Paul Hershberger, Ph.D.
Paul Hershberger is the Chief of the Fish Heath Section at the U. S. Geological Survey - Western Fisheries Research Center (Seattle, WA) and the Station Leader at the Marrowstone Marine Field Station (Nordland, WA). He is an Affiliate Professor at the University of Washington – School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, and former President of the Fish Health Section - American Fisheries Society.
Paul has the pleasure of leading a team of fish health professionals who are experts in their respective fields of fish virology, immunology, toxicology, histopathology, parasitology, and disease ecology. Specific components of the Fish Health Section focus on:
- the development of immune-related tools for fishes and the impact(s) of environmental stressors (e.g. contaminants, pathogens, temperature) on the fish immune response.
- the use of gene knock outs in zebrafish and other model species to assess pathogen virulence and host immune response mechanisms.
- the evolution of virulence and other phenotypes in fish viruses using landscape-scale genotyping to identify patterns of virus occurrence, transmission, and disease impacts across borad temporal and geographic scales.
- the discovery and identification of new and emerging fish viruses in the Pacific Northwest and throughout North America.
- the integration of novel quantitative techniques to understand stochasticity of pathogen transmission and other mechanisms of basic and applied disease ecology.
- the use of histopathology and electron microscopy to assess pathogen / disease monitoring and research needs in populations of wild and hatchery-raised fishes.
- the effects of environmental contaminants, including PAH’s, PCB’s, and emerging contaminants like PFAS and 6-PPD quinone on fish health, survival, and immunological pathways.
- the range expansion of invasive amphibians and their susceptibility to native and exotic pathogens.
In addition, Paul’s personal research employs a combination of laboratory and field approaches to understand, forecast, and mitigate the impacts of infectious and parasitic diseases on populations of wild marine and anadromous fishes.
Professional Experience
2022 to Present: Fish Health Section Chief, U.S. Geological Survey, Western Fisheries Research Center, Seattle, WA
2003 to Present – Station Leader, U.S. Geological Survey, Western Fisheries Research Center, Marrowstone Marine Field Station, Nordland, WA
2004 to Present – Member of the Affiliate Faculty, School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. Fisheries, School of Aquatic and Fisheries Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
M.S. Fisheries, School of Aquatic and Fisheries Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
B.S. Chemistry and Biology, Northland College, Ashland, WI
Science and Products
Survival potential of herring in Puget Sound
Incidence of Ichthyophonus hoferi in Puget Sound fishes and its increase with age of Pacific herring
Washington Department of Natural Resources herring study 2000: Health of Puget Sound herring stocks
Yukon River King Salmon - Ichthyophonus Pilot Study
Management of Pacific herring closed pound spawn-on-kelp fisheries to optimize fish health and product quality
Epidemiology of viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) among juvenile Pacific herring and Pacific sandlances in Puget Sound, Washington
Survival of the North American strain of viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) in filtered seawater and seawater containing ovarian fluid, crude oil and serum-enriched culture medium
Egg incubation studies provide clues to the future of the once-largest herring stock in Puget Sound
Epizootiology of viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus in Pacific herring from the spawn-on-kelp fishery in Prince William Sound, Alaska, USA
Willamette River ecological health studies. In situ bioassay analysis
Yukon River king salmon- Ichthyophonus pilot study (prevalence and pathology)
Pathogenicity of Ichthyophonus hoferi for laboratory-reared Pacific herring Clupea pallasi and its early appearance in wild Puget Sound herring
Science and Products
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Survival potential of herring in Puget Sound
Abstract not availableAuthorsP.K. Hershberger, R. M. KocanIncidence of Ichthyophonus hoferi in Puget Sound fishes and its increase with age of Pacific herring
A recent decrease in the mean age of adult Pacific herring Clupea pallasi in Puget Sound was associated with a high prevalence of Ichthyophonus hoferi, a protistan parasite that can be highly pathogenic to Pacific herring. In Puget Sound, high intensities of I. hoferiinfection may be maintained in older cohorts of Pacific herring because the prevalence ofI. hoferi increased with age from 12% amongAuthorsP.K. Hershberger, K. Stick, B. Bui, C. Carroll, B. Fall, C. Mork, J.A. Perry, E. Sweeney, J. Wittouck, J. Winton, R. KocanWashington Department of Natural Resources herring study 2000: Health of Puget Sound herring stocks
Abstract not availableAuthorsP.K. Hershberger, K. M. KocanYukon River King Salmon - Ichthyophonus Pilot Study
When king salmon enter the Yukon River on their spawning migration in mid June, over 25% of the population are infected with Ichthyophonus. The percent of infected fish remains relatively constant until the fish pass river mile 1,319 at Dawson, Y.T., then it drops to 13% when they reach river mile 1,745 at Whitehorse, Y.T. When the sexes are examined separately, slightly more females are infectedAuthorsR. M. Kocan, P.K. HershbergerManagement of Pacific herring closed pound spawn-on-kelp fisheries to optimize fish health and product quality
Use of high densities of newly recruited Pacific herring Clupea pallasi for the closed-pound spawn-on-kelp (PPSOK) fishery in Prince William Sound, Alaska, was associated with increased gamete retention, decreased product quality, and increased prevalence of viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) relative to the confinement of older cohorts at lower densities. To maximize product quality and reAuthorsP.K. Hershberger, N.E. Elder, G.D. Marty, J. Johnson, R. M. KocanEpidemiology of viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) among juvenile Pacific herring and Pacific sandlances in Puget Sound, Washington
Viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) and the associated virus (VHSV) were identified in newly metamorphosed Pacific herring Clupea pallasi and Pacific sand lances Ammodytes hexapterus captured from Puget Sound, Washington, between 1995 and 1998. During that 4-year period, virus was detected in less than 1% of free-ranging, age-0 Pacific herring; however, when groups of these fish were confined in thAuthorsR. M. Kocan, P.K. Hershberger, N.E. Elder, J. R. WintonSurvival of the North American strain of viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) in filtered seawater and seawater containing ovarian fluid, crude oil and serum-enriched culture medium
The North American strain of viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (NA-VHSV) could be recovered for up to 40 h in natural filtered seawater (27 ppt) with a 50% loss of infectivity after approximately 10 h at 15°C. Addition of 10 ppb North Slope crude oil to the seawater had no effect on virus survival. However, when various concentrations of teleost ovarian fluid were added to seawater, virus couldAuthorsR. M. Kocan, P.K. Hershberger, N.E. ElderEgg incubation studies provide clues to the future of the once-largest herring stock in Puget Sound
No abstract availableAuthorsP.K. Hershberger, R. M. Kocan, N.E. ElderEpizootiology of viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus in Pacific herring from the spawn-on-kelp fishery in Prince William Sound, Alaska, USA
Both the prevalence and tissue titer of viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) increased in Pacific herring Clupea pallasi following their introduction into net pens (pounds) used in the closed pound spawn-on-kelp (SOK) fishery in Prince William Sound, Alaska. VHSV was also found in water samples from inside and outside the SOK pounds after herring had been confined for several days; however, wAuthorsP.K. Hershberger, R. M. Kocan, N.E. Elder, T.R. Meyers, J. R. WintonWillamette River ecological health studies. In situ bioassay analysis
Abstract not availableAuthorsR. Kocan, P. HershbergerYukon River king salmon- Ichthyophonus pilot study (prevalence and pathology)
Abstract not availableAuthorsR. M. Kocan, P.K. HershbergerPathogenicity of Ichthyophonus hoferi for laboratory-reared Pacific herring Clupea pallasi and its early appearance in wild Puget Sound herring
Laboratory-reared pathogen-free Pacific herring were exposed to pure cultures of Ichthyophonus hoferi, and reproduced the disease seen in naturally infected fish - thus fulfilling Koch's Postulates. Pathogen-free herring used in this study were reared from artificially spawned eggs incubated in filtered, UV-sterilized seawater, eliminating the variables associated with multiple infections, which aAuthorsR. M. Kocan, P. Hershberger, T. Mehl, N. Elder, M. Bradley, D. Wildermuth, K. Stick - News