Encouraged by this enthusiastic response, the Foundation Council met again to finalize plans for the First Asian Fisheries Forum. A constitution for the Asian Fisheries Society was drafted and guidelines for Forum and Society activities were drawn.
On 2 May 1984, in a short, historic meeting, the constitution was adopted as the basis of the Asian Fisheries Society. The Society then held its first general assembly and elected its councilors and first set of officers.
Generous support provided by the following institutions made it possible for those first few crucial meetings to take place: World Fish Center; International Development Research Centre, Canada (IDRC); University of Tokyo, Japan; University of Hong Kong; University of the Philippines in the Visayas; Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR).
The two years that followed were devoted to preparations for the Society's first major event, the First Asian Fisheries Forum scheduled for May 1986, and undertaking all the myriad tasks required to nurture a young society, including: securing financial support, expanding membership and publicizing the Society and its planned projects.
In 1987, the Society was registered as a nonprofit, non-stock corporation under Philippine laws. The Asian Fisheries Society, Inc. serves as the legal arm of the Society.