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 | I'm not just a Fathead! |
|---|---|
| Common Name of Fish | Fathead Minnow |
| Scientific Name of Fish | Pimephales promelas |
| Image of Fish |  |
| Image Caption and Credit | Fathead Minnow - Fathead Minnow. USGS. 19 May 2010. https://www.usgs.gov/media/images/fathead-minnow |
| Description of Why This Fish Is Important/Interesting | While the Fathead Minnow itself is not known as a predator and is most often considered prey, it still plays a vital part in the ecosystem it lives in by providing nutrition to other species (examples being the Largemouth Bass and Yellow Perch). In comparison, the minnow itself is a filter feeder, having a diet composed of algae, underwater debris and zooplankton. Without these minnows, larger fish would have a drastically different food web and may have preyed on each other due to food shortages. Another advantage of the Fathead Minnow is its use to humans as a chemical indicator. Being relatively hardy, the minnow will alter its body chemistry in response to chemical adsorption and/or consumption. Scientists can therefore use these indicators as proof of chemical leakage or an altered environment. Although small and unglamorous, the Fathead Minnow proves that one does not have to be popular in order to be important. |
| Website or Journal Article for More Information | https://fisheries.tamu.edu/pond-management/species/fathead-minnows/ |
| Your Name | Tyler Nishikawa |