Andrew Danylchuk

Professor of Fish Conservation University of Massachusetts Amherst

  • Amherst MA

Andrew Danylchuk’s research seeks to understand the factors that influence the life history and ecology of fish and other aquatic organisms.

Contact

University of Massachusetts Amherst

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Expertise

Fish Conservation
Impacts of Climate Change on Fish and Aquatic Ecosystems
Behavior and Survival of Coastal Fisheries
Best Practices for Managing Recreational Fishing

Biography

Andrew Danylchuk has been called "one of the most prominent advocates for fish and their habitats in recent years."

He says, "I am on a personal crusade to ensure that fish are around for future generations to enjoy, whether on the end of a fishing line, on a dinner plate, or simply to watch in wonder."

Danylchuk's current research focuses on evaluating the potential impacts of recreational angling on fish populations and working with stakeholder groups to develop best practices for catch-and-release.

He has studied bonefish in The Bahamas, Puerto Rico, and the South Pacific, Atlantic tarpon and permit in the Florida Keys, giant trevally in the Seychelles and Republic of Kiribati, golden dorado in South America, steelhead in British Columbia, bass and trout species in Ontario and Quebec, and striped bass and sea-run brook trout in New England.

Social Media

Video

Education

University of Alberta

Ph.D.

Environmental Biology and Ecology

Trent University

M.Sc.

Everything Fish

Trent University

B.Sc.

Everything Fish

Select Recent Media Coverage

Half-eaten fish reeled in from Atlantic prompts call for anglers to tell their stories Read more at: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/national/article291965980.html#storylink=cpy

Miami Herald  online

2024-09-10

A survey conducted by Andrew Danylchuk and Ezra Markowitz looked at depredation — when a predator partially or wholly consumes an angler’s catch before it is landed.

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Meet a shark fisherman who structured his life around catching, and saving, sharks

WHYY  online

2024-07-29

Andy Danylchuk comments about a man who runs a shark-fishing company. Danylchuk, who also fishes for shark, said shark anglers are drawn to “immersion in the environment … the thrill of the chase, the opportunity to get close to the thing that you’re targeting.”

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Tarpon Migration Patterns Revealed by Acoustic Tracking Network, Study

NatureWorld News  online

2023-10-26

Andy Danylchuk discusses his first-of-its-kind dataset on tarpon showing that there are two distinct subgroups of tarpon, which has immediate implications for efforts to conserve the fish, known to anglers as the “Silver King.” “Tarpon along the Atlantic coast have a different set of conservation priorities than those in the Gulf, but because many converge in the Keys, our science indicates that policies and management for tarpon needs to be regional, not state by state,” says Danylchuk.

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Select Publications

Bioenergetic consequences of repeated catch-and-release fisheries interactions on adult steelhead across a range of ecologically relevant water temperatures

Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Molecular & Integrative Physiology

2023-10-01

The biological consequences of catch-and-release angling have been studied for decades, yet little is known about the compounding effects of repeated recreational fisheries recaptures on the physiology and behaviour of angled fish.

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Stable isotopes and foraging behaviors support the role of antipredator benefits in driving the association between two marine fishes

Oecologia

2023-06-08

Research from terrestrial communities shows that diminished predation risk is a principal driver of heterospecific grouping behavior, with foraging ecology predicting the roles that species play in groups, as more vulnerable foragers preferentially join more vigilant ones from whom they can benefit.

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Global responses to the COVID-19 pandemic by recreational anglers: considerations for developing more resilient and sustainable fisheries

Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries

2023-05-30

The global COVID-19 pandemic resulted in many jurisdictions implementing orders restricting the movements of people to inhibit virus transmission, with recreational angling often either not permitted or access to fisheries and/or related infrastructure being prevented.

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