Origins and Goals

The organization of the North American Association of Fisheries Economists is a volunteer effort of fisheries economists from across North American who are interested in strengthening communication across our profession. We hope to get to know each other better personally, and to learn more about the work that others are doing and planning.

Most of us are long time members of the International Institute of Fisheries Economics and Trade (IIFET), and have enjoyed attending the biennial IIFET meetings. The idea for a North American Association of Fisheries Economists (NAAFE) and the North American Fisheries Economics Forum arose in January 2000 at a meeting of the USDA-sponsored Western Coordinating Committee on Markets, Trade and Fisheries Management (WCC 109). At that meeting we discussed how much we enjoyed and benefited from the IIFET meetings, but how these meetings were difficult to attend for many North American fisheries economists--including government employees and students--due to the cost of travel. We also discussed how meetings of other professional organizations whose focus is broader than fisheries economics do not provide the focused opportunity to meet with people who share our specific interests and who are engaged in similar kinds of work.

We hope that by holding biennial fisheries economics forums in different parts of North American in odd-numbered IIFET "off-years" (e.g. 2001, 2003, etc.) we can provide a regular opportunity to meet with North American colleagues, which will complement the valuable opportunity provided by IIFET meetings to meet with international colleagues. We also hope to encourage North American participation in IIFET.

At present, we view the organization of biennial fisheries economics forums as the main activity of NAAFE. Although we have talked about the possibility of engaging in other activities (such as publishing a journal or maintaining a fisheries-economics related web-site), we believe that those activities are better undertaken by existing organizations, such as IIFET and Marine Resource Economics. We hope to complement rather than compete with these organizations.

We have discussed the organization of NAAFE with the Executive Committee of IIFET, which has supported and encouraged our efforts. NAAFE will be affiliated with IIFET, although the specific nature of the affiliation remains to be worked out.

The primary goal of NAAFE is to encourage communication among fisheries economists. NAAFE will not take any positions on any issues as an organization.

NAAFE Board of Directors

At present, NAAFE is directed by a Board of Directors. The board consists of a president, a president-elect, a treasurer, and two board members.  For further details can be found on the Officers page.

NAAFE Bylaws

We have developed draft bylaws for NAAFE modeled after the IIFET bylaws. To view the bylaws, please go to the Bylaws page.

Formal Establishment of NAAFE

The formal establishment of NAAFE took place at the First North American Fisheries Economics Forum, including ratification of the bylaws and election of an Executive Committee and officers.

NAAFE Secretariat/Business Office

At present, the Secretariat of NAAFE, including this web-site, is based at IIFET/Oregon State University.

Ann L. Shriver is serving as director. For assistance with administrative issues, as well as comments and suggestions about this web site, she may be contacted at the following address:

Ann L. Shriver
NAAFE Business Office
c/o IIFET
Dept. of Ag. & Resource Economics
Oregon State University
Corvallis, OR 97331-3601
Phone: 1 541 737 1416
Fax: 1 541 737 2563
Email:ann.l.shriver@oregonstate.edu

NAAFE Funding

Because NAAFE's activities will be limited primarily to organization of the North American Fisheries Economics Forum, we hope to keep our administrative expenses low, and to support them primarily from modest membership dues.

We encourage you to join NAAFE.