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Amy Regish

Amy Regish is a Research Physiologist at the S.O. Conte Anadromous Fish Research Laboratory in Turners Falls, MA.

Her research has focused on the physiological response of fish species to natural and anthropogenic alterations of aquatic ecosystems. Some of the many challenges faced by fish species are from warming temperatures due to climate change, stream acidification, of cold water streams, man made impediments to migration, and contaminant exposure. The impact of these perturbations on osmoregulation, stress physiology, and thermal stress is of particular concern in the conservation and restoration efforts directed towards anadromous and cold-water fish species such as salmon, shad, river herring, brook trout, sturgeon, and lamprey in their native ranges.

Professional Experience

  • 2000 to present Research Physiologist, Physiology Section, S.O. Conte Anadromous Fish Research Laboratory, Turners Falls, MA

  • 1999-2000 Research Technician, Physiology Section, S.O. Conte Anadromous Fish Research Laboratory, Turners Falls, MA

  • 1990-1995 Research Technician III, University of Washington, Department of Biochemistry, Seattle, WA

  • 1988-1990 Senior Research Technician, Repligen Corporation, Cambridge, MA

Education and Certifications

  • Masters of Science: University of Massachusetts, Department of Forestry and Wildlife, 2001. Major: Aquatic Toxicology

  • Bachelor of Science: University of Vermont, 1988. Major: Animal Science

Science and Products

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Biologist transferring a muscle biopsy from the sampler to the vial

Assessing heat stress in migrating Yukon River Chinook Salmon

We will examine evidence of heat stress in Yukon River Chinook salmon ( Oncorhynchus tshawytscha ) using heat shock proteins and gene expression.
By
Species Management Research Program, Alaska Science Center, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)
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Assessing heat stress in migrating Yukon River Chinook Salmon

We will examine evidence of heat stress in Yukon River Chinook salmon ( Oncorhynchus tshawytscha ) using heat shock proteins and gene expression.
Learn More
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Brook trout

Understanding Brook Trout Persistence in Warming Streams

Cold-water adapted Brook Trout were historically widely distributed – ranging from northern Quebec to Georgia, and from the Atlantic Ocean to Manitoba in the north, and along the Appalachian ridge in the south. However, studies show that due to factors associated with climate change, such as increased stream temperature and changing water flow, the number of streams containing Brook Trout is decli
By
Climate Adaptation Science Centers
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Understanding Brook Trout Persistence in Warming Streams

Cold-water adapted Brook Trout were historically widely distributed – ranging from northern Quebec to Georgia, and from the Atlantic Ocean to Manitoba in the north, and along the Appalachian ridge in the south. However, studies show that due to factors associated with climate change, such as increased stream temperature and changing water flow, the number of streams containing Brook Trout is decli
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A fish weir on the Pilgrim River to prevent fish from going downstream except when controlled by a gate

Sockeye Salmon Migrating at the Northern Edge of Their Distribution

The physiological challenge for anadromous fish to migrate upriver to spawn and complete their life cycle is influenced by river temperature.
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Alaska Science Center
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Sockeye Salmon Migrating at the Northern Edge of Their Distribution

The physiological challenge for anadromous fish to migrate upriver to spawn and complete their life cycle is influenced by river temperature.
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Gene Transcription and Heat Shock Protein 70 Abundance in Juvenile Hatchery Reared Coho Salmon and Chinook Salmon during a Manipulative Thermal Experiment, Anchorage, Alaska 2020-2021

This dataset consists of two tables with the results from two manipulative thermal experiments with juvenile coho salmon (May 2021) and juvenile Chinook salmon (May 2020) and include 1) gene transcription results and heat shock protein 70 abundance in coho salmon and Chinook salmon and 2) water temperatures to which fish were exposed during the experiment.
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Alaska Science Center

Gene Transcription and Heat Shock Protein 70 Abundance Results from Migrating Adult Chinook Salmon, Yukon Watershed, 2016-2017

This data set documents the gene transcription levels for a panel of 12 selected genes and the heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) protein abundance measured in the muscle tissue of individual wild Chinook salmon captured from locations within the U.S. portion of the Yukon River watershed. Chinook salmon were primarily captured in 2016 and 2017 from existing field efforts (n = 477). A small number of ad
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Alaska Science Center

Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) Body Condition and Water Temperature Along the Pilgrim River, Northwestern Alaska, 2013-2016

This data set is four spreadsheets with: 1) the body condition and egg counts of Sockeye Salmon captured at several sites along the Pilgrim River 2013-2016, 2) water temperature from 10 automated temperature dataloggers during the summers of 2013-2016, 3) results from an experiment to determine the effect of elevated water temperature on levels of Heat Shock Protein (HSP70) in captive juvenile Soc
By
Alaska Science Center
Filter Total Items: 28

Differential heat shock protein responses in two species of Pacific salmon and their utility in identifying heat stress

Rapid and accelerating warming of salmon habitat has the potential to lower productivity of Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus species) populations. Heat stress biomarkers can indicate where warming is most likely affecting fish populations; however, we often lack clear classifications that separate individuals with and without heat stress needed to make these tools operational. We conducted a heat expo
Authors
Vanessa R. von Biela, Amy M. Regish, Lizabeth Bowen, Ashley E. Stanek, Shannon C. Waters, Michael P. Carey, Christian E. Zimmerman, Jonathon Gerken, Daniel Rinella, Stephen D. McCormick
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC), Alaska Science Center

Neuroendocrine regulation of plasma cortisol levels during smoltification and seawater acclimation of Atlantic salmon

Diadromous fishes undergo dramatic changes in osmoregulatory capacity in preparation for migration between freshwater and seawater. One of the primary hormones involved in coordinating these changes is the glucocorticoid hormone, cortisol. In Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), cortisol levels increase during the spring smoltification period prior to seawater migration; however, the neuroendocrine fact
Authors
Brett M Culbert, Amy M. Regish, Daniel J Hall, Stephen D. McCormick, Nicholas J. Bernier
By
Eastern Ecological Science Center

Rapid embryonic development supports the early onset of gill functions in two coral reef damselfishes

The gill is one of the most important organs for growth and survival of fishes. Early life stages in coral reef fishes often exhibit extreme physiological and demographic characteristics that are linked to well-established respiratory and ionoregulatory processes. However, gill development and function in coral reef fishes is not well-understood. Therefore, we investigated gill morphology, oxygen
Authors
LA Prescott, Amy M. Regish, SJ McMahon, Stephen D. McCormick, JL Rummer
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Eastern Ecological Science Center

Survival and spawning success of American shad (Alosa sapidissima) in varying temperatures and levels of glochidia infection

Temperature fluctuations and climate change impacts may substantially affect spawning success of fish, especially migratory species with a limited spawning window. Factors affecting American shad (Alosa sapidissima) spawning success and survival were investigated at different temperatures and periods (peak- and late-spawning periods) during the Connecticut River, USA, spawning migration in 2017. W
Authors
Shannon M Bayse, Amy M. Regish, Stephen D. McCormick
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Eastern Ecological Science Center

Surface water with more natural temperatures promotes physiological and endocrine changes in landlocked Atlantic salmon smolts

Hatchery salmonid smolts are often reared using groundwater with elevated temperatures to maximize growth. Previous work has shown that rearing hatchery smolts in surface water with a more natural thermal regime resulted in increased return rates of adult landlocked Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). We evaluated whether landlocked Atlantic salmon reared in surface water with a natural temperature reg
Authors
Amy M. Regish, William R. Ardren, Nicholas R Staats, Henry Bouchard, Jonah L. Withers, Theodore R. Castro-Santos, Stephen D. McCormick
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Eastern Ecological Science Center

Effects of long-term cortisol treatment on growth and osmoregulation of Atlantic salmon and brook trout

Cortisol is the final product of the hypothalamic-pituitary-interrenal (HPI) axis and acts as a gluco- and mineralo-corticoid in fish. Long-term elevations of cortisol have been linked to reduced growth in fishes, but the mechanism(s) and relative sensitivities of species are still unclear. We carried out experiments to examine the relative effects of cortisol on growth and gill NKA activity in tw
Authors
Luis Vargas-Chacoff, Amy M. Regish, A. Weinstock, B Th Bjornsson, Stephen D. McCormick
By
Eastern Ecological Science Center

Cortisol is an osmoregulatory and glucose-regulating hormone in Atlantic sturgeon, a basal ray-finned fish

Our current understanding of the hormonal control of ion regulation in aquatic vertebrates comes primarily from studies on teleost fishes, with relatively little information on more basal fishes. We investigated the role of cortisol in regulating seawater tolerance and its underlying mechanisms in an anadromous chondrostean, the Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus). Exposure of freshwater-rear
Authors
Stephen D. McCormick, Meghan L. Taylor, Amy M. Regish
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Eastern Ecological Science Center

Transcriptomic response to elevated water temperatures in adult migrating Yukon River Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)

Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) declines are widespread and may be attributed, at least in part, to warming river temperatures. Water temperatures in the Yukon River and tributaries often exceed 18°C, a threshold commonly associated with heat stress and elevated mortality in Pacific salmon. Untangling the complex web of direct and indirect physiological effects of heat stress on salmon i
Authors
Lizabeth Bowen, Vanessa R. von Biela, Stephen D. McCormick, Amy M. Regish, Shannon C. Waters, Blythe Durbin-Johnson, Monica Britton, Matt Settles, Daniel S. Donnelly, Sarah M. Laske, Michael P. Carey, Randy J Brown, Christian E. Zimmerman
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Alaska Science Center, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC)

Evidence of prevalent heat stress in Yukon River Chinook salmon

Migrating adult Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) are sensitive to warm water (>18 °C), with a range of consequences from decreased spawning success to early mortality. We examined the proportion of Yukon River Chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha) exhibiting evidence of heat stress to assess the potential that high temperatures contribute to freshwater adult mortality in a northern Pacific salmon popu
Authors
Vanessa R. von Biela, Lizabeth Bowen, Stephen D. McCormick, Michael P. Carey, Daniel S. Donnelly, Shannon C. Waters, Amy M. Regish, Sarah M. Laske, Randy J Brown, Sean Larson, Stan Zuray, Christian E. Zimmerman
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Alaska Science Center

Cortisol regulates insulin-like growth-factor binding protein (igfbp) gene expression in Atlantic salmon parr

The growth hormone (Gh)/insulin-like growth-factor (Igf)/Igf binding protein (Igfbp) system regulates growth and osmoregulation in salmonid fishes, but how this system interacts with other endocrine systems is largely unknown. Given the well-documented consequences of mounting a glucocorticoid stress response on growth, we hypothesized that cortisol inhibits anabolic processes by modulating the ex
Authors
Jason P. Breves, R.H. Springer-Miller, D A Chenoweth, A L Paskavitz, A Y H Chang, Amy M. Regish, I E Einarsdottir, Bjorn Bjornsson, Stephen D. McCormick
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Eastern Ecological Science Center

How repeatable is CTmax within individual brook trout over short- and long-time intervals?

As stream temperatures increase due to factors such as heated runoff from impervious surfaces, deforestation, and climate change, fish species adapted to cold water streams are forced to move to more suitable habitat, acclimate or adapt to increased thermal regimes, or die. To estimate the potential for adaptation, a (within individual) repeatable metric of thermal tolerance is imperative. Critica
Authors
Matthew J. O'Donnell, Amy M. Regish, Stephen D. McCormick, Benjamin H. Letcher
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Eastern Ecological Science Center

Upper thermal tolerance and heat shock protein response of juvenile American shad (Alosa sapidissima)

Juvenile American shad (Alosa sapidissima) experience a wide range of temperatures in rivers before migrating to the ocean. Temperatures in these freshwater environments can vary greatly spatially, seasonally, year-to-year, and can be impacted by anthropogenic factors such as power plant discharge or climate change. Currently, there is uncertainty concerning juvenile American shad thermal toleranc
Authors
Shannon Michael Bayse, Ciaran A Shaughnessy, Amy M. Regish, Stephen D. McCormick
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Eastern Ecological Science Center

Science and Products