Frequently Asked Questions

Why Join the Purdue Student Chapter of the American Fisheries Society?

ITS FUN! You get to met and interact with other fisheries students who you might not

see in class. You do hands on fieldwork and gain valuable job experience. You visit
places with fisheries and aquatic sciences themes that you may not know existed. You
learn details on issues that you may only have brief exposure to in class. At the spring
business meeting you socialize with potential employers and meet people who are
responsible for natural resource laws and regulations for the state of Indiana.

How much does it cost?

To be a member of the Purdue Student Chapter, each student must pay $15 for dues for the entire year ($10 for a single semester))
This includes the state chapter dues of $5 (student rate) which will be paid to the state
chapter treasurer by the Purdue Sub-unit Treasurer

What do our Purdue chapter dues go towards?

Each student subunit has its own bylaws and can collect dues for internally use. State
dues are forwarded to the state chapter and the student unit uses the remainder.
Chapter dues cover: Food for every meeting, Trip costs, Apparel costs, Aquarium maintainance, State dues.

On the national level?

Most professional societies have reduced rates for student members. These rates are an
exceptional bargain and I would recommend all graduate students and any undergrads
interested in fisheries careers to join as many professional societies as they can afford as
students. For instance, regular membership for the national AFS is $76.00, but student
rates are only $38.00. This membership entitles you to all privileges of a full member,
including: subscription to the monthly Fisheries journal (news, editorials, job
opportunities, book reviews, policy statements); reduced rates to regional and national
meetings; eligibility for student awards ($600 travel grants to national meetings; $2,500
award for female doctoral student; etc.); and eligibility for nomination to serve as a
chapter officer.  Paying for National dues will also pay for Indiana state dues, chapter dues are then $10 for the year and $5 for a single semester.

 

Student rates for other recommended aquatic interest professional societies:

1.North American Benthological Society-$55 full/$40 student with journal or $25 full/
$10 student for Bulletin (news) 3 times per year and directory (tel. 913-843-1221)

 

2.North American Lake Management Society-$75 full with quarterly journal/$25
student with journal(tel. 608-233-2836)

 

3.Society for Conservation Biology-$60 full with quarterly journal and monthly
newsletter, $45 student with journal and newsletter (tel. 617-876-7000)

 

4. World Aquaculture Society-$40 student w/ journal and magazine, www.was.org

 

Why should I join?

Joining a professional Society like the American Fisheries society can greatly increase your contact base and experience in the field, both of which

can be used to build up your resume! Not to mention the fun activities, free food, and the relaxed atmosphere of the meetings.

What are these Activities you speak of?

The club always makes it a point to increase its members field experiences by employing different sampling methods such as boat shocking, backpack shocking,

seining, invert sampling, hook and line (Fishing!), trap net setting, and gill netting.  Other activities include: Fish frys, River clean up, AFS olympics,

Speakers, Workshops, and trips.

Trips? to where?

Annually we have gone to the Shed Aquarium for a day, on the clubs money.  We have also gone to state AFS meetings, pond sampling sites,

indianapolis zoo, white river tubing, and this year we plan to take a White water rafting trip!

 

 

 

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