WAFWA Welcomes Jim Fredericks as President
WAFWA’s 104th Annual Summer Meeting was held in Provo, Utah the week of June 2, 2025. This conference was held in conjunction with WAFWA’s Conservation Business Managers Association workshop with a total attendance of over 450 people between the two groups. This is the largest meeting WAFWA has hosted since COVID. We were excited to have so many engaged state agency leadership and staff working together and with partners to advance fish and wildlife conservation efforts in the West.
Highlights from Summer Meeting include:
- More than 30 of WAFWA’s Initiatives, Committees, and Working Groups met over the 5-day meeting. Sessions for these groups ranged from formal presentations to informal discussions of conservation efforts, accomplishments, and challenges.
- Several field tours highlighted the resources in and around north central Utah.
- An Agency Foundations Workshop entitled “Connecting the West” where foundations discuss how to best support their associated fish and wildlife agencies.
- The second cohort of the Student Engagement Program was a success providing 7 students with professional connections to member agencies.
The week comprised of hours of discussions, planning, and collaboration culminated in the Executive Committee and Business meeting on Friday, June 6. During the business meeting, Jim Fredericks, Director of Idaho Department of Fish and Game was named President of WAFWA for the 2025-2026 year. Idaho Department of Fish and Game will be hosting the 2026 WAFWA Summer Meeting in Boise, Idaho.
Director Fredericks has been instrumental in bringing fish topics and projects to WAFWA’s forefront. He serves as the Chair for the WAFWA Fisheries Committee, has helped guide the Trojan Male (YY) Fish program into its next phase, and supports WAFWA’s onboarding of two additional Fish Habitat Partnerships – Desert Fish Habitat Partnership (under WAFWA since 2024) and Great Plains Fish Habitat Partnership (moving to WAFWA in Autumn 2025).
“I’m honored and humbled by the opportunity to serve as WAFWA’s president,” said Fredericks. “Since becoming active with the association 10 years ago, I’ve developed a deep appreciation of the critically important role WAFWA has played for the last 105 years – facilitating coordination, partnerships, and development and implementation of science-based management to conserve fish and wildlife resources in the west. I look forward to working with member agencies and the staff at WAFWA to build on this remarkable legacy.“
WAFWA anticipates great progress under Director Frederick’s leadership over the next year… and looks forward to returning to our home city of Boise, Idaho in June 2026!
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