We’re saddened to relay news of the passing of James R. Sedell, a committed and big-hearted US Forest Service and National Fish & Wildlife conservationist who had a sizable impact on fish and fisheries (an excerpt of his bio appears below).
Note that a scholarship fund has been created in Sedell’s name (for info, click here).
James R. Sedell, PhD, passed peacefully on August 18, 2012. Jim brought more than 30 years of experience with the US Forest Service in fish conservation and aquatic ecology research to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, which he joined in February 2008 as Director of Freshwater Fish Conservation. In that role, Jim pioneered a series of fish conservation strategies focusing on species in need, such as wild salmon and trout, but also on less charismatic but ecologically important species such as native chubs and sucker fish. He created dynamic and large-scale partnerships among diverse stakeholders with the ultimate goal of conserving more fish for all, always with a broad smile and hearty laugh. Prior to joining NFWF, Jim served as the Director of the Pacific Southwest Research Station of the U.S. Forest Service in Berkeley, California. In that position, he oversaw research in California, Hawaii, and the Pacific. He directed national programs concerning water, large watershed restoration, and Experimental Forest networks.
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Peter Moyle is the Distinguished Professor Emeritus in the Department of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology and Associate Director of the Center for Watershed Sciences, at UC Davis. He is author or co-author of more than 240 publications, including the definitive Inland Fishes of California (2002). He is co-author of the 2017 book, Floodplains: Processes and Management for Ecosystem Services. His research interests include conservation of aquatic species, habitats, and ecosystems, including salmon; ecology of fishes of the San Francisco Estuary; ecology of California stream fishes; impact of introduced aquatic organisms; and use of floodplains by fish.
Robert Lusardi is the California Trout/UC Davis Wild and Coldwater Fish Researcher focused on establishing the basis for long-term science specific to California Trout’s wild and coldwater fish initiatives. His work bridges the widening gap between academic science and applied conservation policy, ensuring that rapidly developing science informs conservation projects throughout California. Dr. Lusardi resides at the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences and works closely with Dr. Peter Moyle on numerous projects to help inform California Trout conservation policy. His recent research interests include Coho salmon on the Shasta River, the ecology of volcanic spring-fed rivers, inland trout conservation and management, and policy implications of trap and haul programs for anadromous fishes in California.
Patrick Samuel is the Conservation Program Coordinator for California Trout, a position he has held for almost two years, where he coordinates special research projects for California Trout, including the State of the Salmonids report. Prior to joining CalTrout, he worked with the Fisheries Leadership & Sustainability Forum, a non-profit that supports the eight federal regional fishery management councils around the country. Patrick got his start in fisheries as an undergraduate intern with NOAA Fisheries Protected Resources Division in Sacramento, and in his first field job as a crew member of the California Department of Fish & Wildlife’s Wild and Heritage Trout Program.