This week Kadie catches up with Bridgette Nicolosi, a master's student at Georgia Southern University. Bridgette's research focuses primarily on larval fish ecology—an often overlooked yet critical area of fisheries research. She has experience across diverse ecosystems, from the cold mountain streams of the West to the Piedmont of the Carolinas an…

This week, Preston chats with Dr. Mike Bednarski, who is the Chief of Fisheries for the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (VDWR). Mike compares and contrasts the infamous "big three" invasive freshwater fishes that are hot topics of conversation in Virginia. They also discuss Mike's career arc, as well as some of the threats facing the futu…

This week Kadie chats with Lauren Diaz, a Ph.D. candidate at Oregon State University studying steelhead life history diversity and population dynamics. Listen in to hear about how snorkel surveys and a larval hellbender salamander project got Lauren hooked on stream ecology, why she values education so much, and all about the complex life history s…

This week, Elise (IG: @elisemobranchii) chats with Tidal Black Bass Manager, Maryland native, and longtime Fisheries Podcast listener Ryan Gary to discuss his career in fisheries research and management (which began very early in his childhood)! They cover Ryan's MSc research on paddlefish in Oklahoma and current work with black bass in Maryland, h…

Brook Schryer from the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters joins Brendan on this weeks episode to talk about aquatic invasive species in Ontario and his last 9 years with the Invading Species Awareness Program (ISAP)! From the origins of the ISAP as a Zebra Mussel reporting hotline to removing over a million mystery snails they cover topics i…

This week, Preston chats with Dr. Eric Hallerman. Eric retired earlier this year following a 34 year career as a faculty member of Virginia Tech's Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation. They discuss Eric's career path and how he has been keeping busy after retirement. They also take a deep dive into the fisheries genetics realm and discuss n…

Dr. Caleb Hasler joins Brendan to talk about his work on catch and release angling, some new techniques using genetic expression to look at stress in fish, and his work on two American Fisheries Society Books, available now! He's also looking for a new curling team, if you're in Winnipeg hit him up. The title image in today's episode is a picture o…

This week, Elise (IG: @elise_the_mermaid) chats with Puerto Rican marine scientist and educator Wanda Ortiz Baez (IG: @sharkchicapr). Wanda holds bachelors degrees in Biology and Industrial Microbiology, as well as a Master's in Marine Science from the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez. In this episode, we discuss Wanda's passion for sharing sh…

This week Kadie chats with Dr. Joey Bernhardt (@JoeyBernhardt) an integrative ecologist and an Assistant Professor at the University of Guelph. Joey's research, much of which has been centered around global change, seafood and human nutrition, aims to deepen our fundamental understanding of the drivers of biodiversity change and the implications of…

This week, Preston chats with Ross Self, who is the Chief of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources' Freshwater Fisheries Section. They discuss Ross' career arc, as well as the highs and lows from a fish chief's point of view. Finally, Ross discusses the positive experiences that have come from increased interactions with the boating an…

This week Brendan chats with Dr. Michael Rennie about the IISD Experimental Lakes Area – or ELA for short. The ELA is one of the most influential freshwater research facilities in North America, using whole lake experiments to unravel some of the mysterious connections hidden in our natural world. Brendan and Dr. Rennie discuss the history of the E…

This week Nick hops back in the hosting saddle to chat with Joe Cermele. Joe has been in the popular fishing media world for twenty years. You may have read his work in Field and Stream, Outdoor Life, or a handful of other print magazines (or online), watched his work in B-Side Fishing or Hook Shots, or listened to him on Bent or Cut and Retie, two…

This week, Elise (IG: @elise_the_mermaid) chats with Rose Leeger (IG: @researcherose), a Nova Southeastern University alum, 3-time NOAA intern, and current PhD student at University of Colorado Boulder in the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research. Topics covered include Rose's research experience which spans oysters, penguins, the Antarctic tooth…

This week Kadie chats with returning guest, Tyler Winter and new guest, Dr. Shannon Fisher about how Minnesota's recent Native Fish Bill came about via collaborative efforts between the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and various conservation groups. Tyler is a lifelong angler, conservationist, and environmental scientist. Tyler and his f…

This week, Preston chats with Steven Bardin, who is quite possibly the busiest person in the field of fisheries. Steven owns a successful small business where he manages the fisheries in private impoundments to meet his clients' goals. He is also a co-founder of the Black Bass Stewardship Group and the Director of the Fisheries Management Division …

This week, Elise (IG: @elise_the_mermaid) talks with Dalhousie University PhD candidate Zoya Tyabji (IG: @zotabs)! For her PhD research, she surveys landing sites across India to gain a deeper understanding of the catch composition of sharks, rays, and chimaeras, in combination with fisher interviews to understand the social needs of stakeholders, …

“Our goal for Wandering Waters is to get people out and exploring our parks, either on a stand up paddle board, a kayak, or a canoe and seeing our parks from a different perspective. You can go to a park like Hungry Mother and hike up to the top of Molly's Knob and get that giant panoramic scenic view. But then you can come back down and either ren…

This week Kadie chats with Dr. Maia Sosa Kapur, a Research Mathematical Statistician with the NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center. Throughout the interview, we talk about how Maia found her dream career in stock assessment, what the day-to-day and season-to-season look like for stock assessment work, different cool research projects Maia has led a…

This week, Preston chats with Dr. Jeff McKinnon. Jeff is a professor of biology at East Carolina University and primarily studies various evolutionary processes in fish populations around the world. He is also the author of the recently published book Our Ancient Lakes: A Natural History. They discuss some of Jeff's research projects, provide liste…

“For us to get to Grey’s Point campground, we had to pass through Urbanna. So one day I made a left just to explore and I was like, 'Wow! It’s so beautiful!' The boats and the waterfront, dining and nice houses. It’s this vibe that you just have to experience for yourself.” – Rivah Sistah Patricia Clement Welcome to the charming port town of Urbann…

This week, Elise (IG: @elise_the_mermaid) talks with Dr. Leandro Castello about his interdisciplinary research on arapaima fisheries in the Amazon, his new study on the accuracy of fishers' memories in reconstructing a history of past catches (linked below), and how these memories can be used to better manage data poor fisheries in developing count…

"Everybody has a favorite place in Virginia like a trail, a sunset, a beach, a lake, or a river. Everyone has a place that's special to them and everyone is invested in trying to make sure that it's there for their kids and their grandkids. And that's such a unifier. When you're on the trail with people, you're not talking about politics, you're ta…

This week Kadie chats with Dr. Peyton Thomas, a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Colorado Boulder with the Arctic Rivers Project and a professional trail runner. Peyton received her Ph.D. in Biology and Marine Biology in 2022 where she studied fish muscle physiology and potential adaptative responses under projected end-of-centu…

This week, Preston catches up with Seth Mycko, a sportfish biologist with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. They discuss the movement and abundance of a southern riverine Smallmouth Bass population, hybrid crappie, and NCWRC's angling outreach efforts. Main point: "Your estimates are only as good as your data" Seth's email address: …

“Sarah and I want folks to gain some confidence recreating in the outdoors, especially in our Virginia State Parks, and gain some knowledge on how to recreate safely. That's our big two takeaways. Making sure folks can leave our programs feeling confident enough to do it on their own or tag along with their friends and try to share those experience…

This week Brendan chats with Dr. Margaret Docker about her career working on sex determination in Sea Lamprey that has spanned two and a half decades, the challenges faced in uncovering this mystery, and the recent advances that put the goal in sight. In addition, they chat about an upcoming "Special Issue on the Underappreciated Native Fishes of N…

This week Katelyn chats with Heather Bauer Reid, a Ph.D. student at Trent University. Heather talks about the interpopulation variation of aquatic species in response to temperature changes, her research centered around the intraspecific variation that exists within fish species, and her experiences at Friday Harbor Laboratories. Main point: Don’t …

This week, Elise (IG: @elise_the_mermaid) chats with her friend and colleague Baylie Fadool (IG: @baylie_amberr). They discuss Baylie's many roles with the Bimini Shark Lab, her brand new nurse shark publication which spans 17 years of data, the importance of age and growth studies, how science and art overlap, and more! Main point: You belong here…

This week Kadie chats with Niall Clancy about the recently released book, Keeping the Last Best Fishery: advice from Montana's biologists to the next generation, which is a series of interviews that he edited and published. Throughout this conversation, we talk about how this book came about, some key takeaways, and Niall's favorite piece of advice…

“For almost 200 years we didn't have this native animal. It was because of volunteers and people like Jackie with Virginia DWR and their combined efforts with Breaks Park who worked together to restore the area that elk have returned. Visitors are amazed at how big and how majestic the animal is. It's like an entire rainbow of emotions - excitement…

Episode 250! This week, Preston catches up with Fisheries Podcast founder and original host, Nick Kramer. They discuss two major milestones that the podcast achieved in recent months. Nick also recaps a trophy carp management survey that he recently completed and an upcoming project to create a greenhouse for growing aquatic plants. Main point: "Sh…

“As part of the change in economy, we reforested the eastern part of the United States. We have a lot of forests now that are about 100 years old. As the trees came back, the deer came back, as the deer came back, the ticks came with them. And then the pathogens, of course, come along for the ride as well. I think about it from an ecology perspecti…

In the second part of this series on the 2nd Vice President of AFS candidates, Kadie interviews Dr. Marlis Douglas! Marlis is a Professor of Biodiversity Conservation at the University of Arkansas. Throughout the interview, we talk about Marlis' career path, how she came to co-author The Narrative Gym For Science, and why she is running for the 2nd…

In the first part of this series, Elise (IG: @elise_the_mermaid) interviews Lori Martin, one of two candidates running for the position of 2nd Vice President of the American Fisheries Society this year. Listen in to hear about Lori's long career in aquatic biology which includes electrofishing in high school, her "retirement", and her career-long a…

This week Kadie chats with new Fisheries Podcast co-host, Brendan Spearin. We cover his (self-described) idiosyncratic career, his love of maps, how he landed in his current role working with aquatic invasive species (AIS), and why he decided to volunteer as a host of the Fisheries Podcast! Check it out! Main point: Our aquatic resources and natura…

“There's a real excitement about Farmville, a steady progression, where we sit on this cusp of what we all think is an opportunistic moment for Farmville to shine. It's a great place to live, work, and recreate. That is our new tag for the town and I think it fits us well.” – Mayor Brian Vincent Welcome to Farmville in the heart of central Virginia…

This week, Preston catches up with Dr. Don Orth, who recently retired as a professor from Virginia Tech. They talk about Don's numerous research topics throughout his career, how teaching changed during his time at VT, two recently published books, and some advice for current and future fisheries professionals. Main point: "Pay attention, be astoni…

This week Katelyn chats with Christian Bihun, a Ph.D. candidate at Trent University. Christian talks about his experiences working at a walleye hatchery, his research aimed at refining the walleye bioenergetics model in Great Lakes populations, and the influence of climate change on female fish. https://www.rabylab.com/people Get in touch with us! …

“I couldn't be more proud. My staff and I have a lot of pride in taking care of these areas and this landscape, because there are so many things to love and there is so much uniqueness. But part of management is balancing the use these areas receive and trying to figure out ways to work with the public, or work with the partners, or work with a vol…

This week, Elise (IG: @elise_the_mermaid) chats with Dani Escontrela, a PhD candidate studying the cushion star and other corallivores at the University of Hawaii Manoa. They talk about Dani's work with the Peace Corps, the relationships between coral reefs and fisheries, and the many challenges of studying corallivory - including keeping sneaky cu…

This week Kadie chats with Miranda Bell Tilcock about how to use fish eye lens to look at habitat use and diets, her work as a senior environmental scientist for the Delta Stewardship Council, how she balanced being a mom with finishing her master’s, and more! Check it out! Main point: Don’t be too hard on yourself! If you’d like to get in touch wi…

“The best way to describe how I got into this journey is that in the past, I've hiked the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail, and I've done bike tours from Mexico to Canada, and those journeys always gave me faith and they renewed my spirit, and they breathed new life into me. Those challenges always put me in a very positive and happy p…

In this episode, new host Preston Chrisman interviews Dr. Jason Doll of Francis Marion University. Jason discusses his career to-date, his role in the creation of the new Freshwater Ecology Center at FMU, and his numerous ongoing research projects. Additionally, Jason provides an overview of his strong quantitative background and the issues involve…

In this episode Nick breaks the rust off his hosting skills to interview a new host for the show: Preston Chrisman. Preston is an avid listener of the podcast and appeared on the show in 2021. Tune in to hear about what Preston has been working on in South Carolina since his last episode including a Largemouth Bass removal project, the development …

This week Katelyn chats with Zach Jones, an M.Sc. student in the Trophic Ecology Fisk Lab at the University of Windsor. Zach talks about the role of philosophy in science, understanding habitat coupling via stable isotope analysis, and winter duration effects on smallmouth bass. Main point: It’s important to maintain a relationship with our natural…

“My husband and I traveled out west and saw wonderful, amazing sights. My favorite thing was coming back into Southwest Virginia, seeing our mountains and knowing that I was home. It was so beautiful. There's nothing like it being here in the coalfields and the small towns. You know, it's gorgeous out there. But being back here, it's a comfort. I j…

This week Kadie chats with Anthony Dangora, a regional fisheries biologist from Idaho Fish and Game (IDFG) out of McCall, Idaho. In this episode, we cover Anthony's early focus on larval otoliths and salmonids, his career path thus far, and also talk about many of the cool seasonal opportunities available out of IDFG. Check it out! Main point: Be o…

“One of my favorite things about Virginia summits is I love going up there and being able to stare out, getting lost in the views. Virginia has so many beautiful views - Appalachian Mountain, Shenandoah Mountains, Blue Ridge Mountains - we've got them all and being able to look out at the mountains, out at the farmlands, it's just amazing.” – Erin …

This week Katelyn chats with Luc LaRochelle, a PhD student in the Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Lab at Carleton University. Luc talks about his research on maternal effects, assessing post-release behaviour, and the importance of catch-and-release angling. Main point: Try not to always take hero shots and get that fish back in the water.…

In this week's episode, Elise (IG: @elise_the_mermaid) chats with Costa Rican researcher and Cal State Long Beach Master's student Sergio Madrigal Mora (IG: @sergiomm_77). They discuss how he has juggled coursework in California and field work in Costa Rica, the importance of building international research collaborations, and his preliminary resea…