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 | America's Most Beautiful Fish |
|---|---|
| Common Name of Fish | Brook Trout |
| Scientific Name of Fish | Salvelinus fontinalis |
| Image of Fish |  |
| Image Caption and Credit | Underwater Release, Jacob Rash |
| Description of Why This Fish Is Important/Interesting | Close your eyes and think about the splendor and beauty of the Appalachian Mountains. Now, imagine if that image you just formulated could be applied to a fish? If you could make that leap, I suspect you are envisioning a fish that must be special, beautiful, and important to a lot people. Lucky for us, there is a fish that fits such a description: Brook Trout. As the State Freshwater Fish for 8 states (Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and Virginia), the Brook Trout is a special fish that holds a special place in many hearts across its native range of the eastern United States. Known commonly as “specks,” “speckled trout,” or “brookies,” these amazing fish once thrived across the landscape, but now, they are often relegated to isolated populations within headwater streams. As such, numerous conservation partners are working hard to help this unique and beautiful fish persist into the future. |
| Website or Journal Article for More Information | https://easternbrooktrout.org/ |
| Your Name | Jacob Rash |