In January, we announced the winners of the Women of Fisheries Gives Back! Award for early career fisheries scientists. Although we were only able give out two awards, the applicants were excellent and we wanted to highlight a few of their unique journeys and experiences. Meet some of the amazing early career women in fisheries science!
From early career to retired fisheries scientists, we would love to feature and amplify your experiences! Please fill out our Women of Fisheries Profile form to be featured individually in a future blog post!
Shannon McCarthy
As a Marine Biology undergraduate (University of Rhode Island 2019), fisheries was never brought to my attention. I decided to complete a fifth year Master Program in Oceanography (URI GSO 2019). I chose the Fisheries Oceanography tract since it was closest to Marine Biology. This is where my eyes were opened! I found all of the marine affairs classes very thought provoking and made me want to search out careers in the fisheries field. I ended up getting a position as a Fisheries Observer in January 2020 and continued my career through that tough, covid filled year. I also had the opportunity to work as a scientific diver through my company; which I found was a major passion of mine. Eventually I decided to explore another passion in the aquarium field. Although I had many incredible experiences throughout my 3 years at a major aquarium, I knew there was more out there for me. This past June, I was recruited to come back to my roots and return to the northeast fisheries observer program as an instructor. This job has surprised me in many ways. I never thought I would like to teach, but here I am! Being able to care for and help trainees and observers from their first day in the classroom, all the way through their careers is inspiring and fulfilling. I do not have plans to leave this position any time soon but I do aspire to continue to grow and move up in the fisheries field.
Marissa Symons
I have had a love for fish and all things water since I was little. One of my favorite memories I have from my childhood is fishing out at my camp with my father. I never got too excited about the actual fishing aspect of it, but was always so intrigued by the fish themselves and how different each one really was. I would sit at the end of the dock and watch fish swim under my feet for hours and hours, infatuated with their behaviors. I originally started schooling for music education, as this was something that is near and dear to my heart, but didn’t see a career coming from it. I wasn’t sure what my future held, but was told to go and talk to an advisor in the fish and wildlife department, and knowing my love for the outdoors, I went and spoke with her hoping for some guidance. She had talked me into trying out some fishery classes and I fell in love. I graduated with a degree in fish and wildlife management concentrated in fisheries in 2023, have worked for a local Department of Natural Resources (DNR) park, and with the US Fish and Wildlife Service on a Sea Lamprey Control Program for three seasons. I recently accepted a position with Northern Southeast Regional Aquaculture Association- Hidden Falls Hatchery out of Sitka, Alaska. During college I worked with our local DNR hatchery research team on a diet analysis project and also ended up doing an internship through the school with them, being able to do my own side project with some of their data. From this, I gained amazing connections, experiences and a mentor along with many colleagues who have helped me along this journey. I am truly grateful for these opportunities as they have paved my path in many ways and are helping to shine the light forward to my future in the fisheries field.
Morgan Winstead
When I was in high school, I was extremely interested in animal science, but was not sure what I wanted to major in. Luckily, one day I was volunteering at a soil and water event and met a fisheries biologist. That lead me to researching more on wildlife and fisheries science majors. I was accepted at North Carolina State University and majored in Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Science, and it was the best decision ever. The summer after my freshman year I began to volunteer with a graduate student in the fisheries department and instantly fell in love with the fisheries field. During my time at NC State, I continued learning and growing passion for fisheries science and working in some of the coolest parts in North Carolina. Backpack electrofishing mountain streams was a highlight of my early fisheries career. After graduating I moved to Oklahoma for my first fisheries technician job, I learned so much! During this job I spent lots of hours in the lab processing spines for aging, and on the boat night shocking for suckers. I knew I needed to go to graduate school, so eventually I landed at Southern Illinois University with Dr. Whitledge. I studied the use of microchemical signatures to determine if channel catfish were natural or hatchery fish. Since graduating with my master’s, I made my way back to Oklahoma for a little to work with the Invasive Species Program, where I was able to travel all over the state sampling various species. I currently work in Florida where I am a biologist with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, within the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute. With this position I get to see so many places and interact with unique species. I am still new in my career, but the people I work with push me to try new things and lead my own research projects. I currently have two projects that I am the lead on, and it has been great learning experience. The first project is looking at catfish populations in North Florida rivers, and the other is an exploitation study on the Black Crappie fishery in Lake Talquin. People occasionally ask me if I ever wanted to go the wildlife science route, but fisheries were always the perfect fit for me.