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 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.
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 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!
The results of the 2026-27 Ontario Chapter Executive Committee election are official. Thank you to all candidates and congratulations to those elected. As per our bylaws, all Ontario Chapter members were eligible to vote and officers were elected by a majority of ballots cast. Each member was permitted to cast one vote. A total of 18 members participated in the election, representing approximately 19% of the membership.
Edina Illyés was elected to the position of President-Elect with 100% of the vote. The term of office for President-Elect is one year, leading to the position of President in 2027-28, and Past-President the following year.
Gabrielle Perugini was elected to the position of Northern-Member-at-Large with 100% of the vote. The term for the position of NMAL is not fixed; however, it is preferred to serve more than one term.
As of September 2, 2026, the Ontario Chapter has 98 paid members! The membership includes 40 regular, 27 student, 13 early career professional, 15 retired and 3 life members. Have you renewed your membership for 2026? 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!
2026 Atlantic International Chapter of AFS Annual Meeting, White Point, Nova Scotia
The May 2026 Mainstream Newsletter (Volume 42, Issue 1) is now available from the North Central Division website.
HIGHLIGHTS:
2026 AFS-OC AGM & Conference Summary
Student Subunit Update
President’s Message – Connor Reid
Aquatic Invaders – New Invasive Crayfish in Ontario – Gabriela Carew
Life in Retirement – William Gardner
Jumping Non-jumping Fish – Kathryn Peiman
Book Review – The Whole Fish Cookbook: New Ways to Cook, Eat, and Think. By Josh Niland – Connor Reid
Fish Focus – Lake Whitefish – Siobhan Ewert
New Books – The Functional Ecology of Freshwater Mussels, Crayfish, Crawfish, Crawdad: The Biology and Conservation of North America’s Favorite Crustaceans
Recipe – Crappie Fish Tacos
2026 AFS-OC AGM Sponsors
Mitchell Shorgan and Jon Clayton have joined the AFS-OC Executive Committee as Eastern Ontario and Greater Toronto Area Regional Representatives, respectively. Welcome Mitchell and Jon.
