Bylaws

Section I – Name

  1. The name of this organization shall be the Fisheries Administration Section of the American Fisheries Society, hereinafter referred to as the Section and Society respectively.

SECTION II – OBJECTIVES

  1. The objectives of the Section shall be those set forth in Article I of the Constitution of the Society, and shall be in particular:
    1. To improve the technique, effectiveness, and efficiency of the administrative functions of fisheries resource management.
  2. All activities of the Section shall conform to the Society’s Constitution, Rules and Procedures.

SECTION III – MEMBERSHIP

  1. Membership of the Section shall be composed of Society members in good standing who apply for membership.

SECTION IV – MEETINGS

  1. The Section shall hold at least one meeting annually at a time and place designated by the Executive Committee.
  2. The program and presentation of papers at the annual meeting shall be the responsibility of the Program Committee.
  3. Special meetings may be called by the President with approval of the Executive Committee.

SECTION V – OFFICERS

  1. The officers of the Section shall be a President, a President-Elect, a Past-President, and a Secretary-Treasurer.
  2. The Section President, President-Elect and Past-President shall serve for two years in each office, and shall be ineligible for re-election to the same office for a period of two years after the end of their term as Past-President.
  3. The Secretary-Treasurer shall serve for a period of two years and shall be eligible for re-election for a maximum of two consecutive terms. The Secretary-Treasurer shall be ineligible for re-election for a period of two years after the end of a second term.
  4. Terms of newly elected officers shall change at the Society’s annual meeting.
  5. Officers shall be nominated by a nominating committee appointed by the President. Officers shall be elected by a majority of ballots casts.
  6. In the event of a vacated position, the Executive Committee shall appoint a qualified replacement to fill the unexpired term.
  7. No elected officer or appointed committee member of the Section shall receive any salary or other compensation. Expenses may be defrayed from funds available to the Section when authorized by the Executive Committee.

SECTION VI – DUTIES OF OFFICERS

  1. The President shall:
    1. Serve as Chairman of the Executive Committee.
    2. Preside at meetings of the Section and the Executive Committee.
    3. Appoint all committees, and serve as an ex officio member thereof.
    4. Represent the Section to the Society as a member of the Governing Board.
    5. Make such appointments and perform other duties and functions as are authorized and necessary.
    6. Proceed to the office of Past-President at the end of the 2 year term.
  2. The President–Elect shall:
    1. Perform the duties of the President in the absence of the President.
    2. Serve as a member of the Executive Committee.
    3. Proceed to the office of President at the end of the 2 year term.
  3. The Past-President shall:
    1. Serve as a member of the Executive Committee.
    2. Serve as a member of the Nominating Committee.
    3. Assist the other officers as needed.
  4. The Secretary-Treasurer shall:
    1. Maintain a current list of the membership.
    2. Receive all funds, pay all bills, and keep an itemized account of all receipts and disbursements.
    3. Present a semi-annual report to the Executive Committee and an annual report to the membership.
    4. Submit a report to the Executive Director of the Society within 30 days after the annual meeting of the Section is held and at such other times as requested by the Society.
    5. Serve as a member of the Executive Committee.

SECTION VII – EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

  1. The Executive Committee shall consist of the officers.
  2. The Executive Committee shall have authority to determine policies and conduct business consistent with the objectives of the Section and the Society.
  3. Meetings of the Executive Committee may be called by the President.
  4. A quorum is required for transaction of official business at an Executive Committee meeting. A quorum for an Executive Committee meeting shall consist of three of the four members. Executive Committee members can appoint a proxy.
  5. Each of the 4 members of the Executive Committee shall have one vote on Executive Committee decisions. In the event of a tie, the President’s vote shall be the deciding vote.
  6. Business and voting of the Executive Committee may be conducted by mail, telephone or other means agreeable to members of the Executive Committee.
  7. The Executive Committee can approve individual funding requests up to $500 without a vote of the membership up to a maximum of $2,000 each fiscal year. All requests larger than $500 must be electronically submitted via the Section web page by 1 July each year. The Section Executive Committee will conduct a preliminary review of all requests. Applications clearing the preliminary review will be posted on the Section web page for member comment and then presented to the membership for final approval at the annual Section business meeting.

SECTION VIII – VOTING AND QUORUM

  1. A quorum of 15 Section members is required for transaction of official business.
  2. Decisions at a Section meeting shall be made by a majority of those voting except in the case of Amendments to the Bylaws (Section X 1) and Suspension of Rules (Section X 2).
  3. Decisions shall be in accordance with Section Bylaws, Rules and Procedures and Society Constitution, Rules and Procedures.
  4. Election procedures for the Section shall be determined by the Executive Committee and executed by the Secretary-Treasurer.
  5. Unless otherwise specified in these Bylaws or the Society Constitution, meetings are conducted according to the latest edition of Robert’s Rules of Order.

SECTION IX – REGISTRATION FEES AND OTHER ASSESSMENTS

  1. The Executive Committee may assess a registration fee to those attending Section meetings .
  2. The Executive Committee shall establish annual dues subject to approval of the members voting at the annual meeting.

SECTION X – BYLAWS, RULES AND PROCEDURES

  1. The Bylaws are the defining document for the Section and take precedence over all other rules and procedures of the Section. The Bylaws cannot be suspended and cannot be changed without prior notice to members.
    1. The Bylaws may be amended by a 2/3 majority of Active Members choosing to vote, provided that the proposed amendment(s) are circulated in writing to the membership at least 30 days prior to voting.
    2. In accordance with the Society Constitution, an adopted amendment shall be reviewed by the Society’s Constitutional Consultant for conformity with the Constitution, Rules and Procedures of the Society. The Constitutional Consultant presents the adopted amendment to the Society Governing Board for approval.
    3. Amendments take effect when the Section receives written notice of their approval by the Governing Board from the Executive Director.
  2. Rules are the next highest level of documentation of Section operations. They are generally established to facilitate the conduct of Section business, and to describe duties and responsibilities of officers and committees. They may be suspended or amended as follows.
    1. The Rules may be suspended during an Executive Committee meeting until the next annual or special Section meeting by a 2/3 majority of the Executive Committee.
    2. The Rules may be suspended for the duration of a meeting by a 2/3 majority of Active Members voting at an annual or special Section meeting.
    3. The Rules may be amended by a simple majority of Active Members voting at an annual or special Section meeting.
    4. Procedures are the lowest level of documentation of Section operations. They are generally established to provide continuity in the conduct of Section business. The Procedures may be suspended or amended by a simple majority vote of the Executive Committee.