For our March Fish Sister profile, we would like to introduce you to Lynn Mattes, our newest Women of Fisheries Board Member! She brings representation from the western US and works for Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Marine Resources Program. She has been in the fisheries field for over 27 years with experience ranging from observing in Alaska to being actively involved in policy and management. Lynn has been a staunch supporter of Women of Fisheries and served on our social media committee for the last year. We look forward to her input and leadership on future endeavors.
CURRENT POSITION(S):
Project Leader for Recreational Groundfish and Halibut with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Marine Resources Program
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF YOUR WORK/RESEARCH:
My current position is responsible for the in-season tracking, management, outreach and education for the recreational groundfish and Pacific halibut fisheries, as well as the directed commercial Pacific halibut fishery. As part of this I also work in the policy realm through the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission and the Pacific Fisheries Management Council.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN FISHERIES?
I started my 1st job in fisheries the day after Christmas 1994, so a little over 27 years.
HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE FIELD?
I have wanted to work with fish since I was in 1st grade. We had a field trip to a large aquarium pet store. When we got back to class my teacher said there were people who made their living studying fish. I raised my hand, said that is what I want to do, and been on that path ever since. My first job out of university was with as an observer in Alaska, groundfish, crab, and scallops. That hands on experience with a variety of fish species and fisheries has helped me a lot in subsequent positions.
WHO HAS BEEN YOUR FAVORITE MENTOR OR ROLE MODEL?
I have been lucky enough to have a number of role models throughout various steps in my career, from supervisors to co-workers. Ones that stand out for me are: Heather Gilroy (ret.) and Dr. Bruce Leaman (ret.) of the International Pacific Halibut Commission. I worked for them as I was finishing grad school and learned a great deal from both of them on various aspects of working at the juncture of science and management, working with industry, and just overall how to be professional. I have also been fortunate in that one of the people I met when we were both very young observers (Kelly Ames with NMFS West Coast Region), our careers have continued to overlap and intersect for going on two decades now. It has been really helpful to have someone with similar experiences and at similar career level to be able to lean on, pick each other’s brains, and learn from.
WHO HAD THE GREATEST INFLUENCE ON YOU?
That is a tough one, as there are people who have had influence in different ways. But going back to that field trip in Mrs. Asper’s 1st grade class, her encouragement set me on my lifelong path and passion.
WHAT WAS THE BEST ADVICE YOU’VE GOTTEN?
As I was getting ready to defend my MS thesis, a PhD student told me that it is okay to say I don’t know, following up with something like but I can look into that. I have given that advice to many people going into job interviews. It is okay to say “I don’t know”, but always follow it up with how you would rectify that, such as, “should I get the job, I will find out”. Or when dealing with the public, “I don’t know, let me get your contact information and I will get back to you with an answer.”
DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR NEW WOMEN ENTERING THE FIELD?
Have confidence in your knowledge and skills that you bring. If you don’t know something, ask questions. And don’t be afraid to jump in.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT WORKING IN FISHERIES?
When I worked in the field, it was that every day was different, I could see a new fish, or a beautiful sunset, or whales off the bow. Now that I do management and policy, it is that the work I am doing has direct impact for both the fish and the fishing communities.
WHAT WAS THE COOLEST EXPERIENCE YOU’VE HAD WHILE WORKING IN FISHERIES?
While observing on a sablefish longline vessel on the Fairweather Grounds out of Yakutat in the Gulf of Alaska, a pod of sperm whales came to have a buffet dinner on the fish on the line for a couple of days which wasn’t great for the vessel or its crew. Several times whales surfaced so close to the boat (<30 feet), that the wind blew their spray over us on the deck. Growing up in Nebraska, I wasn’t sure I would ever see a whale in person, so having one breathe on me was crazy cool.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FISH?
I have 2, the starry flounder and coelacanth. Starry flounder were the main species in my MS thesis. They are so adaptable to salinity, temperature, and oxygen levels. They can be found to around 50 fathoms in the ocean, as well as 100 miles up rivers. The coelacanth is just so cool evolutionarily, and that they were thought to be extinct for millions of years.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO SHARE?
The world of fisheries has progressed a lot since I started, but there is still a ways to go. Don’t be afraid to help that progress continue by supporting each other however, whenever you can.