By: Dana Sackett, PhD Here at The Fisheries Blog our current situation begs the questions: can fish be infected with viruses too?  The answer is a resounding yes.  But before we get into the details, let’s first describe what a virus is and how it is different from other pathogens (things that cause disease), such…

If you’re anything like me, you have probably gained close to 10 pounds over the last month, which means it’s time to own up to your new nickname. With our new name generator, let your birthday decide what your friends should call you as they admire your new trophy fish bod. These are all real…

By: Dr. Dana Sackett As we all face a global pandemic together, we can each do our part in these uncertain times by following the guidance of our amazing scientists at the World Health Organization and Center for Disease Control (I strongly encourage everyone to read over their guidelines).  Their guidance includes telling everyone that…

“Learn how to market yourself.”  Millennials have been beaten over the head with this order since a fairly young age. In a competitive world, knowing what makes you competitive is just as important as being competitive. Being smart, talented, or accomplished may not be worth anything if the gatekeepers never notice. Some argue that having…

By: Dana Sackett Each year brings new discoveries of organisms we had no idea we shared the Earth with.  Some of these discoveries, particularly those in the aquatic environment (though I may be a bit bias), can leave people scratching their heads in wonder.  In 2001, an international project called the All Species Inventory was…

I’ve spent this winter paying attention. I’m learning the names of the birds in the bamboo grove behind my office, where the spotted salamanders hide, where the white-tail deer scrape the ground, where the oyster mushrooms grow. I grew up in almost-urban New Jersey, and my “natural literacy” began and ended with cardinal, blue jay,…