Society for Freshwater Science

Society for Freshwater Science (SFS) Press Release No. 1

Date: June 6, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Members of the North American Benthological Society (NABS) voted by a majority of 78 percent to change the society’s name to the Society for Freshwater Science (SFS) at their annual meeting held May 22–26, 2011 in Providence, RI. Eighty-one percent of members also voted to change the society’s journal title from the Journal of the North American Benthological Society to Freshwater Science.

These votes were the culmination of a 14-month long process, open to its worldwide membership of nearly 1800 individuals. The membership crosses many employment sectors, including academia, private consulting, and federal, state, provincial, and municipal governments.

The Society was founded in 1953 as the Midwest Benthological Society by 13 charter members in Havana, IL. The Society changed its name to the North American Benthological Society at its Cincinnati, OH meeting in 1974.

The Society for Freshwater Science (SFS) is an international scientific organization whose purpose is to promote further understanding of freshwater ecosystems (lakes, rivers, streams, reservoirs, and estuaries) and ecosystems at the interface between aquatic and terrestrial habitats (wetlands, bogs, fens, riparian forests and grasslands). The society fosters exchange of scientific information among the membership, and with other professional societies, resource managers, policy makers, educators, and the public. Society members study freshwater organisms, from their genetics to community structure, freshwater ecosystem function, and the physical processes that affect freshwaters. Applied aspects of their science include habitat and water quality assessment, conservation, fisheries and invasive species management, integrated water resource management, and restoration.