150 Fishes to Celebrate 150 Years
This list is still in progress and being added to weekly. Check back again soon!
150 Fishes to Celebrate 150 Years
In 2020, the American Fisheries Society will celebrate its 150th Anniversary. As part of the celebration, the Society will be calling attention to 150 fishes. We solicited nominations of fishes for the list by the Society’s membership.
The 150 Fishes list is a celebration of the biodiversity of freshwater and marine fishes of North America. These fishes will help tell the story of fish and fisheries of the continent. They may illustrate unique life histories, beauty, conservation issues, and challenges of managing and conserving these animals and their habitats. These fishes represent our native biodiversity, but also illustrates how invasives and our own human nature have had impacts on our aquatic resources. Hence, this list will primarily focus on native species but may include non-natives when they tell a compelling fisheries story. From the stories of these fishes, the Society and the public can learn to better appreciate these amazing natural resources and be challenged to ensure that future generations will be able to experience these fishes in their native settings.
Nomination Process
Fish nominations are now closed.
Circulation Process
The 150 Fishes list will reside at the 150th Anniversary Website, information about individual fish from the list will be circulated through various social media platforms throughout the year.
This list is meant to be a fun for members and informative for the public. It is unlikely we will be able to include all nominations. We acknowledge that every fish has a story. There may be opportunities to discuss all the nominated fishes in the future.
FULL LIST OF NOMINATED FISH
| Catchy Title | Madeye Mooneye and the Spectaclecase |
|---|---|
| Common Name of Fish | Mooneye |
| Scientific Name of Fish | Hiodon tergisus |
| Image of Fish |  |
| Image Caption and Credit | Mooneye Wikimedia Commons |
| Description of Why This Fish Is Important/Interesting | The mooneye played a big role in solving a Minnesota mystery. The endangered Spectaclecase mussel was doing well below St. Croix dam but above the dam only really old mussels survived, and scientists had no idea who the host fishes were for the mussel's larvae that are parasitic on fish gills. By comparing old fish lists above and below the dam and testing them for their baby mussel nursery skills, scientists determined that the Mooneye and Goldeye were the missing piece of the picture and had been cut off from their northern range by the dam. But because these fish are spazzes in the lab, the clever scientists also had to design special round infinity tanks so they could swim and swim without banging their eyes on a wall and succumbing to infection. Now baby Spectaclecase mussels are booming and there is new hope for the species' survival. |
| Website or Journal Article for More Information | https://www.fws.gov/midwest/insider3/March18Story8.htm |
| Your Name | Tierra Curry |