For this month’s Fish Sister profile, we are highlighting Dr. Margaret Murphy, Fish Program Manager for Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife and current American Fisheries Society (AFS) president-elect! Margaret enjoyed fishing from an early age at her family’s fish camp in the Adirondacks and translated that passion into various roles over 35 years – consultant, business owner, and state agency manager. Margaret views her work from a systems perspective – from the effects of water quality and sediment contamination, to the ecology of young-of-the-year salmon, to promoting habitat restoration. She now enjoys collaborating with others to understand the interworking of several fisheries in the Lake Champlain basin including salmonids, walleye, and pike, but yellow perch is the fish that originally hooked her on a fisheries career.
In addition to serving as president-elect of AFS, Margaret has served as president of two chapters, the Northeastern Division, and Water Quality Section as well as chair of numerous committees and meeting planning teams. Even with all of her professional obligations, Margaret has also been a staunch supporter of Women of Fisheries and a regular reader in the Women of Fisheries Book Club, attending most of the virtual discussions to lend her insights.
Check out more information on Dr. Margaret Murphy’s research and experiences in her own words below, including her impressive hiking adventures!
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CURRENT POSITION(S):
Fish Program Manager for Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF YOUR WORK/RESEARCH:
I supervise four district biologists and work primarily focused on the western part of the state and the Lake Champlain Basin. I see my role as providing the vision and the support for the work the biologists do. The fun part of Lake Champlain is the collaboration with other agencies and universities to understand the various fisheries (Salmonids, Walleye, Bass, Panfish, Pike) as well as working with the state endangered Lake Sturgeon. Prior to this role I spent a majority of my career in environmental consulting, running my own business for four years before moving to Vermont. As a consultant I worked on a variety of projects related to contaminated sediment sites including water quality assessments, fish tissue and community sampling and analysis, and habitat restoration projects. Generally, I try to approach my work holistically from a systems perspective trying to think about the fish and habitat needs within the landscape.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN FISHERIES?
I have been in fisheries for over 35 years. A large part of that time has been in environmental consulting primarily related to contaminated sediment sites. Now working for a state agency I have more of a focus on fishery management and conservation, but my approach is from the ecosystem level thinking and understanding so we can better manage and conserve the resource.
HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE FIELD?
I have always loved biology and started undergrad as a biology major with a pre-med focus. That was what I was told I should do with my love of biology and I had no idea about careers in natural resources. My dad thought I should be a teacher so I would have breaks and summers free to raise kids – I am a rebel and refused that path (must be because I am the middle child as well). After a short stint in nursing school I completed my B.S. in biology and finally learned of other career paths; I completed both my M.S. and Ph.D in fisheries and aquatic ecology. That made so much more sense to me as I grew up fishing, boating, and wandering around the woods at a family camp in the Adirondacks. I am also proud of the fact that it was my grandmother who inspired me. I recall my mom driving her to get her fishing license every year when we got camp opened up. And then my aunt rowing the boat so my grandma could fish. I don’t have any big fish stories – but just watching her enjoy the time on the water chasing fish was enough for me. I spent most days at camp on the dock fishing – with yellow perch the main target. So going to grad school for fisheries really excited me! I was finally able to learn more about what I loved, but also better understand the changes I was seeing in my catches at camp and how they might be related to other environmental factors (e.g., acid rain, increased development). One more fun fact about my dad – he was so proud of two of my accomplishments – receiving my Ph.D and hiking the 46 highest peaks in the Adirondacks (he hiked Mt Marcy – the tallest in NY – as a boy scout) – so much that my other siblings tired of him telling everyone about me.
WHO HAS BEEN YOUR FAVORITE MENTOR OR ROLE MODEL?
I would have to say my master’s advisor – Dr. Neil Ringler – now retired from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. He took my on as a graduate student when I was first deciding to get into the field and I knew very little about it. He encouraged me to think broadly and allowed me to get right into the field work. He was the one who got me involved in AFS taking all of us graduate students to New York Chapter meetings. While he didn’t take me on for my doctorate, he was on my committee and continued to challenge me to do my best and think about how to approach research and ask good questions. As an adjunct, I enjoyed collaborating with him on several research projects and mentoring other students as well as teaching the same class he taught earlier in his career – Ecology of Adirondack Fishes.
WHO HAD THE GREATEST INFLUENCE ON YOU?
I think of the graduate students that I met during my masters at SUNY-ESF who really helped me build confidence and learn about the various aspects of aquatic ecology and fisheries. I felt like I was in the right place and had a great support system – they are all still friends today. I also have a professor from Siena College that I worked for my senior year in the microbiology lab. I was excited about new opportunities awaiting and learning more about fisheries and conservation work but was also questioning my abilities and how I could succeed. Near the end of the semester he told me I would do great – because I knew how to think. That recognition really helped me as I struggled my first two years in college and it was reaffirming to hear the confidence he had in me. I have thought about that a lot throughout my career.
WHAT WAS THE BEST ADVICE YOU’VE GOTTEN?
One of my graduate school professors taught a seminar on giving the perfect presentation. This class allowed me to find the best way for me to present and highlighted there isn’t just one way. We just kept giving the same presentation over the semester and had the space to try different ways and learn what felt best. He also said it was good to be nervous – “you want to have butterflies, but you want them to fly in formation.” I don’t know how many others I have passed that line on to, but it has really stuck with me and I have found it to be true!
DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR NEW WOMEN ENTERING THE FIELD?
For me, I have enjoyed having a liberal arts degree as it has provided a large base for me to build on. When I present at high school career days I always ask what subjects the students think they need to become a fisheries biologist. They usually just cover the sciences. It’s more than the science that we need – English and communications, human relations, history, math, and statistics – are all necessary. Next, is actually navigating the work force. Some positions are more male dominated than others which can be challenging. There were not a lot of women at the first few AFS meetings I attended and fortunately that is changing. My advice is to stay strong, find your allies, and remember you are smart and capable of flourishing in this career. Too many times I have had my confidence weakened mostly because others were intimidated by my expertise and it was easy to diminish me since I was a woman. I’d like others not to have that same experience. I am happy to chat with anyone in this field and help them achieve their goals.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT WORKING IN FISHERIES?
I love the diversity of the work. When I first took Systems Ecology I discovered my language. I have always looked at fisheries as part of the ecosystem and influenced by all that happens on the land and in the water. Most fisheries biologists need to know much more than just fish biology and ecology – we need to understand hydrology, water quality, habitats, and people. If you look at the diversity of sections within AFS it provides a picture of the diversity of expertise everyone has. That is truly special!
WHAT WAS THE COOLEST EXPERIENCE YOU’VE HAD WHILE WORKING IN FISHERIES?
One of the coolest experiences I had was doing trout surveys on a remote private lake and streams in the Adirondacks. It was half a day of travel by guideboat and foot to reach the lake and we stayed in a traditional Adirondack style camp. We had a guide that prepared our meals for us which were delicious! It felt like I had stepped back in time! The lake sits with views of the Adirondack High Peaks and was such a peaceful experience. We captured lake trout and brook trout and conducted surveys to understand their overall abundance. I’ve had other experiences as a consultant traveling the country for different projects, but this one “in my back yard” meant the most to me.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FISH?
I would have to go with yellow perch. That is the fish that got me interested in this field. I still look fondly on those carefree childhood days hunting for worms, catching fish, and cleaning yellow perch for everyone else to eat (fun fact: I do not like fish). A close second is Atlantic salmon as that was the species I researched for both my masters and Ph.D. and the one I wear (literally).
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO SHARE?
It’s interesting to look back and see so many male roles models in my educational journey. My female role models really came from AFS. I appreciate getting involved in the organization and meeting so many amazing women that had achieved so much. Don’t be afraid to introduce yourself to someone! One example is meeting my buddy Laura Wildman – I had followed her work in the dam removal and restoration field with awe and inspiration. I met her finally at an AFS Governing Board meeting – we were both presidents of different sections – I saw her sitting at the bar the night before the meeting and sat next to her and said hello. We almost instantly became lifelong friends. I could tell stories of many other influential women from AFS with a similar story. We are all just trying to make the world a better place with our work and the majority of us are happy to meet you and learn about you. Don’t be afraid to walk up to someone and introduce yourself – you never know where that will lead!