Andy Danylchuk and Olivia Dinkelacker Honored at American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting

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Olivia Dinkelacker (left) and Andy Danylchuk (right). Credit: Andy Danylchuk.

Andy Danylchuk, a professor in the College of Natural Science’s Department of Environmental Conservation, was inducted as a Fellow of the American Fisheries Society (AFS) during the organization’s 154th Annual Meeting, which took place in Honolulu, Hawai’i from September 15-19. At the same event, Olivia Dinkelacker, an environmental conservation MS candidate who happens to work in Danylchuk’s lab, received AFS’s Steven Berkeley Marine Conservation Fellowship. 

Danylchuk’s induction as an AFS Fellow recognizes his contributions made in the field of fish and fisheries science and conservation. AFS designates as Fellows of the Society certain members who have made “outstanding or meritorious contributions,” which can include, but are not restricted to, “efforts in leadership, research, teaching and mentoring, resource management and/or conservation, and outreach/interaction with the public.” Previous to this honor, the American Fisheries Society had presented Danylchuk with the Excellence in Public Outreach Award (2017) and the Award of Excellence in Fisheries Education (2021). 

“I’m honored and humbled to be recognized by AFS for my collective efforts focused on the conservation of fish,” says Danylchuk. “I’ve been a member of AFS since I was a graduate student and encourage anyone involved in fisheries to be a part of such an influential organization.” 

Dinkelacker’s Steven Berkeley Marine Conservation Fellowship highlights the research she is conducting on striped bass along the Atlantic coast of the United States. Her work is filling important knowledge gaps that will help inform policy, management, and grassroots conservation efforts for one of the Atlantic coast’s most popular fish species among recreational anglers. This fellowship was created by AFS in 2007 to honor the memory of Steven Berkeley, a dedicated fisheries scientist with a passionate interest in integrating the fields of marine ecology, conservation biology, and science to improve fisheries management.  

For Dinkelacker, this fellowship will allow her to chart her professional path after her time at UMass: “It is a tremendous honor to be recognized by the AFS for my graduate research. The Steven Berkeley Marine Conservation Fellowship will greatly support my career goal of studying and protecting wild fish populations and the socio-ecological systems that rely on them.” 

Click here to learn more about the American Fisheries Society.