Fisheries and Oceans Canada

News – DFO Announces FFHPP Regulatory and Program Changes

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Regulatory and program changes to Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s (DFO) Fish and Fish Habitat Protection Program (FFHPP) have been implemented. These changes were made in response to actions identified in the 2025 Red Tape Review Progress Report to support greater efficiency in project reviews while continuing to uphold environmental standards and respect the rights of Indigenous Peoples.

The following information has been provided to support Indigenous Peoples, proponents, stakeholders and other partners in better understanding the regulatory and program changes. Read more

American Fisheries Society

New Link – AFS Unit Resource Center

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A link to AFS Unit Resource Center has been added to the Links page under the American Fisheries Society category.

The American Fisheries Society has developed a variety of guidelines and toolkits to help Units grow and maintain themselves effectively.  If you are a new Unit leader, check out the Unit Leaders Guide for a start, and be sure to investigate the resources available for ensuring appropriate bylaws changes, meeting conduct, change of officers, and many other technicalities of running a Unit successfully.

Need help with committee and volunteer organization? Trouble with funding? If you’re looking to start a new Chapter, Section or Student Subunit, make sure you refer to the guidelines provided. There are tons of tools here for you to use in your AFS Unit!

AFS-OC Membership Update

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As of November 02, 2026, the Ontario Chapter has 100 paid members! The membership includes 41 regular, 28 student, 13 early career professional, 15 retired and 3 life members. Have you renewed your membership for 2027? Are you a member yet? If not, see the Become a Member page to find out why you should join. AFS individual members receive free online access to all five American Fisheries Society journals. Join or renew TODAY and don’t forget to contact the AFS Membership Team at membership@fisheries.org to add the Ontario Chapter to your membership!

FREE AFS-OC Careers Session & Workshop – November 4th, 2026

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Registration for AFS-OC’s Careers Workshop on Wednesday, Nov. 4th at 6:00 p.m. EDT is still open! This is a free combined panel event, Q&A, and workshop session (no membership required) with both virtual attendance and in-person sessions available at select locations. See the Poster for more details.

To view locations and register for the event, please fill out the following form: https://forms.gle/DAv4hKBM6LwjYehA8.

Virtual registrations are accepted until end-of-day on November 4th. The last day for in-person registration is Sunday, November 1st.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Call for Expression of Interest for COSEWIC Specialist Subcommittee Membership including Early Career Biologists

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Expressions of interest are invited for individuals wishing to serve as volunteer members (four-year term) as Specialist Subcommittee of the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC). Expressions of interest may be submitted between October 7, 2026, and November 12, 2026. See call for expressions of interest as specialist subcommittee members including early career biologists for complete information.

Why Goldfish Grow So Big in the Wild

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Your innocent pet goldfish has a secret. If it ever were to go wild, it would turn into a giant predator that could destroy North America’s lakes. But how does an adorable shiny beacon of cuteness become such a feared invasive species? And what it’s being done to stop the goldfish already wreaking havoc in our lakes? This is the battle against the megalodon Goldfish.

The Fish Thief: A Great Lakes Mystery

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The Great Lakes — the largest freshwater ecosystem on the planet — sustain millions of people across North America. But a hidden predator threatens their survival. The Fish Thief follows a group of determined individuals racing to uncover the cause and protect the region’s ecosystems, economies, and communities before it’s too late. Narrated by Academy Award winner J.K. Simmons, this gripping documentary reveals the fragile link between nature and human prosperity.

Read more

2025 AFS-OC AGM Synopsis

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A synopsis of the 2025 AFS-OC Annual Meeting and Conference held March 21-23, 2025, at the University of Guelph, Ontario has been posted. See photos and review highlights of the event.

AFS-OC Careers Session & Workshop – November 4th, 2026

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AFS-OC will be hosting a free careers presentation and workshop on Wednesday, Nov. 4th from 6:00-8:00 p.m. EDT. Join us as we cover a range of topics including potential career pathways, job searches and applications, interviews, networking, and CV/resume-building. Then, a Q&A and open discussion will follow, with time at the end for a collaborative working session on CVs, resumes, and cover letters for those who wish to participate.

The event will be available virtually but with in-person attendance sessions at certain locations for any who want to gather face-to-face. To view specific locations and register for the event, please fill out the following form: https://forms.gle/DAv4hKBM6LwjYehA8.

If you have any questions about the event, please reach out to Connor Reid at past-president@afs-oc.org. We look forward to seeing you there!