Lynn Starnes is currently the Assistant Regional Director for Fisheries in the Southwest Region (Region 2) of the Fish and Wildlife Service (Service). Located in Albuquerque, the field stations that she supervises in Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma deal with a variety of issues revolving around habitat modification, operation of hatcheries, restoration of native species, control of invasive species and water. An important aspect of this position is working with people from state and Federal agencies, environmental organizations and fishing organizations. Currently, she is involved in planning efforts with the Sportfishing and Boating Partnership Council and within the Service to determine the national future and outlook for the Fisheries Program in the Service.
Lynn has served a variety of roles within the American Fisheries Society and has been a member since 1975. She is currently finishing a three year term on the Time and Place Committee for AFS. She has served on the Common Names of Invertebrates Committee since its inception. She served the Western Division as Secretary Treasurer. In the past, she has served as Raffle Committee chair and served as co-chair/chair of the Environmental Concerns Committee. She served as Chair of the International Fisheries Committee and was involved in the International Fisheries Confernce in Athens Greece. She is a member of the Fish Administrators, Native Peoples Fisheries, Water Quality, and other sections.
Lynn started her career by teaching science in The Gambia in West Africa (1972-4). She returned to complete a M.S. in Aquatic Ecology from the University of Tennessee in 1976 while working part-time at the Tennessee Valley Authority. She worked there in a variety of programs including stream impacts from mining and projects experimenting with reclamation techniques. While working for the Tennessee Valley Authority, she completed a number of reports, peer-reviewed papers and book chapters related to her research. In 1984 she transferred to the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Washington D. C. Her work experience encompassed every fishery program handled by the Service. Highlights included implementation of regulations related to marine mammals, involvement in legislation and program to recover Atlantic striped bass, and legislation related to Pacific salmon. After DC, she moved to Denver to become Assistant Regional Director for Fisheries and Federal Aid from 1989 to 1991. In 1992 she moved to Albuquerque and has filled several positions.
The Western Division has been a leader in the American Fisheries Society for as long as I have been associated with it and I would like to see its outstanding accomplishments continue. There are areas where we can make improvements/changes:
- I would like to see a western fishes "Summit", involving as many societies related to native fishes as we can gather, to see if we can concentrate our collective efforts on the recovery of several western species. A few groups that come to mind include the Desert Fishes Council, American Rivers, Trout Unlimited, and the Federation of Fly Fishers.
- I will work with existing committees and chapters to identify issues of concern to the Society at this level. The Society needs to address many of our issues sooner and more aggressively. I would help to coordinate the development of position papers.
- An aspect of rapidly elevating issues is enhancing open and creative communication at all levels of the Society.
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Aquatic Nuisance Species are the threat of the present and the future. Current
legislation needs to be strengthened so that involved agencies can mount "Rapid
Response Teams" similar to that mounted to fight forest fires. The Western
Division can play a major role in shaping how this Nation deals with invasive
species.
- If elected, I would like to spend the year of my presidency dedicated to developing
"partnerships" on behalf of the Western Division. While this may be
an overused term in some circles, I think that we have not come close to fulfilling
the potential of partnerships when focused on any given watershed or issue.
Local landowners can be part of the solution to any issue. While it takes time
to get Federal and State agencies empowered to deal with a specific problem,
we can garner the collective will of our partners on an issue that is the highest
priority of the Western Division in the time frame that I would be an officer!