NOAA Honored at 2009 American Fisheries Society Meeting

Jennifer Schull
NOAA Southeast Fisheries Science Center

October 26, 2009 — It was with great fanfare that the Music City of Nashville recently hosted the 139th Annual meeting of the American Fisheries Society (AFS), where more than 16,000 attendees — including 83 NOAA fisheries scientists — gathered to network, talk fish and share scientific findings. Two current, and two former NOAA Fisheries Service scientists were honored at the meeting.

AFS seeks to improve the conservation and sustainability of fishery resources and aquatic ecosystems by advancing fisheries and aquatic science and promoting the development of fisheries professionals.

Megrey Honored as Outstanding Marine Fisheries Biologist
Bernard Megrey of NOAA’s Alaska Fisheries Science Center received the AFS Oscar Elton Sette Award given annually to an “Outstanding Marine Fishery Biologist.”  Megrey, a long time AFS member, has worked on fisheries issues at the regional, national and international levels, including the organization and development of World Fisheries Congress meetings. Megrey and co-authors also were recognized with the Transactions of the AFS Best Paper Award. The paper, "Climate Regime Effects on Pacific Herring Growth Using Coupled Nutrient-Phytoplankton-Zooplankton and Bioenergetics Models," can be found in the AFS (online) Journal.

Vaughan Receives Distinguished Fisheries Service Award
Douglas Vaughan of NOAA’s Southeast Fisheries Science Center received the 2009 American Institute of Fishery Research Biologists (AIFRB) Distinguished Service Award, recognizing an AIFRB member who has performed outstanding and sustained service to the Institute.  The award recognizes Vaughan’s role as a liaison between AIFRB and the AFS, including his role in organizing a series of AIFRB-sponsored symposia on ways to improve quantitative stock assessments held at AFS annual meetings since 1996.

"I strongly support the role of the Institute in professional development of its members, and I am honored to be recognized for my efforts on their behalf over the years,” said Vaughan.

Boreman Elected American Fisheries Society 2nd Vice-President
John Boremam, former director of both the NOAA Fisheries’ Office of Science and Technology and NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center, was elected as 2nd vice president of AFS. Boreman chairs the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council Scientific and Statistical Committee and is a member of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee. He is also working with NOAA to develop the Marine Recreational Information Program and evaluate the Coral Reef Conservation Program's mapping, monitoring and assessment activities.

Brown Awarded Emmeline Moore Award 
Bradford Brown, former director of both NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center and the Southeast Fisheries Science Center, was awarded AFS’s new Emmeline Moore Award for achievements in diversifying the fisheries profession and promoting the demographic diversity in AFS.

“It is an honor to be the first recipient of this award, but the real heroes are those pioneer women and minorities who had the courage to break down the barriers," said Brown.

Congratulations to Vaughan, Megrey, Brown and Boreman for these worthy recognitions of professional achievement and contributions to the field of fishery research.