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AFS member Mažeika Sulliván of Clemson University testified last week at a Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing, "Examining the Implications of Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency for Clean Water Act Protections of Wetlands and Streams."

More information about the impact of the Sackett decision on water quality is available in a new perspective article in Fisheries, "Waters of the United States: An Urgent Call for Action by Fisheries and Aquatic Science Professionals."

AFS and other organizations hosted a Congressional briefing on aquatic invasive species (AIS) this week. The briefing follows up on a report released earlier this year by the Aquatic Invasive Species Commission, of which AFS is a member. The hearing included topics such as ballast water treatment, invasive carp barriers, and new methods to predict and control the spread of AIS.

Through the spawning seasons project, fishers were empowered to contribute to science and be part of the scientific process, which in turn can lead to continuing interest and participation in future management solutions that ensure sustainability. Fishers can use the information learned in this study to practice sustainable fishing by allowing fish to spawn before targeting them. By using science to substantiate traditional management practices based upon observed spawning behaviors, the participants were able to reinforce behaviors that celebrate sustainability within the larger fishing community.

This research highlights the detrimental effects of releasing Northern Pike off stringers during culling. The authors discovered that this practice results in stress, injury, and frequently death in released fish. Fisheries managers should consider implementing regulations explicitly disallowing this practice to avoid negative impacts on fish populations.

During a recent interview about my journey to AFS leadership, I was asked “Does anyone stand out that inspired or mentored you early in your career?” That question led to a quick mental survey of my career path and to recollections of pivotal points where someone wiser or with a different perspective offered me really good advice from which I benefitted greatly. Accordingly, my answer to the question was an emphatic “Yes! Yes!! And yes!!! I would not be where I am today without sound guidance, wise counsel, and a swift kick in the pants as needed from caring people along the way. I am the embodiment of that child raised by a village; from elementary school to today.” 

This paper synthesizes trout management philosophy and policies for Black Hills streams in the states of South Dakota and Wyoming through the roles of hatcheries, fish stocking, and natural production from 1883 to 2023. The authors identified three specific fisheries management time periods (eras) in the Black Hills: (1) the early management–fry stocking era (pre-1950), (2) the catchable-trout stocking era (1950s to mid-1990s), and (3) the integrated management era (mid-1990s to present).

The Transactions of the American Fisheries Society, the North American Journal of Fisheries Management, the North American Journal of Aquaculture, the Journal of Aquatic Animal Health, and Marine and Coastal Fisheries have adopted a new layout. We are pleased to present an abbreviated visual guide to some of the major new elements. See the Author Guidelines at the ScholarOne submission site for journal-specific requirements and further details.