Asian Fisheries Society
Terms of Reference

1. Executive Committee

The Executive Committee (Execom) will assist the Council to meet the following AFS Strategies

  1. Addressing fisheries issues
  2. Disseminating information
  3. Linking fishery scientists through triennial forum
  4. Encouraging networking
  5. Developing young scientists
  6. Promoting global cooperation

Committee objectives

  1. With assistance of the Executive Officer, provide leadership and management of the major business of the Society
  2. To ensure good governance of the Society
  3. To ensure that the constitution of AFS and governance rules meet the changing needs of the Society.
  4. To assist the Working Committees meet their goals

NB: Chair to liaise and consult with all other Committee members in carrying out the following activities and reporting to Council. Major decisions need to be made through through the Council

General business:

  1. Manage the business of the Society, including staffing, membership and the Society's Office
  2. Oversee financial accounting and governance of the Society’s finances
  3. Through the Working Committees task the Committees to improve the role and functioning of the Society.

Rules and Regulations

  1. Recommend policies that will improve the functioning of the Society, including the role of Execom and Council.
  2. Through Council explore changes to the constitution as requested by Council.
  3. Bring suggested constitutional changes to General Assembly for endorsement and implementation.

Awards and Scholarships:

  1. Advertise and then select suitable recipients of Kanazawa Research Grants to the value advised by Council based on interest earned from the Kanazawa fund.
  2. Call for nominations and select suitable receipts of AFS awards (Gold, Honorary member etc following the guidelines and processes from the AFS Constitution and the nomination form.
  3. Report to Council on progress in meeting the Committee’s objectives.

International Affairs

  1. Ensure that branch activities are known to Council and all members through regular updating of activities through the AFS website.
  2. Encourage greater linkages and cooperation among Branches and Sections, including active participation in Council business.
  3. Develop a register of "guest speakers" from the branches/sections (including the affiliated branches of China and Korea) that could be invited to speak on different topics.
  4. Develop stronger partnerships and affiliation with other national Fisheries Societies, including implementing and maintain MOUs.
  5. Develop stronger partnerships with other relevant global Fisheries Societies, including implementing and maintain MOUs.
  6. Exploring opportunities and costs of AFS joining the World Council of Fisheries Society.
  7. Representing AFS at significant global events and conferences and raising awareness of Asian fisheries and aquaculture, its issues and science.
  8. Report to Council on its progress towards meeting its objectives.

2. Finance Committee

The Finance Committee will assist the Council to meet the following AFS Strategies

  1. Addressing fisheries issues
  2. Disseminating information
  3. Linking fishery scientists through triennial forum
  4. Encouraging networking
  5. Developing young scientists
  6. Promoting global cooperation

Committee objective
To oversee and ensure sound financial management of the AFS financial resources.

Activities
NB: Chair to liaise and consult with all other Committee members in carrying out the following activities and reporting to Council. Significant decisions need to be made through Execom and major decisions through Council.

  1. Support the Treasurer in day-to-day financial decision making, as appropriate.
  2. Ensure full recording of AFS expenditure and income (through the Secretariat) for the 3 AFS funds (i) Townhouse fund; (ii) Kanazawa fund, and (iii) General fund.
  3. Prepare annual budget and monitor actual versus expected expenditure and income.
  4. Explore ways to improve financial monitoring and reporting and through Execom seek financial support for these improvements.
  5. Ensure that AFS financial records are adequately audited.
  6. Report on financial status (expenditure, income, and balance), large revenue outcomes (e.g. triennial forum, and budget performance.

3. Publications Committee

The Publications Committee will assist the Council to meet the following AFS Strategies

  1. Disseminating information
  2. Encouraging networking
  3. Developing young scientists
  4. Promoting global cooperation

Committee objective
To improve the dissemination of information through the Asian Journal of Fisheries Science, e-newsletter and website.

Activities
NB: Chair to liaise and consult with all other Committee members and the Editor-in-Chief in carrying out the following activities and reporting to Council. Significant Decisions need to be made through Execom and major decisions through Council.

  1. Assist in the better management and information improve the turnover of scientific papers in the AFS Journal of Fisheries Science.
  2. Improve the overall standard of papers in the Journal so as to encourage more engagement with both Asian and World scientists.
  3. Actively pursue meeting SCI standards/criteria.
  4. Introduce better business systems for managing Journal papers.
  5. Oversee the production of the e-newsletter by encourage participation of members in sharing news.
  6. Introduce web-based sources of information and encourage technical for a on specific topics, (using e-group or similar)
  7. Report to Council on progress in meeting the Committee’s objective.

4. Workshop and Training Committee

The Workshop and Training Committee will assist the Council to meet the following AFS Strategies

  1. Addressing fisheries issues

Committee objective
To coordinate and promote workshops that cover a wide range of fisheries and aquaculture issues so that scientific advice can be formulated to address those issues.

Activities
NB: Chair to liaise and consult with all other Committee members in carrying out the following activities and reporting to Council. Significant Decisions need to be made through Execom and major decisions through Council.

  1. Coordinate AFS involvement in workshops, conferences and meetings, including the special series symposia that AFS has been involved with in the past e.g. Cage Aquaculture in Asia (CAA), International Symposium on Aquaculture and Fisheries Education (ISAFE).
  2. Where financial gain or expenditure is concerned, work closely with the Treasurer and Secretariat and Financial Committee to ensure sound financial governance.
  3. Where publication of proceedings are involved, work closely with the Editor-in-Chief and the publications committee.
  4. Examine and implement ways that AFS can support training of Asian fisheries scientists, including implementing special lectures in Universities.
  5. Report to Council on progress in meeting the Committee's objectives.

5. Forum & Conference Committee

The Forum and Conference Committee will assist the Council to meet the following AFS Strategies

  1. Linking fisheries scientists through triennium forum.

Committee objective
To plan and oversee the next triennium forum to be held in Korea, 2013 and any other AFS Conference.

Activities
NB: Chair to liaise and consult with all other Committee members in carrying out the following activities and reporting to Council. Significant Decisions need to be made through Execom and major decisions through Council.

  1. Liaise with Local Organising Committee (LOC) on all aspects of planning for the forum.
  2. Set up appropriate Committees to facilitate programming and logistics for the forum.
  3. Report to Council on progress made to running the next forum.

6. Membership Committee

The Membership Committee will assist the Council to meet the following AFS Strategies

  1. Addressing fisheries issues
  2. Disseminating information
  3. Linking fishery scientists through triennial forum
  4. Encouraging networking
  5. Developing young scientists
  6. Promoting global cooperation

Committee objective
To ascertain member's needs and increase the number of "active" members.

Activities
NB: Chair to liaise and consult with all other Committee members in carrying out the following activities and reporting to Council. Significant Decisions need to be made through Execom and major decisions through Council.

  1. Develop "campaign" material to promote benefits of AFS.
  2. Through various feedback mechanisms, ascertain members' needs from the Society.
  3. Contact (as many as possible) "inactive" members and encourage them to become "active".
  4. Introduce (i) more convenient mechanisms of paying of subscriptions (including sending of reminders) (e.g. website payment), (ii) monitoring of membership changes and (iii) through Execom seek financial support for these improvements.
  5. Actively promote increased membership through the Society's Branches and Sections.
  6. Report on progress in meeting the Committee's objective to Council.