Great Lakes Fishery Commission – Meeting and Reception Code of Conduct (Code)

Great Lakes Fishery Commission (Commission) is committed to providing a safe, hospitable, and productive environment for everyone attending Commission-sponsored events, regardless of ethnicity, religion, disability, physical appearance, gender identity, or sexual orientation. A community where people feel uncomfortable or threatened is neither healthy nor productive. Accordingly, the Commission prohibits intimidating, threatening, or harassing conduct during its events. This code applies to speakers, volunteers, attendees and staff.

For the purposes of this code, harassment includes: offensive gestures or verbal comments related to ethnicity, religion, disability, physical appearance, gender identity, or sexual orientation; deliberate intimidation; stalking; harassing photography or recording; sustained disruption of presentations or other events; inappropriate physical contact; and unwelcome attention. Participants asked to stop any harassing behavior are expected to comply immediately.

If a meeting participant engages in harassing behavior, Commission leadership reserves the right to investigate and take any action it deems appropriate, ranging from a simple warning to the offender to expulsion from the current and future events. Persons being harassed or observing possible harassment are asked to contact a member of the Commission staff to resolve the situation.

Commissioners and Secretariat staff value participants’ attendance at Commission meetings and receptions. We strive to make everyone’s experience as productive and professionally stimulating as possible.

Please direct any concerns or comments regarding this code to Marc Gaden, Commission Executive Secretary.