Bismarck, North Dakota
There were 75 participants, 17 paper and 12 poster presentations. The meeting started with an aquatic invertebrate identification and ecology continuing education course taught by Andre Delorme. The awards ceremony and banquet were held on February 22.
Luke Schultz (South Dakota State University) won the Best Student Paper for his presentation Fish Assemblages, Habitat, and ‘Thermal Effects: Patterns of Mountain Sucker Distribution in the Black Hills.’ The Best Poster was awarded to Matthew Ward, for his poster titled, Relations Between Number of Largemouth Bass Raised and Their Size in Blue Dog Hatchery Ponds. Paul Bailey won the Best Professional Paper for his presentation Estimating Population Size of Garrison Reach Paddlefish.
Several scholarships were awarded, including the Schmulbach Scholarship presented to Bobbi Adams from SDSU.
Alven Kreil Memorial Scholarships were presented to Terrance Velazquez and Nathan Satre.
Sauger Scholarships were presented to Aaron Burgad and Adam Larson from Valley City State University; and Nathan Satre and Kristopher Stahr from South Dakota State University.
Awards were presented for recognition of professional service and contributions toward improving the appreciation and use of aquatic resources in their communities. Brian Blackwell won the Robert L. Hanten Distinguished Professional Service Award. Matthew Ward and Jerry Wilhite won Outstanding Young Professional Awards. The Aquatic Resource Conservation Award was presented to Chris Nannenga and the Ransom County Soil Conservation District.
New chapter officers were elected at the meeting. Gary Knecht (Secretary/Treasurer), Jason Sorenson (Vice-President) and Michael Olson (President-Elect) join President-Elect Chris Longhenry as incoming officers for 2011.
