Science, Service & Stewardship
Supporting Virginia’s Aquatic Resources
01
Our Organization
Connecting Fisheries Professionals
The Virginia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, or VCAFS, is a subunit of the American Fisheries Society, the world’s oldest and largest organization dedicated to advancing the conservation and scientific management of aquatic resources.
Established in 1990, VCAFS provides fisheries professionals in Virginia with increased access to AFS and encourages the exchange of information among fisheries scientists and other aquatic resource professionals.
The chapter provides a forum for the discussion, debate, and resolution of aquatic resource issues within Virginia. It also serves the Commonwealth by providing expert scientific knowledge to support informed decisions concerning the use, conservation, and development of the state’s natural resources.
VCAFS membership includes many of the Commonwealth’s professional fisheries scientists, biologists, managers, educators, students, and other aquatic resource professionals.
02
Aquatic Diversity
A Remarkable Natural Heritage
Virginia’s abundant waters support a remarkable diversity of aquatic organisms, including approximately 220 species of self-sustaining fishes.
Watersheds such as the Clinch and Holston rivers in southwest Virginia contain some of the greatest concentrations of uncommon nongame fishes and freshwater mollusks found anywhere in the world.
03
Conservation Challenges
Protecting Waters Under Pressure
The integrity of many Virginia waters is increasingly challenged by population growth, development, pollution, and poor land-use practices.
Some waters are overburdened by wastewater inputs, while others experience reduced oxygen levels, sedimentation, and degraded aquatic habitat.
These impacts have adversely affected Virginia’s living aquatic resources, with state and federal authorities listing numerous fishes and aquatic invertebrates as threatened or endangered.
