On the State of Freshwater Fish and Fisheries: Finding a Future for the Forgotten — TD Walter Bean Lecture in Environment

Freshwater fish provide diverse ecosystem services. Yet, freshwater fish and fisheries are not often a national or regional governance priority and as a result, freshwater fisheries are undervalued and largely overlooked. Due to lack of reliable data, freshwater fisheries have never been part of any high profile global fisheries assessment and are notably absent from the Sustainable Development Goals.

Using diverse examples from local to global, Steven Cooke will provide a roadmap for elevating the status of freshwater fish and ensuring that moving forward freshwater fish and fisheries are valued and conserved to ensure that ecosystem services are maximized. Cooke is a dynamic speaker known for engaging audiences with his infectious passion for science, evidence-based environmental management, and all things fishy.

STEVEN J. COOKE, Ph.D., is the Canada Research Chair in Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology and the founding Director of the Canadian Centre for Evidence-Based Conservation. Cooke is the Chair of the Sea Lamprey Research Board of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission and Past President of the International Section of the American Fisheries Society.  He is also a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, Fellow of the American Fisheries Society, Secretary of the College of the Royal Society of Canada. Cooke is a proud UW alumnus (BES 1997; MSc 1999).

Note: This is a free public event, however, registration is required.