I completely changed how I teach fisheries and wildlife sciences, and I used Bigfoot to do it. I realized we don’t have to choose between teaching analytical skills or scientific literacy. After all, science is based on the process of inquiry. As researchers, we acknowledge this fact everyday: we have to, we live it. Isn’t…
Category: The Fisheries Blog
How to land a technician job in fisheries and wildlife
Spring: a wonderful time of year when a young biologist’s thoughts turn to field work and all the great experiences that come with it. But to earn paid access to all those rivers and mountains, you have to go through the time-honored process of dusting off your résumé, writing cover letters and personal statements, and…
Three a-LURE-ing aquatic adaptations!
Hey anglers, what’s your favorite fishing lure? Does it mimic a minnow? How about a crayfish or salamander? As sport fishing has become more popular, fishing lures have evolved to appear more and more realistic. But they still can’t match the natural lures produced my millions of years of evolution. This week, we’ve teamed up…
Deeper understanding from shallow streams
Chubs are prolific ecosystem engineers. Photo by B. Peoples Chubs (Nocomis spp.) are large minnows that are common throughout eastern North America. In spring, adult male chubs carry gravel in their mouths to construct large, mound-shaped nests for spawning. Nests can be 1.5 m in diameter and over a half-meter tall. Chub nests are unique…
Unlikely invaders
by Brandon Peoples The media likes to make a big deal about invasive species. We’ve seen plenty videos of jumping carp, documentaries about Red Lionfish, and photos of pipes choked by zebra muzzels. But what about the other aquatic invaders, the ones that sometimes sneak past the headlines…the species that may even be threatened in their…
The top 10 list of natural resources schools (is completely rubbish)
by Brandon Peoples Late this summer, an interesting link popped up on my Facebook feed: “The 10 best colleges for studying natural resources and conservation”. The list was put together by College Factual, a website dedicated to helping people find college programs that will improve their employment possibilities after graduation. I clicked the link, and was…
Biologists take over Twitter
by Anne Hilborn, guest blogger Many scientists (myself included) are initially suspicious of using social media professionally, thinking it a bit too show offy, a bit too much like tooting your own horn, a bit too much of a waste of time. However, many of us eventually discover it can be a great tool for…
Why are fish cold blooded?
A pretty simple question, right? But the answer may be a bit more complicated than you think. First, we have to specify what exactly it means to be “cold blooded” with a few definitions. We’ll start with the terms, endothermic and ectothermic. I’m sure you’ve got these down pat, as they probably were drilled into…
Slate editor puts us in the likes with NPR and the Guardian!
A huge “Thank You!” to Slate editors and writers last week for considering The Fisheries Blog in the likes with NPR and the Guardian!!!
Invasive species recipes
by Brandon Peoples Invasive species are one of the greatest threats to global biodiversity. Eradication of most invasive fishes is rarely feasible. However, reducing the biomass of invasive species to keep them from getting a leg-up (so to speak) can be a lucrative alternative. Establishing commercial and recreational fisheries for invasive fishes can be a…
Giving back: a fisheries biologist’s mission
by Aaron Cushing, guest blogger Fisheries biologists love fish. It’s that simple. We all work long days in the summer sun to improve fisheries resources in lakes and streams across the world. In freshwater, we electrofish after dark to sample as many fish as possible to get the best data, often going to bed when…
ResearchGate: a love/hate relationship
by Brandon Peoples As someone who writes a science blog, I’m a de facto supporter of using social media to promote scientific research. Most folks know about Facebook and Twitter, and many scientists use LinkedIn to connect with one another. But a growing number of us use another social media platform—ResearchGate—that fills a unique niche in…
The Mystery of the Unidentified Fish Prey
What do fish eat? With regard to the non-native Blue Catfish in Virginia’s tidal rivers, this question is routinely answered as “everything!” Once these Blue Catfish grow over 23 inches, however, they shift to piscivorous (eating mostly fish) diets that allow them to grow to weights in excess of 100 pounds! These fishy diets wouldn’t…
I Am A Fisheries Biologist
So what are these crazy unrealistic fisheries biologists up to? They are working with the United Nations and non-fisheries folks to help provide food for a growing global population.
Q-n-A: Marine Fisheries Observer
Bycatch from commercial fishing vessels is a major fisheries issue. But did you ever wonder how bycatch is estimated and accounted for? This week, we sat down with Mitchell Masser, a National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) certified North Pacific groundfish observer, to get a feel for the importance of the work of marine fisheries observers….
The Fisheries Blog 