Harriet MacGill Perry Receives Fisheries Conservation Award

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 1, 2019

Contact: Beth Beard
[email protected]

(Reno, NV) October, 1 2019 – Harriet MacGill Perry of the University of Southern Mississippi (retired) received the President’s Fishery Conservation Award at the 2019 American Fisheries Society (AFS) Joint Conference with The Wildlife Society in Reno, Nevada. AFS President Jesse Trushenski presented the award at the day’s plenary session. The President’s Fishery Conservation Award recognizes individuals or entities for singular accomplishments or long-term contributions that advance aquatic resource conservation at a regional or local level.

“We applaud the distinguished contributions of Harriet Perry and thank her for her efforts to conserve Gulf of Mexico crab fisheries,” said AFS President Jesse Trushenski.

Perry is a Senior Research Scientist and Professor Emerita at the Center for Fisheries Research and Development, Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, at The University of Southern Mississippi. Prior to her retirement in 2011, Perry served as Director of the Gulf Coast Research Lab. During her 50+ year career, Perry has conducted research on crabs and other marine invertebrates, including study on the effects of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill on deep-sea red crabs. Perry and her students worked with blue crab fishermen for over 40 years, teaching them about blue crab biology and how to understand their sampling gear. In return, the fishermen shared their catch data and allowed Harriet and her students to accompany them on fishing trips. The database created by Perry and the fishermen has documented population trends in blue crabs in many areas of the Gulf of Mexico over a long period. 

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Editor’s Notes: 

Founded in 1870, the American Fisheries Society (AFS) is the world’s oldest and largest fisheries science society. The mission of AFS is to improve the conservation and sustainability of fishery resources and aquatic ecosystems by advancing fisheries and aquatic science and promoting the development of fisheries professionals. With five journals and numerous books and conferences, AFS is the leading source of fisheries science and management information in North America and around the world.

General link: fisheries.org 

Link to AFS Annual Meeting: https://afstws2019.org/