Joel’s favorite resources
USFW’s Fish of the Week by Katrina Liebich and Guy Eroh. By far my favorite fish podcast, award winning for a reason. Katrina and Guy are the perfect combination of knowledge, passion, and personality. They have different guests talking about new fish every week, great to learn all about different species while you drive, clean, or however you listen to podcasts. Fish of the Week was a big inspiration to this blog, and got me started sharing what I learned about fish with others.
Aquarium Co-Op. One of my biggest sources of both inspiration and information for all things aquariums, Corey McElroy has unmatched passion and experience for keeping aquariums. His YouTube channel was a staple when I kept aquariums by myself, and I still watch/listen and learn something new. Corey runs the fish store Aquarium Co-Op in Edmonds, WA as well as online, and a YouTube channel of the same name. Keeping fish is a great way to learn about them, and Aquarium Co-Op is a great place to start.
Conservation Fisheries is a conservation non-profit in Knoxville, Tennessee. They have been around for over 25 years, focused on propagating and restoring native Tennessee fish, especially species whose existence is perilous. Besides their impactful mission, they are run by an inspiring and diverse team. I love their posts popping up on instagram feed, highlighting species of fish accompanied by colorful illustrations and stunning photography.
Read! So much of my fish knowledge has come from reading. Picking up books for ID (my favorite Ohio fish books are A Naturalists Guide to the Fishes of Ohio by Daniel Rice and Brian Zimmerman, and The Fishes of Ohio by Milton B. Trautman) is always a good way to learn about native fish. One of my favorite books ever and another inspiration for this blog, Eye of the Shoal by Helen Scales, is filled with great stories fish facts. I even love flipping through the little information pamphlets that Ohio Division of Wildlife makes and leaves at many public parks, campgrounds, and information centers.
Get involved!
Volunteer: Many local organizations and companies are often happy to have volunteers, especially non-profits like Conservation Fisheries. Reach out and ask if it isn’t publicly available. If you are an undergraduate student at a university, reach out to professors and labs that you find interesting to see if they have anything you can work on. Research involvement especially looks good if you are looking for a future in graduate school. In undergrad, I volunteered in the Fish Division of OSU’s Museum of Biological Diversity, where I helped catalog specimens. Not only did I get to contribute to science, but it helped a lot with my fish identification and gave me valuable connections. Other volunteer opportunities are places like local parks and governments.
Join an organization or club! Whether its a local aquarium club, fisheries organization, or coalition, sharing your interests with others is the best way to cultivate information and awareness!
The American Fisheries Society has a chapter for every state, including some territories and even into Canada. They have multiple types of memberships available, so if you are a student, early in your career, or a fully-fledged professional, there is a spot for you. AFS is a great place to learn about the current state of fisheries science, build connections, and create frienships.
Aquarium Clubs are good organizations to join if you are into keeping fish as a hobby. They are full of like minded, knowledgeable hobbyists and professionals in the same area. Often these clubs and societies host monthly meetings with speakers, and will have auctions and meets where vendors sell their fish, plants, inverts, equipment and more.