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.