuter (TPWD) for his management of statewide databases for the Inland Fisheries Division. Jay Rooker gave the Outstanding Presentation at the meeting entitled “Ontogenetic Shifts in Diet, Habitat, and Diel Feeding Periodicity of Schoolmaster Snapper.”

Three $500 scholarships were given to graduate students this year: Erica Schlickeisen (SWTSU), Brian Blackwell (TAMU), and Nancy McFarlan (TAMU).

The Chapter’s Urban Fishing Committee completed and distributed the publication “Guide to Urban Fishing Programs.”

1994

The twentieth annual meeting was held at the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) conference facility next to Lake Travis. A Panel Discussion on “Clean Water for Texas” was moderated by Dick Luebke (TPWD). Each member of the panel had a special issue presentation involving clean water. The panelist and their issues included Stephen Twidwell (TNRCC) on “Water Quality Assessment of Texas Surface Waters,” Myron Hess (Law Firm of Henry, Lowerre, Hess & Frederick) on “Water Quality and the Texas Antidegradation Standard—When does Water Pollution have to be Justified?,” Dave Buzan (TPWD) on “Clean Water for Texas—Texas Parks and Wildlife Department View,” Elizabeth Materna (USFWS) on “Contaminants, Advisories, Discharges,” and Dr. Gary Garrett (TPWD) on “Water Quantity and Quality: West Texas as an Indicator of the State’s Future.” A special evening presentation on instream flow assessment on the Lower Colorado River was provided by Doyle Mosier (LCRA).

Dick Luebke was recognized as the Outstanding Fisheries Worker of the Year in administration for his development of the technician career ladder for the Wildlife and Fisheries Divisions of the TPWD and his leadership of staff at the Heart-of-the-Hills Inland Fisheries Research Station. Ted Engelhardt (TPWD) was recognized as the Outstanding Fisheries Worker of the Year in culture for techniques he developed to increase the number of forage fishes produced at the A.E. Wood Fish Hatchery. Steve Magnelia (TPWD) was recognized as the Outstanding Fisheries Worker of the Year in management for his lead research role on a rainbow trout over-summering survival study on the Guadalupe River. A Special Recognition in Fisheries Work Award was presented to Robert G. Howells (TPWD) for his work on determining the status of freshwater mussel resources in Texas and for making recommendations for their management. Travis C. Kelsey (SWTSU) gave the Outstanding Presentation for his paper “Survey of Fishes of the San Marcos River, Texas” which he co-authored with Dr. Bobby Whiteside (SWTSU).

The Chapter revised and distributed the Texas Fishery Workers Directory to Chapter members in an effort to improve communication and keep up with the ever growing membership.

1995

The twenty-first annual meeting was held at Texas A&M University in College Station. More effort was made to attract coastal fishery presentations and participation. As a result, several presentations were made on freshwater inflows to Texas bays and estuaries.

Three $500.00 scholarships were funded through the TCAFS Scholarship Endowment Fund.

Roger McCabe (TPWD) was recognized as the Outstanding Fisheries Worker of the Year in administration based on his leadership on the striped bass program for broodstock procurement, spawning, and stocking; management of the TPWD’s fish, shellfish, and aquatic plant permitting program for introductions into Texas waters; coordination with the USFWS on Section 7 (Endangered and Protected Species) compliance as it applies to fish stocking; and public outreach by organizing the “Pathways to Fishing” booth at the TPWD Expo from 1993-95. Robert Adami (TPWD) was recognized as the Outstanding Fisheries Worker of the Year in culture based on his management of the highly successful fish production of red drum and spotted seatrout at the TPWD’s Perry R. Bass Marine Fisheries Station in Palacios.

Dr. William E. Neill (TAMU) was recognized as the Outstanding Worker of the Year in education based on his chairmanship of the TAMU’s Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and training he has given to students of fishery science over many years. Spencer Dumont (TPWD) received the award for Outstanding Fishery Worker of the Year in management for studies leading to the management of largemouth bass harvest in Brownwood and Coleman reservoirs and blue catfish in Ft. Phantom Hill and E.V. Spence reservoirs, and for native plant re-vegetation along the shores of Coleman Reservoir.

Dr. Maurice Muoneke (TPWD) was recognized as Outstanding Fisheries Worker of the Year in research based on his studies of white bass population dynamics in Texas and hooking mortality in spotted bass, Guadalupe bass, white crappie, bluegill, blue catfish, and flathead catfish populations. He also co-authored two major review papers “Biology and Management of Grass Carp: Literature Review” and “Hooking Mortality: A Review for Recreational Fisheries.”

Tom Heffernan and Robin Reichers (both with TPWD) were awarded a Special Recognition in Fisheries Work Award for their work in bringing the Texas Gulf Shrimp Limited Entry Plan to fruition. Dr. Sterling (Ken) Johnson (TAMU) was awarded a Special Recognition in Fisheries Work Award for his role as the State’s foremost fish disease specialist. Jay Rooker (UTMSI), Robert Weller (Texas Tech University), Gil Rosenthal (UT), and John Findiesen and Karen Quinonez (SWTSU) were each awarded $500 scholarships.

The Texas Chapter was awarded the Outstanding Chapter in the Southern Division AFS for the first time in its history at the Southern Division’s annual business meeting in Nashville, Tennessee on September 26th. This meeting was held concurrently with the annual meeting of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.

The Texas Chapter was involved in the Striped Bass Symposium at the Southern Division AFS Midyear meeting in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Roger McCabe (TPWD) organized and moderated the symposium.

As of July 1995, membership stood at 287 and assets exceeded $28,000.

The USFWS, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USCOE), TPWD, and ODWC worked on environmental issues associated with the proposed Red River Chloride Control Project. The USCOE used this information for completion of an FSEIS on the project in 1996. The Chapter took a significant position on the need to resolve environmental issues on this project.

This year saw a Record World Fish Production of 112.3 metric tons, based on a report by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. Fish farming contributed to most of the recent growth, but fish stocks were also reportedly being overexploited and could result in the crash of some fishery populations. However, an additional 20 million metric tons of annual fish production was deemed feasible if underdeveloped resources were exploited, bycatch and waste were reduced, and measures were taken to reduce overfishing.

1996

A joint annual meeting with the Oklahoma Chapter was held at Tanglewood Resort in Pottsboro, Texas near Lake Texoma. The mixture of technical papers from both states provided a wealth of information on fishery studies and findings. Several added features of the meeting made it one to remember, including a Career Development Seminar, Aquatic Habitat Restoration Workshop, Introduction to Internet Workshop, Fish Fry Social/Auction, Student/Professional Mixer, and Boat-About on Lake Texoma. The Boat-About, organized by the Lake Texoma Bass Club, was another first for the Chapter. Members of both chapters were allowed to bring their fishing gear and the bass club provided the boat and expertise.

This was the first time the Chapter put so much effort into workshops, with a total of four being held at the annual meeting. The first workshop focused on aquatic vegetation identification and control in a farm pond and aquaculture setting. This workshop was led by Marley Beem, Aquaculture Extension Specialist with Oklahoma State University (OSU). The second workshop/panel discussion focused on aquatic habitat restoration and included speakers from the USCOE, Tennessee Valley Authority, Missouri Department of Conservation, and the Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission. A continuing education workshop on the Internet was presented by Chris Cummings (TPWD). A “fishery habitat improvement” continuing education workshop was organized by Gene Gilliland and Mike Reed (TPWD).

The awards for the Outstanding Student Presentation went to Craig Paukert (OSU) for his paper “Distribution, Abundance and Reproductive Activity of Paddlefish in the Keystone Reservoir System, Oklahoma: First-year Results.” The Outstanding Professional Presentation was given to Gene Gilliland (ODWC) for his paper “Delayed Mortality of Tournament-caught Largemouth Bass.” Another presentation and subsequent paper submitted for peer review for publication that drew much interest was “Fish Stocks at Risk in Texas” by Gary Garrett (TPWD), Robert Edwards (Pan American University), Clark Hubbs (UT), Loraine Fries (TPWD), Stewart Jacks, and Don Wilhelm (USFWS). Their studies showed that approximately 25% of the 169 native freshwater fish fauna are either endangered, threatened, or approaching that status. This paper was a culmination of work by the Fish Stocks at Risk Committee, which was charged with providing insight and guidance on fishes that are not yet but may soon become threatened or endangered. It was the hope of this Committee of the TCAFS that listing fish species of conservation concern would stimulate research and awareness for these species at risk. The value of these efforts was not only to avoid permanent loss of genetic information from these fishes, but also to guide us in maintaining quality environments for all of our aquatic organisms. Resource managers are continually faced with difficult issues arising from water uses, impoundments, interbasin transfers, and water quality and quantity problems among others. It is becoming more difficult as our population grows and demand for water resources increase, to provide recreational opportunities for our citizens without compromising our natural resource heritage and opportunities for future Texans.

The Chapter again updated the Texas Fishery Workers Directory.

The Texas Chapter received the award for Best Chapter in the Southern Division AFS for the last two years, which Chapter President Kathy Ramos took great pride in. She said it reflected well on the involvement of not only the officers and committee chairs but the membership at large. She said in her “President’s Message” published in the newsletter (Volume 22, Number1) that “we are being held up as an example to others because of the strides that we have made in fiscal responsibility and professional development. The recognition is nice, but the pressure to excel and continue to improve is tremendous.”

This was the first year that the Chapter went on line with its own web site http://www.sdafs.org/tcafs as Fred Janssen (TPWD) got our Chapter home page running on the internet. From this point on, much of the Chapter history was electronically preserved on the web site with postings of all the Chapter’s Newsletters, issue statements, meeting announcements, links to other sites, and a host of other information.

The Chapter began a proactive initiative with position statements on environmental conservation issues effecting fisheries. This effort was spear-headed by Mike Reed (TPWD).

Total assets of the Chapter were $31,806. The Chapter raised $2,400 during the raffle/auction at the annual meeting, which exceeded last year’s earnings of $1,800. Friendly competition between chapters kept the bidding on auction items fresh. This money was used to finance the Chapter’s student scholarship fund. Once again, the Texas Chapter found Bruce Hysmith’s (TPWD) role as Ringleader for the auction and raffle to be one of the major reasons for the Chapter’s financial success. He earned his name in history as quite a “sporting character.” Dr. Clark Hubbs bought every hat at the auction, proving that he is truly a man of many hats. Additionally, since the assets of the Chapter were becoming very significant, Dr. Fran Gelwick (TAMU) solicited financial support to assist students who give presentations at AFS meetings. The EXCOM did not immediately buy into such student aid, but began providing funds in a Student Outreach program for those who applied for financial assistance in the following years.

The 5th Annual Southern Division Midyear Meeting was held at the Sheraton Gunter-San Antonio, and was co-hosted by the Oklahoma and Texas chapters. Special sessions were held on Intensive Management in Small Impoundments, Instream Flow, Sand and Gravel Mining, and GPS/GIS workshop.

The TCAFS provided support letters for authorizing the Mississippi Cooperative Resources Agreement (MICRA), H.R. 2939, introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives. MICRA is an alliance formed in 1991 by 28 states located within the Mississippi River Drainage Basin as a result of serious declines in fishery resources. The alliance is one of the country’s largest natural resource partnering efforts. The Mississippi River Drainage Basin is one of the world’s largest and most valuable ecosystems, providing habitat critical to a multitude of fish and wildlife. These large interjurisdictional rivers and their fisheries are affected by a wide variety of developments, including navigation, power generation, and water withdrawals. The implementation of MICRA was viewed as a positive first step in addressing the environmental problems, especially declining fish stocks, in the Mississippi River drainage basin.

The 50th Annual Conference of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies was held October 5-9th in Hot Springs, Arkansas, with a theme of “Fifty Years of Learning and Understanding.” Texas Chapter members presented papers at the reunion meeting.

The Fisheries Action Network was developed by the AFS to provide information transfer between the states. Each chapter provided a contact person. Mike Reed (TPWD) was the contact for the Texas Chapter.

A survey conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Census for the USFWS showed there were 35.2 million anglers in 1996 whose total expenditures rose 69% between 1991 and 1996 to $67.9 billion. All outdoor recreation activities, including fishing, hunting, bird-watching, and wildlife viewing, resulted in the spending of $96.9 billion during that same time period, indicating a 59% increase in spending on these activities. Put another way, that represents 1.9% of the gross national product, which confirms that Americans have a national love affair with fishing and other forms of outdoor recreation.

The Outstanding Fisheries Worker of the Year awards went to Billy Higginbothan (TAMU) in the category for education, Gary Garrett (TPWD) for management, Gene McCarty (TPWD) for administration, Ivonne Blandon (TPWD) for research, and Jimmy Gonzales (TPWD) for technical support. An award for Special Recognition went to the Reeves County Water Improvement Board. An Honorable Mention Award for technical support went to Eric Young (TPWD).

Scholarships were awarded to Chad Thomas (SWTSU), Anna-Claire Fernandez (UTMSI), Kenneth Ostrand (TTU), and Dawn Lee Johnson (UT).

1997

No annual Chapter meeting was held this year as the Chapter decided to change its meeting time from the fall to winter to accommodate the coastal fisheries group. The Chapter did not sit on its haunches though as it teamed up once again with the Oklahoma Chapter to host the Southern Division AFS Midyear meeting in San Antonio, February 13-16. The meeting included a GIS and Instream Workshop, and several symposia: Instream Flow, Human Dimensions of Fisheries, Morone Biology and Management, Fish Assemblages, Intensive Management of Small Impoundments, Reservoir Fishes Biology and Management, Marine Scianenid Biology and Management, Instream Sand and Gravel Mining, Catfish Biology and Management, Pollution Management, and Atchafalaya River Basin Ecology. A Student Career Development Workshop was very useful to students trying to gain an understanding of the job market and the diverse professional careers in fisheries. Once again, the joint session effort was very successful and added substantial monetary profits to the Chapter’s treasury. The Southern Division AFS leadership decided after this meeting that subsequent midyear meeting profits would be split between the Division and participating Chapters. The Fish Culture Section AFS hosted a special symposium “A Century of Fish Culture” at the annual meeting in Monterey, California. Pat Hutson, President-elect of the TCAFS, was one of the organizers of the symposium. Chapter members Joe Warren and Todd Engeling (both with TPWD) provided presentations on striped bass and black basses, respectively. Nineteen speakers discussed the changes in culture techniques for different species from 1896 to the present.

Tom Brandt of the National Fish Hatchery and Technology Center in San Marcos discovered that an introduced snail, red-rimmed melania, Melanoides tuberculata, and its introduced trematode may be affecting the survival of the federally endangered fountain darter, Etheostoma fonticola. At least three populations of this snail and trematode are known in Central Texas. One green-throat darter, Etheostoma lepidum, collected from the San Marcos River was found with 160 cysts on a single gill arch.

The Magnuson-Stevens Act was passed to ensure sustainable fisheries are maintained in the 21st Century. Critical issues of law include overfishing, essential fish habitat, bycatch, and international management. Six-month and one-year internships were offered through the AFS to assist the NMFS implement the habitat requirements of the Act.

The International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, with support from a growing number of outdoor organizations, businesses, and natural resource agencies, solicited Congress to pass legislation to provide a fee from participants of non-consumptive wildlife-related outdoor activities. The initiative, known as Teaming With Wildlife, passed and added a dedicated excise tax on camping and boating items binoculars, cameras, etc. In doing so the program generates about $350 million for state non-game and fish programs. The fund has helped conserve and enhance more than 1,800 wildlife and fish species. Funds are allocated to each state based on population and land area. Texas receives up to $17 million annually for projects involving land acquisition, education, restoration, research, and planning. It has created constituents of all who enjoy natural resources while allowing resource agencies to better address the challenges of environmental management. The Texas Chapter’s Issues Committee supported the legislation by providing letters of support to State Congressional representatives and our Governor.

A coalition of U.S. seafood associations and companies announced the development of a voluntary set of “principles for responsible fisheries” to guide the U.S. seafood industry in responsible resource use. The principles seek to improve the way seafood is caught, processed, and distributed to ensure environmentally sound use of seafood resources. They also offer guidance to government managers.

U.S. District Judge Lucius Bunton ruled on March 26th that Interior Secretary Babbitt violated the Endangered Species Act in 1996 when he withdrew the proposed listing of the Texas’ Barton Springs salamander after state agencies agreed with the USFWS on a cooperative conservation plan for the species. Thus, the salamander was returned to the Endangered Species List and a conservation plan was approved between the City of Austin and the USFWS.

The Humane Society reported that an undercover survey of shrimp trawlers in ports along the Texas coast found 41% of them operated with their TEDs (Turtle Excluder Devices) tied shut, thereby causing serious stranding mortality in populations of the endangered Kemp’s Ridley seaturtles and marine fisheries.

A new catfish processing record was established in 1997, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, with 525 million pounds (live weight) processed, which was 11.2% more than processed in 1996.

The treasury stood at $32,552, with major expenses including the newsletter and web site software. Membership was 210 regular members and 15 students.

1998

The first annual meeting held in the winter convened at the Cain Center in Athens, followed by a tour of the wonderful aquarium and hatchery complex at TPWD’s Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center.

A Panel Discussion on “Ecosystem Management” was moderated by John Prentice (TPWD). Six topics were presented by the panelists, followed by questions and comments from the audience and the panel. The panel speakers and their topics were as follows: 1) Harold Schramm (Mississippi Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at Mississippi State University) speaking on “The Benefits and Cost of Doing Ecosystem Management,” 2) Julie Anderson (TPWD) speaking on “Developing the Texas Wetlands Conservation Plan,” 3) Gary Valentine (U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service) speaking on “USDA Programs to Assist Landowners in Ecosystem Restoration,” 4) Carl Frentress (TPWD) speaking on “Ecosystem Management,” 5) James Sutherlin (TPWD) speaking on “A Case History of Human Alterations to Upper Texas Coastal Ecosystems,” and 6) M. Todd Merendino (TPWD) speaking on “An Ecological Investigation of Robbins Slough Drainage, Mad Island Wildlife Management Area; Ecosystem Response to Management Strategies.” These topics were very timely and attracted considerable interest at the twenty-third annual meeting.

Continuing Education and Special Workshops were added to the annual meeting agendas as a regular feature. Dr. Fran Gelwick (TAMU) put together the first Career Development Workshop and Richard Ott (TPWD) organized the Trade Show.

Members of the Texas Aquatic Plant Management Society participated in the annual meeting due to their interest in the Texas Chapter’s technical program and panel discussion.

A first ever Fishery Knowledge Bowl was held, with questions in all categories of fishery science being asked of our officers. Since there was no documented history on their performance, it is assumed that it may not have been exemplary—just kidding.

A new angler organization known as “F.I.S.H.” was formed, which stands for Fishermen Involved in Saving Habitat. This group is concerned with the management of aquatic habitat in Texas’s public waters. Their web site address is http://www.honeyholemagazine.com/h14001.htm.

Outstanding Fisheries Worker awards were given to Robert Ditton (education) and Tom Dorzab (fish culture). Special Recognition in Fisheries Work Awards were given to Fred Janssen, Chris Cummings, Dan Lewis, Dan Strickland, Gary Graham, and Jim Davis. Recognition Awards for Rivers Initiative Work were given to Mike Ryan, Victor DiCenzo, Paul Seidensticker, Rafe Brock, Jimmy Dean, Clell Guest, Mark Howell, Spencer Dumont, Steve Poarch, and Bobby Farquhar.

Stewart Jacks reported continuing concern over the spread of exotic species, such as zebra mussels.

The AFS held its first Student Writing Contest to recognize students who do an excellent job of communicating the value of fisheries science research to the general public.

A Swordfish Moratorium was announced on January 20th by a group of 27 chefs at seafood restaurants to initiate a “Give Swordfish a Break” campaign—a voluntary moratorium on preparing and serving swordfish until a fishery recovery plan could be developed as an expression of concern for over-fishing of this species by longline vessels.

President Clinton announced on June 12th a Sustainable Fisheries Initiative in which he proposed an additional $194 million over five years to reduce over-fishing and protect essential fish habitat. The funding bill was approved by Congress and provides for state-of-the-art fishery research vessels and increased research and promotion of public-private partnerships to develop aquaculture in order to meet its goal of helping to restore depleted fish stocks within 10 years.

A Procedural Manual for TCAFS Endowments was developed by John Prentice (TPWD) and other members of the EXCOM to establish a high-interest-bearing account to be used for student scholarships.

New voting procedures to elect Chapter officers were developed and approved by the EXCOM to increase member participation in the elections. Mail-in ballots were initiated, as opposed to voting at annual meetings, where only 25-30% of the members attend and vote. The mail-in procedure worked well and has been used ever since it was adopted this year.

The Chapter’s total assets were $40,546, with major sources of income originating from capital gains and interest on investments, membership dues, revenue from the annual meeting, revenue from the Southern Division Meeting, T-shirt and hat sales, and donations. Major expenses were newsletters, postage, awards, scholarships, publications, advertisements, and fees.

1999

This year’s annual meeting was held at the Omni Bayfront Hotel in Corpus Christi. The Panel Discussion was “Water Use Issues In Texas-A 21st Century Challenge For Fisheries Managers.” Cindy Loeffler (TPWD) opened the panel presentation with an overview of Senate Bill 1, the landmark Texas water legislation passed by the 75th Legislature and signed into law by then Governor Bush. Texas is expected to double in population by the year 2050, with urban areas growing fast. To ensure the State’s natural resources, especially its lakes, rivers, wetlands, and estuaries are not short-changed, the TPWD took an active role in implementing parts of the new law. Dr. Larry McKinney (TPWD) spoke about the politics of water. Other presentations were made about reservoir fisheries, instream flows, freshwater inflows to bays and estuaries, and wetlands. Twenty technical presentations and three posters were presented. A guided tour and social at the Texas State Aquarium was very interesting to all that attended.

This was the first year that a “Texas Chapter AFS Membership Survey” was conducted. Seven questions were asked of members dealing with meeting time, activities/events at the annual meeting, continuing education workshops, important fishery issues, web site use, and interest in mentoring or continuing education. This survey was useful to the Chapter officers in continuing to serve the needs and interests of its members.

A quote from AFS President William Taylor in Fisheries (Volume 23, Number 8), seemed very relevant then and now: “Effective management of fisheries and aquatic resources depends on our ability to be inclusive, relevant, innovative, and professional.”

A record for cash prizes was set this year totaling more than $3.97 million for competitive bass fishing. The competition was sponsored by the Wal-Mart FLW professional bass tournament. The first place angler won $250,000.

NMFS officials informed the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council that bycatch reduction devices (BRDs) required in shrimp trawls to reduce red snapper bycatch appeared to be working well. Only eight of 100 shrimp trawlers inspected by the Coast Guard have been cited for not using BRDs.

In 1999, U.S. recreational fishermen spent almost $9 billion, which translates into more than $25 billion to the U.S. economy ($5 billion in Texas) according to the NMFS.

Outstanding Fisheries Worker of the Year award recipients were Loraine Fries (TPWD) in the category of Administration, and Pat Hutson (TPWD, retired) for Special Recognition for his career in fisheries. The Best Presentation award recipients were Gene R. Wilde and Kenneth G. Ostrand (TTU).

Scholarships were awarded to Scott Hollingsworth and William Granberry (TTU), Brian Bohnsack and Michael Morgan (TAMU).