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Maureen K Purcell, Ph.D.

Maureen leads a team of scientists, technicians, post-doctoral researchers, graduate students and visiting scientists working to improve methods for the detection of fish pathogens, determine factors affecting the epidemiology of fish diseases, and develop novel control strategies for reducing losses among both hatchery-reared and wild fish.

Research Interests:                            

The Fish Health Section studies infectious diseases of fish, molecular taxonomy and epidemiology of fish pathogens, ecology of fish diseases in wild populations and fish host defenses. A portion of our time is spent providing technical assistance to other federal, state and tribal fisheries agencies, including activities such as training, technology transfer and rapid response to emerging fish pathogens.

Professional Experience

  • 2017 to Present - Chief, Fish Health Section, U.S. Geological Survey, Western Fisheries Research Center, Seattle, WA

  • 2014 to Present - Affiliate Associate Professor, Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA

  • 2008-2016 - Research Microbiologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Western Fisheries Research Center, Seattle, WA

  • 2005 - 2008 - Microbiologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Western Fisheries Research Center, Seattle, WA

  • 1999 - 2000 - Contractor, NOAA Fisheries, Northwest Fishery Science Center, Seattle, WA

  • 1997 - 1999 - Professional Research Assistant, The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME

Education and Certifications

  • Ph.D. 2005. Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA

  • M.S. 1997. Zoology, University of Maine, Orono, ME

  • B.S. 1993. Zoology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA

Affiliations and Memberships

  • American Fisheries Society - Fish Health Section

  • European Association of Fish Pathologists 

  • Associate Editor - Journal of Aquatic Animal Health

  • Editorial Board - Fish and Shellfish Immunology

  • Editorial Board - Journal of Virological Methods

Honors and Awards

  • 2016 - Presidential Early Career Service Award for Scientists and Engineers

  • 2012 - U.S. Geological Survey, Western States Diversity Award group award to Fish Health Section

  • 2012 - American Fisheries Society, Most significant paper in Journal of Aquatic Animal Health

  • 2009 - U.S. Geological Survey, Best Professional Paper in Biology by a New Scientist

  • 2008 - American Fisheries Society, Most significant paper in Journal of Aquatic Animal Health

  • 2004 - Faculty Merit Award, U.W. School of Aquatic and Fisheries Sciences

Science and Products

Filter Total Items: 13
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Taking kidney samples from adult female Chinook salmon

Partners - FHP

For more than five decades the WFRC Fish Health Program has worked with partners to provide research findings to managers of aquatic resources. Those partners form a network of colleagues, co-investigators, and customers. Our partners include Department of the Interior bureaus, tribal and state fisheries agencies, other federal partners and the private sector.
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Fish Health Program (FHP)
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Partners - FHP

For more than five decades the WFRC Fish Health Program has worked with partners to provide research findings to managers of aquatic resources. Those partners form a network of colleagues, co-investigators, and customers. Our partners include Department of the Interior bureaus, tribal and state fisheries agencies, other federal partners and the private sector.
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Collecting tissues from fish

Fish Health Program Lead Scientists and Areas of Expertise

Lead Scientists - Expertise
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Fish Health Program (FHP)
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Fish Health Program Lead Scientists and Areas of Expertise

Lead Scientists - Expertise
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Zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Species Studied by the Fish Health Program

List of species studied by the Fish Health Program. These species include bacteria, fish, parasites, and viruses. The list contains both common and scientific names. Descriptions of species and studies can be found under the "Related Science" tab.
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Fish Health Program (FHP)
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Species Studied by the Fish Health Program

List of species studied by the Fish Health Program. These species include bacteria, fish, parasites, and viruses. The list contains both common and scientific names. Descriptions of species and studies can be found under the "Related Science" tab.
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Scientist examines a cell cuture

Tribal Collaboration - Fish Health Program (FHP)

The Fish Health Program has a strong commitment to respond to requests for research and technical support from Tribal fisheries agencies.
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Ecosystems, Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP)
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Tribal Collaboration - Fish Health Program (FHP)

The Fish Health Program has a strong commitment to respond to requests for research and technical support from Tribal fisheries agencies.
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Oil Tanker in Prince William Sound

Herring Disease Program

Using an approach that involves a combination of field- and laboratory-based studies, we are investigating fish health factors that may be contributing to the failed recovery of Pacific herring populations in Prince William Sound, AK. Field studies are providing infection and disease prevalence data to inform the population models, serological data that indicate the prior exposure history and...
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Ecosystems, Fish & Wildlife Disease, Fisheries Program, Western Fisheries Research Center, Marrowstone Marine Field Station (MMFS)
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Herring Disease Program

Using an approach that involves a combination of field- and laboratory-based studies, we are investigating fish health factors that may be contributing to the failed recovery of Pacific herring populations in Prince William Sound, AK. Field studies are providing infection and disease prevalence data to inform the population models, serological data that indicate the prior exposure history and...
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Bacterial Kidney Disease (BKD) in a juvenile salmon. Thumb

Detection Protocols - Renibacterium salmoninarum

Protocols for the Detection of Renibacterium salmoninarum in salmon
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Ecosystems, Fisheries Program, Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP)
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Detection Protocols - Renibacterium salmoninarum

Protocols for the Detection of Renibacterium salmoninarum in salmon
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Gills from Lost River suckers with a heavy infestation of Ichthyobodo sp. (arrows)

Ichthyobodo - FHP

Fish DiseasesIchthyobodo
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Ecosystems, Fish & Wildlife Disease, Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP)
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Ichthyobodo - FHP

Fish DiseasesIchthyobodo
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Photo of aquaculture net-pens

Research on Emerging Viruses of Salmonids - FHP

At the request of the State of Washington, the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission (NWIFC) and the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the Western Fisheries Research Center has been providing technical advice and conducting research regarding the emergence of IHNV in the watersheds of coastal Washington State.
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Ecosystems, Fish & Wildlife Disease, Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP)
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Research on Emerging Viruses of Salmonids - FHP

At the request of the State of Washington, the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission (NWIFC) and the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the Western Fisheries Research Center has been providing technical advice and conducting research regarding the emergence of IHNV in the watersheds of coastal Washington State.
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Cutthroat trout

Emerging Viruses - FHP

Fish DiseasesEmerging Viruses
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Ecosystems, Fish & Wildlife Disease, Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP)
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Emerging Viruses - FHP

Fish DiseasesEmerging Viruses
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Nucleospora (Enterocytozoon) salmonis

Nucleospora Salmonis - FHP

Fish DiseasesNucleospora Salmonis
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Ecosystems, Fish & Wildlife Disease, Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP)
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Nucleospora Salmonis - FHP

Fish DiseasesNucleospora Salmonis
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Photo of Rainbow trout

Whirling Disease - FHP

Fish DiseasesWhirling Disease
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Ecosystems, Fish & Wildlife Disease, Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP)
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Whirling Disease - FHP

Fish DiseasesWhirling Disease
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Photo of scientist at loading gel Thumb

Bacterial Kidney Disease (BKD) - FHP

Fish DiseasesBacterial Kidney Disease (BKD)
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Ecosystems, Fish & Wildlife Disease, Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP)
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Bacterial Kidney Disease (BKD) - FHP

Fish DiseasesBacterial Kidney Disease (BKD)
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Spatial and temporal survey of waterborne myxozoan parasites in the Lake Sammamish watershed, Washington, from 2019 - 2021

There is a fundamental knowledge gap on the distribution, prevalence, intensity, and ecology of salmonid myxozoan parasites in the Lake Sammamish watershed, Washington. To address this knowledge gap, we tested water samples for Ceratonova shasta, Parvicapsula minibicornis and Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae DNA from 84 sites distributed throughout the Lake Sammamish watershed in fall 2019 and 74 sit
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Western Fisheries Research Center

Survival, viral load and neutralizing antibodies in steelhead trout and cell cultures exposed to infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) at 3 temperatures

Environmental variation has important effects on host-pathogen interactions, affecting large-scale ecological processes such as the severity and frequency of epidemics. However, less is known about how the environment modulates viral fitness traits and within host infection processes. Viral genetic variation, fish host immune response and environmental parameters such as temperature have been repo
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Ecosystems, Fish & Wildlife Disease, Fisheries Program, Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP)

Data from 2018 Experiment on Effects of Temperature on Survival and Growth of Juvenile Lost River Suckers (Deltistes luxatus) naturally exposed to Ichthyobodo spp

Data included in this data set are for an experiment conducted in 2018. Data were collected on survival, growth, food consumption, and Ichthyobodo copy numbers of Lost River suckers exposed to five different temperature groups. There are five levels of data. Temperature data contains 1,178 records and the data file is 35 KB, survival data contains 150 records and the data file is 3 KB, food consum
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Ecosystems, Fisheries Program, Western Fisheries Research Center, Klamath Falls Field Station (KFFS)

Nuclear inclusion X testing of Pacific Razor clams from select locations in Washington and Alaska

A quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay was developed to detect nuclear inclusion X (NIX) in Pacific razor clams, and assay specificity was confirmed by chromogenic in situ hybridization (CISH). Both tests were applied to evaluate NIX infections in wild Pacific razor clams collected during spring 2019. Consistent with results from earlier histopathological assessments, qPCR and CISH indicated 100% prevale
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Ecosystems, Fish & Wildlife Disease, Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP)

Final Dataset: Molecular testing of adult Pacific salmon and trout (Oncorhynchus spp.) for several RNA viruses demonstrates widespread distribution of piscine orthoreovirus (PRV) in Alaska and Washington

Dataset for the publication 'Molecular testing of adult Pacific salmon and trout (Oncorhynchus spp.) for several RNA viruses demonstrates widespread distribution of piscine orthoreovirus (PRV) in Alaska and Washington'. This research was initiated in conjunction with a systematic, multi-agency surveillance effort in the United States (U.S.) in response to reported findings of infectious salmon ane
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Ecosystems, Fish & Wildlife Disease, Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP)
Filter Total Items: 80

Disruption of the Francisella noatunensis orientalis pdpA gene results in virulence attenuation and protection in zebrafish

Several Francisella spp. including F. noatunensis are regarded as important emerging pathogens of wild and farmed fish. However, very few studies have investigated the virulence factors that allow these bacterial species to be pathogenic in fish. The Francisella Pathogenicity Island (FPI) is a well-described, gene-dense region encoding major virulence factors for the genus Francisella. PdpA is a m
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Ecosystems, Fisheries Program, Western Fisheries Research Center

Herring Disease Program - Annual Project Report 2012011-E, February 1, 2010-January 31, 2021

We will investigate fish health factors that may be contributing to the failed recovery of Pacific herring populations in Prince William Sound. Field samples will provide infection and disease prevalence data from Prince William Sound and Sitka Sound to inform the age structured assessment (ASA) model, serological data will indicate the prior exposure history and future susceptibility of herring t
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Ecosystems, Fish & Wildlife Disease, Fisheries Program, Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP), Marrowstone Marine Field Station (MMFS)

Temperature variation and host immunity regulate viral persistence in a salmonid host

Environmental variation has important effects on host–pathogen interactions, affecting large-scale ecological processes such as the severity and frequency of epidemics. However, less is known about how the environment interacts with host immunity to modulate virus fitness within hosts. Here, we studied the interaction between host immune responses and water temperature on the long-term persistence
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Ecosystems, Fish & Wildlife Disease, Fisheries Program, Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP)

Long-term shedding from fully convalesced individuals indicates that Pacific herring are a reservoir for viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus

Processes that allow viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) virus to persist in the marine environment remain enigmatic, owing largely to the presence of covert and cryptic infections in marine fishes during typical sub-epizootic periods. As such, marine host reservoirs for VHS virus have not been fully demonstrated, nor have the mechanism(s) by which infected hosts contribute to virus perpetuation an
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Ecosystems, Fish & Wildlife Disease, Fisheries Program, Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP), Marrowstone Marine Field Station (MMFS)

Differential susceptibility of Yukon River and Salish Sea stocks of Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha to ichthyophoniasis

Preliminary evidence suggests that Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha from the Yukon River may be more susceptible to Ichthyophonus sp. infections than Chinook from stocks further south. To investigate this hypothesis in a controlled environment, we experimentally challenged juvenile Chinook from the Yukon River and from the Salish Sea with Ichthyophonus sp. and evaluated mortality, infection
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Ecosystems, Fish & Wildlife Disease, Fisheries Program, Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP), Marrowstone Marine Field Station (MMFS)

Effect of temperature on survival of Lost River Suckers with a natural infection of Ichthyobodo spp.

To compensate for low natural survival of endangered Lost River Suckers Deltistes luxatus, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Klamath Tribes have initiated captive rearing programs. We conducted laboratory experiments intended to determine the temperature for optimum growth of juvenile Lost River Suckers; however, due to an unanticipated infection with Ichthyobodo spp., we instead estimate
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Ecosystems, Fish & Wildlife Disease, Fisheries Program, Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP), Klamath Falls Field Station (KFFS)

Exploration of the 2016 Yellowstone River fish kill and proliferative kidney disease in wild fish populations

Proliferative kidney disease (PKD) is an emerging disease that recently resulted in a large mortality event of salmonids in the Yellowstone River (Montana, USA). Total PKD fish mortalities in the Yellowstone River were estimated in the tens of thousands, which resulted in a multi‐week river closure and an estimated economic loss of US$500,000. This event shocked scientists, managers, and the publi
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Ecosystems, Fish & Wildlife Disease, Fisheries Program, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP)

Novel diagnostic tests for the putative agent of bacterial gill disease in Pacific razor clams (Siliqua patula)

Nuclear inclusion X (NIX) is a gamma proteobacteria that infects the nuclei of gill epithelial cells in Pacific razor clams. NIX has been associated with clam die-offs in coastal Washington. A quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay was developed to detect NIX in Pacific razor clams, and assay specificity was confirmed by chromogenic in situ hybridization (CISH). Both tests were applied to evaluate NIX infe
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Ecosystems, Fish & Wildlife Disease, Fisheries Program, Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP), Marrowstone Marine Field Station (MMFS)

Disease in Central Valley salmon: Status and lessons from other systems

Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) are increasingly vulnerable to anthropogenic activities and climate change, especially at their most southern species range in California’s Central Valley. There is considerable interest in understanding stressors that contribute to population decline and in identifying management actions that reduce the impacts of those stressors. Along the west coast of
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Ecosystems, Fisheries Program, Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP)

Genomes reveal genetic diversity of Piscine orthoreovirus in farmed and free-ranging salmonids from Canada and USA

Piscine orthoreovirus (PRV-1) is a segmented RNA virus which is commonly found in salmonids in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. PRV-1 causes the Heart and Skeletal Muscle Inflammation (HSMI) disease in Atlantic salmon and is associated with several other disease conditions. Previous phylogenetic studies of genome segment 1 (S1) identified four main genogroups of PRV-1 (S1 genogroups I – IV). The g
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Ecosystems, Fisheries Program, Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP)

Consequences of Piscine orthoreovirus genotype 1 (PRV‐1) infections in Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha ), coho salmon (O. kisutch ) and rainbow trout (O. mykiss )

Piscine orthoreovirus genotype 1 (PRV‐1) is the causative agent of heart and skeletal muscle inflammation (HSMI) in farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.). The virus has also been found in Pacific salmonids in western North America, raising concerns about the risk to native salmon and trout. Here, we report the results of laboratory challenges using juvenile Chinook salmon, coho salmon and rainbo
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Ecosystems, Fisheries Program, Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP)

Herring Disease Program II 19120111-E - 2019 Annual Report

We will investigate fish health factors that may be contributing to the failed recovery of Pacific herring populations in Prince William Sound. Field samples will provide infection and disease prevalence data from Prince William Sound and Sitka Sound that will inform the ASA model, serological data that will indicate the prior exposure history and future susceptibility of herring to VHS, and diet
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Ecosystems, Fisheries Program, Western Fisheries Research Center, Fish Health Program (FHP), Marrowstone Marine Field Station (MMFS)

Pre-USGS Publications

Purcell, M., G. Mackey, E. LaHood, H. Huber, and L. Park. 2004. Molecular methods for the genetic identification of salmonid prey from Pacific harbor seal (Phoca vitulina richardsi ) scat. Fish. Bull. 1002: 213-220.
Lage, C., M. Purcell, M. Forgarty, and I. Kornfield. 2001. Microsatellite evaluation of haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) stocks in the northwest Atlantic Ocean. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 58: 982-990. DOI: 10.1139/cjfas-58-5-982.
Purcell, M.K., J-L. Mu, D.C. Higgins, R. Elango, H. Whitmore, S. Harris, and B. Paigen. 2001. Fine mapping of Ath6, a quantitative trait locus for atherosclerosis in mice. Mammalian Genome 12(7): 495-500. DOI: 10.1007/s00335001-0006-9.
Purcell, M.K., I.L. Kornfield, M.J. Fogarty and A. Parker. (1996) Interdecadal heterogeneity of mitochondrial DNA in Atlantic haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) from Georges Bank. Molecular Marine Biology and Biotechnology. 5:185-192.
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Western Fisheries Science News, November 2017 | Issue 5.11

USGS and Chinese Fish Health Specialists Meet in the People's Republic of China to Discuss Fish Health

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Western Fisheries Science News, June 2017 | Issue 5.6

Dr. Diane Elliott Retires After Long Distinguished Career

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Western Fisheries Science News, April 2017 | Issue 5.4

Dr. Jim Winton Retires After Long Distinguished Career

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Western Fisheries Science News, March 2016 | Issue 4.3

Understanding the Effects of Temperature on Diseases in Fish

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Western Fisheries Science News, December 2014 | Issue 2.12

WFRC’s Bacterial Kidney Disease Research and Its Relation to the Great Lakes Fisheries

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Western Fisheries Science News, September 2014 | Issue 2.9

WFRC Hosts Visiting Scientists from Norway

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Science and Products