Recent Updates
WEBSITE UPDATES
*As we begin to unveil our new website, please be patient as some pages may not be linked correctly. If you find errors, please email us at ejlatrem@gw.dec.state.ny.us to let us know.
*FIND YOUR NEW CAREER IN NY HERE...
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Student Fisheries Groups
- Morrisville State College
- SUNY ESF
- SUNY Cobleskill
- Cornell University *Coming soon
* STUDENT NEWS!!! *
related links
- American Fisheries Society
- AFS Parent Chapt. Calendar
- AFS Job Center
- AFS Publications
- AFS Professional Cert
- International Fisheries Societies
- The Wildlife Society
- The Society of American Foresters
Upcoming Meetings:
Welcome to The NY Chapter afs Candidate biographies
secretary/treasurer :
Alan Mack:
I began fishing before I went to kindergarten. I attended SUNY Cobleskill and received an Associate’s Degree in Fish and Wildlife Technology in May, 1976. That autumn I began my 35 year employment with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. After 6 years of seasonal work, I became a permanent employee at the Catskill Fish Hatchery. Two years later I received a promotion to Assistant Manager at the Rome Fish Hatchery. For the past 20 years I have been Manager of the Caledonia Fish Hatchery, which I labeled as the Oldest Fish Hatchery in the Western Hemisphere and which I got listed on the New York State Registry of Historic Places (just waiting to be rubber-stamped into the National Registry of Historic Places). I have been a member of the New York Chapter of the American Fisheries Society for over 20 years. For the past three years I have been the Audit/Finance Committee Chairman (and sole committee person) for The NY Chapter of AFS. As such I instituted quarterly audits, rather than relying solely on the annual audit. This has also given me the opportunity to work with outgoing Secretary/Treasurer Scott Jones.
My hobbies include being a Committee Member of Boy Scout Troop 4027, fishing, kayaking, bicycling, disc golf and home brewing. I am past President, twice past Vice President and an active volunteer with the Upstate New York Homebrewers’ Association.
I look forward to continuing to serve the interests of the New York Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, hopefully as the next Secretary/Treasurer. Thank you.
Scott Schlueter :
Scott Schlueter is a Fish Biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – New York Field Office in Cortland, NY. Scott is responsible for the management of the USFWS – Fish Enhancement, Mitigation, and Research Fund (FEMRF), including fiscal management of the fund. He is a central New York native and has served 14 years as a Federal biologist in NY with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Corps of Engineers. Scott pursued both undergraduate and graduate degrees at the State University of New York – College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF). While at SUNY-ESF, Scott served a term in each of the officer positions of the SUNY-ESF Student Chapter. His personal interests include fish watching, fishing, hunting, scuba diving, and chasing his toddler.
Maureen Walsh :
I’ve been a research fishery biologist for the U.S. Geological Survey, Great Lakes Science Center’s Lake Ontario Biological Station in Oswego, New York, since 2005. I started out my fisheries career in New York and received a B.S. in Natural Resources from Cornell University in 1997. I went on to get a M.S. in Aquaculture, Fisheries, and Wildlife Biology from Clemson University, and a Ph.D. in Wildlife and Fisheries Ecology from Oklahoma State University. Before coming to the USGS I did postdoctoral work at the University of Georgia. My research interests are varied but include population dynamics, food web ecology, and invasive species ecology. I have been very active in AFS and previously was involved with state chapters of AFS in South Carolina, Oklahoma, and Georgia, and I’ve given presentations at numerous state and annual AFS meetings since 1998. At the national level of AFS, I’m involved in the Fisheries Management, Equal Opportunities, and Introduced Fish sections. I chaired the Membership Concerns Committee from 2008-2011 and worked on evaluating member needs and opinions on topics including virtual meeting attendance and professional certification. This year I took over as chair of the Meetings Oversight Committee and will be working on evaluating on issues relating to the AFS Annual Meeting, including how symposia are structured and how annual meetings are planned and implemented. I’ve found my service to AFS very fulfilling and I’m interested in becoming more involved in NYAFS as secretary-treasurer for the group.
president-elect :
Anthony VanDeValk :
Like many of us, my fascination with fish started at a very early age and, to the dismay of friends and family, I went on to pursue a degree in fisheries. I earned an AAS in Fish and Wildlife from SUNY Cobleskill in 1982, a BS in Forest Biology from SUNY ESF in 1985, and an MS in Natural Resources from Cornell University in 2003. After receiving my Bachelors Degree, I worked as a seasonal Fisheries Technician for NYSDEC out of the Ray Brook office. The following year, I secured a Research Technician position at the Cornell Biological Field Station in Bridgeport, NY and remained there for 21 years. By the time I left in 2008, I had earned my MS through the Employee Degree Program and was employed as a Research Support Specialist II. During my years at Cornell, I had the distinct fortune to learn from and work closely with some of the best minds in aquatic research including Drs. John Forney, Dave Green, Ed Mills, Lars Rudstam, and Randy Jackson, as well as many interns, graduate students, and professionals from other universities and agencies throughout the Northeast. During this time I was able to develop my skills in the many forms of fish survey design, sampling, and analysis, as well as work on projects involving numerous species of fish at various life stages, invertebrates, avian and amphibian species, and humans. In 2008, I had the opportunity to take my experience in fisheries to the private sector. O’Brien & Gere offered to me a Project Scientist position with the goal of developing and strengthening their fisheries consulting capabilities. Since my arrival at O’Brien & Gere, I’ve worked on several fisheries projects throughout the east coast assessing impacts of hazardous waste sites and am part of a team tasked with restoring and enhancing the fish community of Onondaga Lake. Additionally, I am currently managing a natural resource protection program associated with the Gulf of Mexico oil spill cleanup operations. To date, I have authored or coauthored 21 peer-reviewed publications and numerous reports and articles. I’ve been a member of AFS since 1987 and held the position of Newsletter Editor for the New York Chapter from 1996-1998. The opportunity to serve AFS as chapter president would further enhance a career in fisheries that I never would have envisioned in my younger years. I’d like to thank the New York chapter for considering me for the position and, if elected, hope to serve at a high level consistent with past presidents.