If you’re looking for a last-minute holiday gift for an inquisitive kid in your life, you might consider a copy of the recently published  “The Rockfish Kids Book”, a beautifully illustrated book designed to connect children of all ages in the Puget Sound with an important marine species. The School of Marine and Environmental Affairs has had a long history in helping to shape the scientific knowledge about rockfish, and has produced many alumni who have been critical to their recovery in the Puget Sound. Engaging with this younger audience was an idea that blossomed from former NOAA Rockfish Recovery Coordinator and SMEA alum, Dan Tonnes ’08, and led him to partner with author/illustrator Claudia Makeyev, a self-described “tried-and-true fish nerd” to help tell the story.

The author was exposed to the idea of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) through her work in graduate school, a critical topic in conservation and preservation that has been worked on by SMEA faculty and students, past and present. The 2011 theses examining MPAs in the Puget Sound authored by SMEA alumni Kristin Hoelting ’11 and Klara Hard ’11, were both borne from and supported by SMEA Professor Patrick Christie, who has extensive experience both in planning and implementing MPAs around the globe.

Hillary Browning’s ’13 thesis Evidence of habitat association and distribution of rockfish in Puget Sound from archival data (1974-1977), as well as Professor Emeritus Dave Fluharty’s involvement with the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council (NPFMC) helping to utilize a new method of aging rockfish, showing rockfish to be much longer lived than previously thought helped to understand the rockfish population in this region.  Fluharty’s work with NPFMC assisted in changing fishery management assessments and regulations to take into account new scientific understanding about the long-lived species.

Outside of the Puget Sound, a SMEA Capstone Project completed in 2021 investigated what happens once rockfish population numbers rebound, and an area (in this case, a zone off the coast of California and Oregon) is once again open to commercial and recreational fishing. The project entitled Re-Opening of the RCA (Rockfish Conservation Area) was advised by SMEA faculty member Dr. Phil Levin, and completed by Patrick Dodd, Christina Madonia, Marissa Paulling ’21.

Given all the important work being done on the rockfish population, and the knowledge that’s been developed through work at SMEA and elsewhere, it’s important that industry professionals, recreational anglers, and the general public are aware of the work being done to restore the rockfish populations. The book and an accompanying teaching guide are being made available to Puget Sound schools for free, which will engage students with yelloweye rockfish and bocaccio, each protected by the Endangered Species Act, and the innovative efforts to support their recovery. The MMA thesis work Angling for Insight: Examining the Recreational Fishing Community’s Knowledge, Perceptions to Inform Rockfish Recovery Planning for Rockfish in Puget Sound, WA completed by Jennifer Sawchuk ’12 on anglers’ understanding of rockfish conservation led to improved outreach and engagement by the NOAA Fisheries team, and also led to a 2015 article published in Marine Policy co-authored by SMEA faculty Anne Beaudreau, Dave Fluharty, and Affiliate Faculty member Dan Tonnes. The more anglers knew about rockfish biology, the more likely they were to be supportive of conservation efforts. The children’s book aims to inform and educate “the next generation of anglers, divers, and scientists” and was published in large part from the efforts of Ruth Howell ’07 as the Branch Chief of Communications and External Affairs for NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region.