Black Bass 2025 Plenary Douglas Austen

Описание: Over a decades-long career, Dr. Douglas Austen has served at nearly every level of the fisheries profession. His journey began as a research biologist with the Illinois Natural History Survey, where he immersed himself in fieldwork and science-driven conservation. He then addressed complex state-level management issues with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources before moving on to lead the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission as its Executive Director. Later, at the national level, Doug coordinated the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Landscape Conservation Cooperative Program, forging partnerships to address large-scale conservation challenges.

For 11 years, Doug served as the Executive Director of the American Fisheries Society, guiding the nation’s leading professional organization for fisheries science. Although he has retired as Executive Director, he continues to represent AFS on the board of the National Fish Habitat Partnership and co-chairs the effort to establish the "National Center for Ecologically Sustainable Water Conservation and Management”. Across all these roles, the management of black bass has been a common thread—one that has shaped his deep understanding of their ecological, economic, and cultural importance.