50th ASL Congress & 43rd NZFSS Congress 2011

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Australian Society for Limnology (ASL) and is also significant because it continues our four-yearly combined conference.  Due to the strength of the Australian dollar and the cost of international travel, the ASL and NZFSS Committees have made arrangements for any NZ members travelling from NZ for the Congress be eligible for the discounted early registration rate of AUD$600 and AUD$430 for students members. This is a substantial reduction on what our Australian colleagues are paying.  Please ensure you register and pay by 20 July 2011.
Unfortunately there is no discount for the Conference Dinner; this is indeed a ‘real’ cost, and attendance at the dinner is optional.
The SIL Trust has pledged up to NZ$ 10,000 to assist with funding for students to attend the conference.  I will be working through the allocation of this funding with colleagues over forthcoming weeks.
The 2011 conference offers the opportunity for you to submit a proposal to run a Symposium during the conference.  The symposium theme should be in keeping with the conference theme of “Variability and the future of aquatic ecosystems in Australia and New Zealand”.  To date we have had only one symposium theme suggested from New Zealand.  Several members have indicated an interest in a theme of opening and closing regimes of tidally-influenced lakes.  I would encourage anyone with interest in this theme to let the president of ASL, Fran Sheldon (.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)) know of your interest or better still, to submit a proposal on this theme or any other that is relevant (see http://www.asl.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=90&Itemid=144).
Regards,
David Hamilton
President, New Zealand Freshwater Sciences Society