Dr. Andrew Rypel has been appointed to the Peter B. Moyle and California Trout Endowed Chair in Coldwater Fishes. This position ensures that water resource issues with major policy and management implications continue to be informed by robust science. The findings from these collaborations have and will continue to inform broad-scale coldwater fish conservation strategies throughout California.

The Endowed Chair position was established in honor of Dr. Peter Moyle and the historical working relationship between CalTrout and UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences, where Peter currently serves as Associate Director and is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus in the Department of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology. Dr. Moyle’s research, teachings, and outreach are tied to California’s coldwater aquatic ecosystems, especially salmon, trout, and steelhead.

These elements ensure that Dr. Moyle’s essential work to recover California salmonids and other fishes will carry on for decades to come, greatly influencing CalTrout’s work.

Dr. Rypel spoke about his new relationship with CalTrout: “A draw to this opportunity for me was the potential to partner with a dynamic and forward-thinking organization like CalTrout. Working with people and organizations that are passionate, organized, and driven by science – that is what has always been needed to do conservation science right, but increasingly so as global environmental change effects take further grip on our fishes and ecosystems. It is telling that the slogan for CalTrout is “Fish-Water-People,” which is similar to what you see in any Fisheries Management textbook describing a proper fisheries management system – the interaction of fish, habitat and people. CalTrout is full of dedicated folks that have staked much to make my position available in its current form. I recognize this and am energized and inspired by it.” (Read more from this recent interview with Andrew.)

Andrew at 5 years old with a bass.

Andrew Rypel hails from Milwaukee Wisconsin where he grew up an avid angler of fishes of all kinds. He has ecology and fisheries degrees from Saint Louis University, Auburn University, and the University of Alabama. Since receiving his PhD, he has been conducting research on fishes and fisheries across the southeastern USA, the northern and southern Appalachians, Midwestern lakes, and even the Caribbean and China. His research is centered on understanding effects of global change on fisheries and aquatic ecosystems, but importantly on developing novel conservation approaches to ameliorate these effects. Most recently, he was instrumental in leading a science-based adaptive management program for “panfish” fisheries throughout Wisconsin. Andrew is passionate about incorporating people, like CalTrout and other stakeholders, into the science and management process.

Andrew remains an avid fisherman, Green Bay Packers fan, and resides in Davis with his Partner Jenny and their two young boys (Creighton – 4 and Jude – 1).

We are thrilled to welcome Andrew to the CalTrout and UC Davis team!