History

Kansas Chapter of the American Fisheries Society History 1974 to 1992

by Tom Mosher
The Kansas Chapter of the American fisheries Society began with a desire to form a local chapter in December 1974. Dr. Harold Klaassen, Kansas State University, mailed a questionnaire asking if there was a desire to form a state chapter. There is no indication how many surveys were sent, but he received positive responses from 24 AFS members and one maybe. Follow up meetings were held at the Kansas Forestry Fish and Game Office on Seth Childs Road in Manhattan in February, 1975 and at the home of Bob Domermuth in Manhattan in March 1975. A meeting to sign a petition for the chapter to the parent society and establish a set of draft by-laws was held at KSU April 5, 1975. At that meeting Harold Klaassen was elected chapter president, Frank Cross was elected vice president, and Leo Dowlin was elected secretary-treasurer. Dr. Otto Tiemeier, KSU, presented a brief talk about his accomplishments with catfish aquaculture. The petition for chapter status and drafted bylaws were accepted by the parent society at its annual meeting in Las Vegas, NV, and The Kansas Chapter of the AFS became officially recognized September 13, 1975.
The first Chapter meeting was held December 12 and 13, 1975 in Salina, KS. Forty-eight registrants attended the meeting where Robert Jenkins, director of the Reservoir Investigations Laboratory of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Fayeteville, AR and past AFS president, was the banquet speaker. It was decided that a December meeting interfered too much with the annual Midwest Fish & Wildlife Conference and Christmas Holidays, and the next meeting was scheduled for February, 1977. The treasury showed a balance of $97.71 after the 1975 meeting. Expenses for 1976 were recorded as $14.92 for postage and $17.81 for supplies, leaving a balance of $64.98 on Dec 31, 1976.
The second annual meeting was held February 25-26, 1977 in Newton KS with over 100 people in attendance. Dr. James Reynolds from the Missouri Cooperative Fisheries Research Unit presented the banquet address "The Future of Fisheries Management". Following a short technical paper session of 4 papers a panel discussion was held concerning water resources for fisheries in the future of Kansas- availability, quality, and competitive uses. A registration fee of $3.00 for professionals and $2.00 for students was assessed.
Providing funds to send a chapter representative to the Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference and annual meeting of the North Central Division of the AFS (NCD) was first discussed at the 1978 meeting in Emporia. A motion was made to provide $200 for a delegate to attend the NCD meeting, but was not seconded. Another motion to provide funding if money was available, as determined by the Executive Committee, was passed. It was also decided to ask Carl Sullivan, the Executive Director of the AFS, to provide $100 in travel funds. The resolution committee was formed during this meeting. Don Gabelhouse presented "silver scale" awards during the evening social. Due to mixed reviews from some of the recipients, this practice was not continued. Dr. Robert Boles, Emporia State University, presented slides and a travelogue of his trip to Africa.
In 1979 our chapter held a joint meeting with the Kansas Chapter of The Wildlife Society in Manhattan. During this meeting the by-laws were amended to change the office of vice president to president elect. In old business, members asked the president to follow up on the motion to ask for financial support to attend the NCD meeting from the parent society. Carl Sullivan responded that the parent society did not fund expenses for chapter members to attend divisional meetings. A similar request to "Larry" Larimore, NCD president, received a similar answer. The chapter passed its first three resolutions: 1. Public access to state bridges crossing state streams: 2. Send a chapter member to the citizens advisory committee of the Water Resources Board: 3. Support in-stream flow criteria. A minor problem arose paying motel expenses for the annual meeting that were settled during a special meeting in Manhattan. The first chapter newsletter was published during 1979.
In 1980 the Chapter sponsored a channel catfish workshop as part of its annual meeting in Topeka that included presentations from catfish managers in Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Joel Vance, MO Department of Conservation, presented a banquet speech entitled "PR, Pitfalls and Revelations". Members were encouraged to launch a letter campaign in support of Dingell-Johnson expansion efforts. A resolution to support mitigation needs for the Missouri River was passed, and letters supporting resolutions passed in 1979 were discussed and drafted.
The 1981 meeting was held with the Kansas Commercial Fish Growers Association in Hutchinson. Harold Ensley, The Sportsman's Friend, was our banquet speaker. Two resolutions calling for enhanced mitigation efforts on the Missouri River were passed. Letters supporting DJ expansion were continued in 1981. The chapter served as co-host to the 1981 Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference in Wichita in December during which the chapter collected $740.00 toward support of DJ Expansion efforts. New committees for DJ Expansion, Editorial, and Midwest arrangements were created.
The 1982 meeting was held in Junction City. Resolutions were passed to: 1. Ensure adequate reservoir storage for in-stream flow needs; 2. Oppose exemptions of hydropower reviews for projects generating <100 megawatts; 3. Maintain 404 permit reviews; Support DJ expansion efforts; 4. Commend Larry Winn for support of DJ expansion; 5. Support Clean Air HR 5555; 6. Oppose relaxation of clean air standards.
The chapter approved development of the "Bullfrog Award" and discussed best paper awards to be presented starting with 1983 meeting. Developed the first directory of Kansas Aquatic Workers. The first fall meeting was held at John Redmond Reservoir and Wolf Creek in October.
Jim Mayhew, Iowa DNR Chief of Fisheries and NCD President attended the 1983 meeting. Mike Hayden presented his views on fisheries and wildlife management and politics as banquet speaker. Dr. Otto Tiemeier was presented our first Distinguished Service Award. Bruce Taggart received the first "Bullfrog Award" from drag queen Robbie Friggeri. Past president awards were approved for all past presidents who were still active in the Chapter, and all future presidents. Members voted to hold two meetings, however, the fall 1983 meeting was poorly attended and cost more than funds received. Resolutions were passed to: 1. Reinstate funding for the Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units; 2. Support DJ expansion ; 3. Call for KS Dept. of Health & Environment (KDHE) to rescind policy of prohibiting habitat structures in water supply lakes.
Joe Dillard, MO Dept. of Conservation and NCD President, and Russ Hyer, National Wildlife Federation district director, were special guests at the 1984 meeting. Chapter dues were discussed for the first time to develop a better funding base. Until this meeting, Chapter finances were garnered from registrations received at the annual meetings. Officer terms were changed to coincide with the Parent Society and NCD terms beginning in Sept 1985. $100 was donated to the AFS permanent home fund. Ken Brunson was awarded the second "Bullfrog Award" with much less fanfare, although just as deserving, than the previous recipient. A resolution was passed to support minimum instream flow needs in the Neosho, Cottonwood, Marais des Cygnes, and Little Arkansas rivers. The first casino night was held.
It was decided the Chapter would join a liaison to "Save Cheyenne Bottoms" and a workshop to review management needs at Cheyenne Bottoms was presented by Jan Garton and Marvin Schwilling during the 1985 meeting. During the business meeting the scholarship committee was formed. The Chapter was granted a change in by-laws by the Parent Society and thus initiated Chapter dues of $5 for active members and $3 for students to begin in 1986. Resolutions were passed to: 1. Support inclusion of fish and wildlife benefits in the new state water plan; 2. Support instream flow needs in the Arkansas, Rattlesnake, and Ninnescah; 3. Include fisheries concerns in the revision of Kansas surface water standards; 4. Defense of intended use of DJ Funds. A letter campaign in support of the state water plan was initiated. Joe Harkins, Director of the Water Office presented the banquet speech. Testimony was presented to the legislature and during public hearings in support of the state water plan.
It was reported that Ranger Boats had donated $100 to the scholarship fund at the 1986 meeting. The Chapter officially joined the State Natural Resources Coalition and the first meeting was held at Emporia State University. Resolutions were passed to: 1. Support legislation to implement the fish, wildlife and recreation section to the state water plan; 2. Commend the Water Authority for including fish and wildlife in the state water plan; 3. Commend KDHE for upgrading surface water quality standards; 4. Support instream flow needs for 9 additional streams, and 5. Support the Kansas Fish and Game Commission's budget requests.
In 1987 the chapter received $100 from the Coleman Charitable Trust for the scholarship fund and participated in the Wildlife Appreciation Day at Topeka.
In 1988 a resolution was passed to support the governor's proposal to use gaming funds for natural resources management.
The 1989 meeting was held jointly with Nebraska and Iowa at the Aksarben Aquarium in Gretna, NE. Guests included AFS Presidents Stan Moberly, Bob White, Joe Dillard, and Lee Redmond.
At the 1990 meeting it was voted to continue the "Bullfrog Award" as a light-hearted award. The Chapter continued its support of Kansas Wildlife Heritage Month and Wildlife Appreciation Day. Resolutions were passed to: 1. Oppose arbitrary stocking of exotic fish and wildlife species; 2. Support the listing of threatened and endangered species and mitigation needs for Bone Creek Reservoir; 3. Support appropriation of funds for land acquisition for Missouri River mitigation; 4. Support public participation in administration hearings for clean water act discharge violations. A workshop on management with saugeye was presented. Bob Hooper, Solomon River Basin Advisory Board, was the banquet speaker. Testimony was presented opposing the removal of bighead carp from the prohibited species list in Kansas.
In 1991 resolutions were passed to: 1. Support funds for Missouri River mitigation; 2. Oppose legalizing bighead carp; 3. Suspend commercial harvest of mussels in Kansas; 4. Support regulations and state laws that protect threatened and endangered species in Kansas; 5. Support a moratorium on gravel dredging from Kansas streams; and, 6. Support stocking private impoundments by KDWP. $50 was donated to the AFS Home Fund and $200 to the initiation of the Carl Sullivan Excellence Award ("Sully"). Jeff Boxrucker, OK, and Dennis DeVries were guest speakers at a shad management workshop. Frank Cross received the second Distinguished Service Award.
The 1992 meeting was held at Shangi La Resort in OK. Joe Lillie attended in his orange jump suit and met his present wife. Sixteen resolutions were acted upon in a prolonged business meeting, followed by a suggestion that all future resolutions be printed in the Chapter newsletter before the meeting. $100 was donated to the AFS Permanent Home Fund, and $200 for the Water Conservationist of the Year Award. $500 was received as an honorarium to Otto Tiemeier for the scholarship fund. The first student scholarship ($100) was awarded to Linda Fusilier, Emporia State University. The August 1992 newsletter contained management briefs for the first time. An officers/committee chair meeting was held at Ravenwood in the fall were a Chapter handbook was initiated.