2026 AFS-OC Annual Meeting

Join us for our 2026 Annual General Meeting and Conference at Cartier Place Suite Hotel, Ottawa.

Keynote Speakers

Gary Whelan, AFS President (Habitat rehabilitation practices: lessons learned and follies experienced)
Dr. Kristi Leora Gansworth, Anishinabe-kwe (Unassimilated: Anishinabe knowledge and the nation of fishes)

Abstract Submission

Abstract submission is open. Please use the Google Form to submit your abstract and supporting information. The abstract submission deadline is 15 December 2025.

Registration Early-Bird Rates (until 09 January 2026)

• Student member: $300
• Student non-member: $400
• Professional member: $350
• Professional non-member: $500

Register to attend the conference and related workshops/events at our Online Store. Registration includes meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) and refreshments on the Saturday (31 January), and breakfast, lunch, and refreshments on the Sunday (01 February).

Hotel/Venue Info (Room-Sharing)

The conference will begin with an evening reception on 30 January and run until 01 February 2026, in Ottawa at the Cartier Place Suite Hotel. Discounted room rates are available at the venue (20 rooms with two single beds each), and other accommodation options are available nearby. Please note that accommodations are not included in the registration fee. To book accommodations, please visit the venue’s website for contact information and mention that you are attending the American Fisheries Society, Ontario Chapter’s 2026 Annual Meeting and Conference.

For those interested in being connected with someone else for room sharing and cost-splitting, please contact the Diversity & Inclusion Subcommittee with your contact info and relevant room sharing requirements. We will try to put you in touch with other attendants so that you can book a room together and share costs accordingly.

Canadian Museum of Nature – Collections Tour

Location: Canadian Museum of Nature’s Natural Heritage Campus (1740 Chemin Pink, Gatineau, QC J9J 3N7, Canada)

Date & Time: 2-5 PM, Friday January 30, 2026

Join us for an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of one of Canada’s largest ichthyology collections! With more than 750,000 specimens collected over 150 years, the Canadian Museum of Nature’s Fish Collection spans 12 rooms and includes whole fish in ethanol as well as skeletons, cleared and stained specimens, otoliths, frozen tissue samples, and models.

We will also showcase Ontario’s ichthyofauna and feature some of our fascinating specimens, including the iconic coelacanth. We then take you on a tour of the Canadian Museum of Nature’s Malacology Collection, specifically looking at the vast collection of freshwater mussels.

Register at the Online Store by January 28, 2026 to secure your spot!

Program

View the 2026 AFS-OC AGM & Conference Program.

Student Awards

Student oral presenters are eligible for the E.J. Crossman Award and student poster presentations are eligible for the Al Dextrase Award. The Outstanding Mentor Award will also be announced by the Student Subunit at the meeting.

Travel Bursary

The AFS-OC Executive Committee and Student Subunit will be sponsoring bursaries for travel and conference related activities for this year’s meeting.

The details are as follows:

• Up to $250 for three (3) Student or Young Professional AFS Ontario Chapter members
• Up to $350 for one (1) Regular AFS Ontario Chapter member

To apply, please submit via email a brief bio and explanation of how these additional funds could help you to attend the conference (up to 3-4 paragraphs). All applications will be reviewed by the voting members of the AFS-OC Executive Committee/Student Subunit Executive and awarded based on need.

Please submit your application by email to past-president@afs-oc.org by 22 December 2025.

Panel Event

We will be bringing together experts and professionals from a diverse range of sectors and positionalities for a panel event on the changing policy and management landscape in Ontario (and beyond). Join us at the panel event to discuss questions and share insights on the state of aquatic conservation and management!

Careers Workshop

We will host a workshop on career pathways, job searching strategies, and employment tips for a broad range of disciplines and work types. Participants of all career stages are welcome to learn more about these topics and/or share their experiences and advice for students, early-career professionals, and others looking for a career change.

See Annual Meetings for synopses of past meetings.