Last week's Supreme Court decision on a significant Clean Water Act case, Sackett vs. EPA, dealt a crippling blow to the future of our nation’s fish and aquatic ecosystems. The very narrow test established by the court for determining when wetlands are “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS) under the Clean Water Act removes federal safeguards for the majority of wetlands in the United States. The decision flies in the face of sound science and will have a staggering impact on fish, fisheries, wildlife, aquatic ecosystems, and human health.

We are pleased to once again offer childcare at this year's Annual Meeting. Kidz Clubhouse will provide onsite childcare for infants and children throughout the week.

Reminder: Conference early registration rates end on July 7 - register for the meeting now to save!

Abstract submission for the 9th World Fisheries Congress is open until June 30, 2023. Submit your abstract to participate in one of more than 60 themed sessions available at the 2024 World Fisheries Congress in Seattle, Washington, USA.

Canada is surrounded by three oceans and home to more freshwater lakes and rivers than can be reasonably counted. It is therefore not surprising that Canada has a plethora of freshwater fisheries and a long history of use and innovative strategies for managing them. This book is a valuable resource for those interested in learning about the past, present, and future of freshwater fishes and fisheries in Canada.

The complete closure of minor and major single, clean-cut lacerations to the first dorsal fin of Great Hammerheads Sphyrna mokarran is documented. Additionally, the posterior lateral displacement of bolted fin-mounted geolocators within and out of the fin of Great Hammerheads without causing external damage is documented. These observations supplement findings about wound closure capabilities in elasmobranchs. The documented geolocator displacement furthers the discussion about the safe use of these geolocators to track shark movements but also has implications for future tagging studies.

This study examined the larval gobies for their habitat distribution patterns and uncover their life history in the estuary. The icthyoplankton distribution of gobies was affected by various environmental factors, among which the salinity with higher heterogeneity had the most significant effects. Larvae of brackish gobies tend to inhabit freshwater, and marine gobies prefer brackish water. The geographically weighted regression model is effective in identifying key environmental factors on a finer scale.

The increasing worldwide popularity of the aquatic pet trade causes widespread transport and introduction of alien species, including crayfish (Astacidea), into fisheries. Thirty crayfish species have invaded North America, affecting native species and changing ecosystems. Growing numbers of crayfish introductions are linked to the pet trade, and this pathway increasingly requires attention from natural resource managers.

Climate change and a host of other human stressors on aquatic systems in the American Southwest are rapidly exceeding our ability to conserve native fish diversity. The most severe megadrought in over a millennium has compromised current management plans by exacerbating the impacts of altered hydrology, poor water quality, invasive species, and habitat fragmentation.

The 2024 Saltonstall-Kennedy (S-K) Grant competition is now open! Grants awarded through the S-K program fund projects that promote U.S. fisheries by addressing marketing and research needs. The process is now overseen by a new advisory committee which has clarified that projects can benefit any marine fishery (including the Great Lakes) that encompasses commercial, recreational, charter, subsistence, wild capture, and aquaculture. Preproposals are due July 24.