2025 Midwest Fish & Wildlife Conference

AUTHORS: Brittany Harried, Missouri Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, School of Natural Resources, Columbia, MO; MJ Oubre, Illinois Chapter of the American Fisheries Society; Jory Jonas, Michigan Department of Natural Resources


ABSTRACT: The Fisheries Community Advocacy and Sustainability Team (FishCAST) was established following in-depth discussions on the critical need for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives within the North-Central Division (NCD) at the 2024 Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference. Formed in March 2024, FishCAST aims to provide resources and opportunities to support its members, fostering a strong sense of belonging and improving the retention and recruitment of diverse members within the fisheries community.

At the upcoming 2025 Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference, FishCAST will host a dedicated symposium titled “FishCAST: Working Towards a Better Future for all Fisheries Professionals”. We will start this symposium by introducing FishCAST and its mission, purpose, and goals. Then, we will identify existing DEI committees within the NCD, allowing time for representatives of these committees to introduce themselves and share their mission, purpose, goals, and accomplishments. Finally, we will introduce the session which will consist of a wide array of presentation topics and will conclude with a moderated panel discussion.

AUTHORS: Jory Jonas, Co-chair FishCAST AFS Standing Committee;
Nivette Perez-Perez, Co-chair FishCAST AFS Standing Committee;
Greyson Wolf, Co-chair Committee FishCAST AFS Standing Committee

ABSTRACT: The AFS FishCAST Standing Committee was recently renamed from the Diversity and Inclusion Standing Committee. A primary objective of the FishCAST Standing Committee is to provide oversight for AFS efforts to increase and maintain diversity in membership and the fisheries profession, and to assure that all AFS activities and programs are fully inclusive. Committee efforts are aimed toward improving communications and leveraging resources within the society to best understand and address systemic barriers to member participation. The committee serves as a centralized organizational network which facilitates effective communication among related committees and teams. Successful efforts will enhance communications among interest groups, establish platforms for connection, and streamline redundant processes. By creating an environment where members can learn from each other and adapt to increasingly complex landscapes, the goal is to improve satisfaction, recruitment, and retention for a broader range of current and future members. We look forward to sharing and having discussions regarding initiatives occurring withing the AFS FishCAST.

AUTHORS: Gweniviere Oubre, Wilmington Substation, Carterville FWCO, USFWS, gweniviere_oubre@fws.gov

ABSTRACT: In recent years, the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) field has made significant strides toward embracing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) principles. However, many marginalized communities within STEM still face systemic barriers that hinder their full participation and success. Although some research has explored these challenges, there is a notable gap in the recollection of historical figures and accounts from historically excluded communities. Incorporating historical perspectives is essential to understanding the context of current DEIA efforts in STEM. By critically examining the past, we can gain valuable insights into the roots of these barriers and develop more effective strategies for creating an inclusive and equitable future.

AUTHORS: Jory Jonas, Michigan DNR, jonasj@michigan.gov, 231-350-6429

ABSTRACT: A nine-step process was employed to organize DEIJA responses within a state agency. We used a Systems Approach to understand structures within the agency and crowd sourced creation of Guiding Star and Problem Statements to orient actions. Systems were broken down into five subject matter categories (staff composition and hiring, public perception and partnerships, training and education, employee engagement, and workplace rules, power and hierarchy). Nearstar (shorter term) objectives were established within each subject matter category. Recommendations were shared with each division (forestry, law, marketing, history, wildlife, fisheries, finance, executive) via a recommendations document. Division teams were asked to create strategic plans and report on metrics. The different sections within the agency are in varying levels of implementation but are making progress and generally orienting around shared goals and objectives.

AUTHORS: Shaley Valentine, Aquatic Ecology Lab, Ohio State University

ABSTRACT: Recruitment and retention of students and early career professionals (ECPs) is an ongoing issue throughout all levels of AFS. Engaging students and ECPs is critical to their recruitment and retention, but AFS activities may need to adapt to engage students and ECPs. To garner ideas on how to best engage students and ECPs, I administered a survey throughout the North Central Division. A total of 176 respondents ranked their perception of current and proposed benefits of AFS and provided written open-ended feedback on activities that would benefit rising professionals. Students and ECPs called for more tangible and monetary benefits that would allow them to network and gain technical and soft skills to kickstart their future careers. From the inclusivity side of the survey, marginalized individuals almost always stated a greater benefit or need for proposed workshops and benefits than majority identifying individuals. Write-in responses repeatedly stated a need for more diversity and inclusion initiatives. Poignantly, women and women of ethnic minorities reported feeling lower levels of acceptance in the fisheries community compared to men. Combined, these results suggest the needs of students and ECPs are not met within the Division, and there is a clear need for more volunteers to create and offer tangible benefits. Results also highlight a clear need for diversity initiatives throughout the NCD but beginning and maintaining these diversity initiatives may be an ongoing challenge.

AUTHORS: Brittany Harried, Missouri Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, School of Natural Resources, Columbia, MO; MJ Oubre, Illinois Chapter of the American Fisheries Society; Jory Jonas, Michigan Department of Natural Resources


ABSTRACT: The Fisheries Community Advocacy and Sustainability Team (FishCAST) of the North Central Division (NCD) will conclude the “FishCAST: Working Towards a Better Future for all Fisheries Professionals” symposium by hosting a moderated panel discussion. This interactive segment will provide a safe space to foster open dialogue and active engagement among participants. Questions will be submitted anonymously by participants and screened by the moderators to maintain a safe and open environment while allowing for productive conversations. Invited panelists will consist of NCD members and experts with experienced backgrounds in diversity, equity, inclusion, justice and accessibility initiatives. Discussions from this panel will be summarized and shared in the Spring 2025 NCD Mainstream Newsletter. Additionally, FishCAST will use information gathered during this symposium to identify and prioritize areas of short- and long-term growth within the NCD.