Connor Capizzano receives Best Student Presentation Award

Connor Capizzano, a graduate student in the Department of Marine Sciences, received the American Fisheries Society (ASF) Northeastern Division Best Student Presentation Award for his presentation, “Estimating and mitigating post-release mortality of Atlantic cod in the Gulf of Maine’s recreational rod-and-reel fishery,” at the recent Northeast Fish & Wildlife Conference held in Newport, Rhode Island.

His presentation involved determining how many Atlantic cod died as a result of being captured, handled or released by recreational anglers in the Gulf of Maine area using progressive methods.

By understanding what causes injury in recreationally-captured cod, Capizzano was able to recommend a series of best-practice techniques that will be disseminated to federal and state organizations, as well as fishing community groups, in the hopes of reducing mortality in this fishery.

Capizzano’s presentation was selected out of 12 other student fishery project submissions.