Society of Canadian Aquatic Sciences 2025

Welcome

The organizing committee is happy to welcome you to our event website! Here you will find more information about the conference, the speakers, and the schedule. This conference is entirely in-person (no virtual option available).

You must first go to the REGISTRATION tab to pay the registration costs. You may register without submitting an abstract if you wish to attend without presenting. If you wish to present, you must then go to the SUBMISSION tab to submit an abstract.

Abstracts are due by October 31, 2024. This is also the last day for EARLY registration. Starting November 1, 2024, LATE registration fees apply. Notification of abstract acceptance will be sent out on November 20, 2024. Registration closes Feb 14, 2025.

To offset costs, we are offering the Clemens-Rigler Travel Fund to undergraduates, graduates, and early career professionals. SCAS has budgeted for 25 awards at $500 each. The most important criterion is financial need. Please talk to your primary supervisor about the need to apply for the funds, as they are reserved for those who otherwise would not be able to afford to attend the conference. Deadline to apply is November 20. Applications are accepted via this form only.

We are also offering waivers for Indigenous registration for those that self-identify as Indigenous and require financial assistance to cover the cost of registration. If this applies to you, please select the 'waiver' option during registration.

This year we are introducing the best student oral and poster presentation awards; applicants MUST check the appropriate box when submitting an abstract, otherwise you will not be considered. Full details are available here. The Best Student Presentation Award will recognize a Ph.D. student who has demonstrated excellence in scientific research and communication demonstrated through a conference talk (full application deadline October 31, 2024). The Best Student Poster Award will recognize a M.Sc. student who has demonstrated excellence in scientific research and communication demonstrated through a poster presentation (full application deadline February 5, 2025). Oral presentation finalists (5) will be notified one month prior to the conference, and poster presentation finalists (10) will be notified just prior to the conference. Winners will be announced at the conference and receive free registration to the following year's conference and a waived open-access article processing charge from Canadian Science Publishing.

Your conference registration includes the following:

• morning and afternoon coffee and snacks during breaks
• 3 breakfasts (Feb 20, 21, 22)
• 1 dinner (Feb 21)
• appetizers during mixer (Feb 19 evening) and poster session (Feb 20 evening)
• plus access to the plenary and all session talks, poster session, business meeting, learning workshops, and social events

Our anticipated schedule: the conference will start with a FishCAST workshop 12-3pm Wednesday (indicate your interest here) plus a mixer and student event starting at 5pm; plenaries/sessions from 8:30-5 Thursday, plus a business meeting and poster session; sessions from 9-5 Friday, plus a poster session and banquet; and sessions from 9-5 Saturday.

Note that registration for members is far cheaper than the membership fee! Join here: https://www.scas-scsa.ca/JOIN to qualify for discounted member registration. We WILL check that you are a member if you choose to register using the member rates!

Hotels

There is one option that is right beside the convention center where the conference will be held. Note that you are responsible for booking your own accommodations.

The Sheraton Hamilton Hotel is physically connected to the Hamilton Convention Centre. Rooms are available Feb 19 - 23. Standard rooms are $209 and premium rooms are $249. The "cut-off" date for reserving rooms in the block is end of day on January 20, 2025. Conference attendees can call in their reservation directly (905) 529-5515 or book online. Please identify yourself as part of the SCAS Conference to take advantage of the rate. You can also book directly through this link: Book your group rate for the Society of Canadian Aquatic Sciences.