"I am truly grateful for this opportunity," Nichols said of his election.
Photo: American Fisheries Society.
The Director of the Spokane Tribe of Indians Division of Fisheries and Water Resources, Brent Nichols, was elected Second Vice President of the American Fisheries Society (AFS), the world's oldest and largest fisheries science society. This vote will also make Nichols the 144th president of AFS in 2028-2029.
Founded in 1870, with a mission to improve the conservation and sustainability of fishery resources and aquatic ecosystems by advancing fisheries and aquatic science and promoting the development of fisheries professionals, the AFS is the leading source of information on fisheries science and management in North America and around the world.
Promoter of five scientific journals and numerous books and conferences, according to its Executive Director, Jeff Kopaska, the American Fisheries Society now faces the challenges of maintaining membership, increasing its financial backing – this is, partnerships and sponsorships - and dealing with the budget constraints that will arise, and Brent Nichols' experience will help it meet them.
"Brent has been developing and managing million-dollar budgets for the past 13 years, building teams and growing a staff with focused programmatic goals, and organizing the chaos that comes along with it," the AFS Executive Director highlighted.
A BS and MS in Biological Sciences from Jacksonville State University and a PhD in Molecular Biology from the University of South Florida, Nichols founded a small environmental consulting firm in 2000, which he sold in 2013. That same year, he accepted a position with the Spokane Tribe, where he built the program from a team of 5 people to more than 22, becoming recognized throughout the region.
This program is responsible for the preservation, protection, and enhancement of tribal fishery resources with three main objectives: protect the existing fishery, create a white sturgeon fishery, and return Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) to their historic range in the blocked Columbia River area to healthy, harvestable populations.
An AFS Life Member, Brent Nichols has held several roles within the organization, most recently participating in the planning of the 2022 Annual Meeting in Spokane, which included a historic fish release that marked the first time in 110 years that Chinook salmon swam in the Spokane River. He has also been involved with the Hutton Fisheries Biology Youth Program, the Washington-British Columbia Chapter, and the Fish Culture Section.
"Serving on nonprofit boards, owning and operating a private consulting firm, and directing a growing fisheries program has helped my development as a leader and honed skills that will benefit AFS," Nichols said, commenting on what he can bring to his new position as Second Vice President of the American Fisheries Society.
"My analytical skills in breaking down problems, identifying root causes, and developing solutions along with the attention to detail needed to understand and represent multiple viewpoints, manage large budgets, and relate complex fisheries information to non-scientist are some of the most beneficial," he added, concurring with AFS Executive Director's earlier statement.
"The American Fisheries Society is well represented locally, nationally, and internationally," Brent Nichols continued. "The Society is one of the strongest professional societies in existence today. The ability to connect and network with dedicated professionals creates opportunities for collaboration, idea sharing, and friendship building. I am truly grateful for this opportunity," he concluded.
Jeff Kopaska, for his part, said finally that they look forward to formally welcoming Brent Nichols to the AFS Board of Directors at their Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Texas, to be held in August. AFS Executive Director also took the opportunity to thank Jeff Heindel for standing for election, noting his ongoing service to the Society and the fisheries profession.
