Crayfish Professional Organization Survey

[Westhoff, Jacob T]

Hello Invasive Crayfish Collaborators, 

Crayfish conservation and management are receiving more attention in North America than at any point in time and the ranks of those who work with crayfish professionally are growing quickly.   

In recent discussions among crayfish researchers and managers in North America it was brought up that there may be need for a new way to organize professionally to ensure those who work with crayfish are able to do so efficiently and with professional support.  We discussed several different options regarding how to approach this issue and decided the first step should be to reach out to a broader group of crayfish-linked professionals to solicit input.  We developed a short (17 questions) survey with questions related to your background related to crayfish, attendance and preference for professional meetings, and interest in several aspects of a crayfish-focused organization in North America.    

We will use the results of this survey to guide our next steps.  These steps may include keeping the status quo, developing better organization within an existing society or association, or seeking the creation of a new crayfish-focused organization in North America.  

  

Please consider answering the survey questions linked below. The survey is optional and individually identifiable responses will not be shared beyond the people listed below.  Even if you received more than one invitation to complete the survey, please only complete the survey one time.  You are welcome to share the survey link with others who may be interested in participating.  The survey will remain open until May 15, 2024.  

https://surveys.illinois.edu/sec/1255138774  

Thank you for your time and participation.  

  

Sincerely,  

Chris Bonvillain, Nichols State University  

Zachary Loughman, West Liberty University  

Dusty Swedberg, Illinois Natural History Survey/University of Illinois  

Chris Taylor, Illinois Natural History Survey/University of Illinois  

Jacob Westhoff, USGS MO Coop Unit/University of Missouri  

  

Additional context:  

There is currently no dedicated crayfish-focused professional organization specific to North America.  However, there are some organizations that fill certain roles for crayfish professionals.  The International Association of Astacology has many North American members and plays an important role in connecting crayfish researchers around the globe through their symposia, newsletters, and journal Freshwater Crayfish.  There are also crayfish-centric groups that have been created recently focused on invasive crayfish in the Great Lakes region (Invasive Crayfish Collaborative) and recovery of imperiled crayfishes (Crayfish Community of Practice).  In addition to these groups, there is an informal network of crayfish researchers and managers who communicate occasionally regarding the planning of symposia at other professional meeting (e.g., American Fisheries Society meetings). The intent of our efforts is not to detract from the function and effectiveness of any of these organizations or groups, but rather address gaps that may be limiting the advancement of crayfish-related science and management.