24 February 2026

The MIAFS Continuing Education Committee wants to hear from you!  Please take 5 minutes to fill out our MIAFS CE Survey following this link (https://forms.gle/iCiJoeJGU4bdqwSc6).  Responses are anonymous unless you choose to include your email. 

The needs of our membership help guide our upcoming workshop selections and every response is appreciated!

Attention: Registering for MIAFS Continuing Education workshops now require payment at time of registration for many courses.  Follow the appropriate link on the second page of the registration form.  Courses now have a cancellation timeline for refunds.  Timelines are included in the workshop announcement.

Did you know?  MIAFS CE workshops offer a student award and travel grant.  If you are a student or need financial support to attend a MIAFS CE workshop, please consider applying for our workshop award.  Application information is included in every workshop announcement and in the “Continuing Education Courses Available” tab of our webpage.

Webinars

MIAFS kicked off the year with two engaging webinars! In January, we hosted “Dos and Don’ts of Scientific Writing” to help sharpen writing skills for clear and impactful communication. February followed with “Conference Etiquette,” offering practical tips for making the most of professional events. Thank you to everyone who joined us—stay tuned for more learning opportunities!

Past workshops

Introduction to Aquatic Plant Identification workshop was cancelled due to low registration numbers.  We are looking to provide an alternative date for this training in the fall of 2026.

Michigan Dam Removal Project Management Workshop, facilitated by American Rivers with speakers from agencies including MDNR, USFWS, EGLE, GLFC, GEI, Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, was held in Traverse City MI on March 4&5, 2025.  This 2-day workshop focused on preparing individuals to work through the challenges of developing and managing a successful dam removal project. There were 68 participants with 10 students in attendance.

Sam Day (Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians) presenting on day 1.

Serena Willaims (American Rivers) presenting on day 1.

Participants visiting a Dam Restoration Site

Introduction to Fish Age Estimation Workshop, instructed by Lydia Doerr, Tyler Walls, Jacob McWethy, Wayne Heinzman, Brad Shucha, Shawn Sitar, and Dan Traynor (MDNR), was held at Northern Michigan University on February 19^th, 2025.  This workshop focused on the fundamentals of estimating fish age by informative lecture material followed by hands-on instruction in small groups.  There were 18 participants including 13 students.

Upcoming Workshops

Introduction to Fisheries Survey Gear Repair is currently full!

Introduction to Aquatic Plant Identification has been postponed due to low registration.  Please keep an eye out for a fall 2026 date for this course!

Identification of Non-Game Fishes of Michigan is being planned for fall 2026.

Upcoming Workshops

Introduction to Aquatic Plant Identification instructed by Jeremy Hartsock, Erick Elgin (Michigan State University Extension), and Billy Keiper (Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy) has been postponed due to low registration.  Please keep an eye out for a future date for this course!

A technical workshop is being planned for the Annual MIAFS meeting with TWS in February.  Keep an eye out for announcements!