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 | The King of Salmon |
|---|---|
| Common Name of Fish | Chinook salmon |
| Scientific Name of Fish | Oncorhynchus tshawytscha |
| Description of Why This Fish Is Important/Interesting | The Chinook or King Salmon is one of the largest Pacific salmon. They have been monumental to the history of the West and were once highly abundant throughout the Columbia River tributaries. They have an anadromous life history, swimming to sea as smolts and returning to rivers when ready to spawn. Some Chinook salmon are capable of reaching lengths of 5' and weights of 130 lbs. They were highly prized by First Nations people. Celebrations were common when the first spring run Chinook were caught. The Chinook harvest has been economically, culturally, and spiritually vital to indigenous communities. During Lewis and Clark expeditions these salmon were commonly eaten throughout the Northwest on their voyages and were first encountered through a gift to Lewis and Clark from Chief Cameahwait of the Shoshone. Explorers and traders would commonly trade with tribes for these salmon and continue to provide an economic impact in the fish industry. They're a state fish for Alaska and Oregon. |
| Website or Journal Article for More Information | https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/chinook-salmon |
| Your Name | Alonso De La O |