SEAFWA News

At their annual conference held in Corpus Christi, Texas, October 15-18, the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (SEAFWA) recognized Dr. Robert J. Warren, retired Professor Emeritus at University of Georgia’s Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, as the recipient of their most prestigious award, the...

The Council to Advance Hunting and the Shooting Sports (CAHSS) is pleased to welcome Olivia Harmsen as the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (SEAFWA) Regional R3 Coordinator.

Harmsen has been fully engaged in the R3 Community since 2015, serving the past eight years for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) in several roles, including regional hunter training officer, acting administrative branch manager, and R3 Coordinator. During the past five years as the R3 Coordinator she helped drive recruitment, retention, and reactivation...

Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Undersecretary Bryan McClinton has announced that Lafayette will be the host site for the annual Western Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA) Administrative Officers Workshop (AOW) and Conservation Business Managers Association (CBMA) Joint Conference September 11-14, 2023.  AFWA and CBMA administrative officers are dedicated to raising the standards and establishing best practices promoting a broader understanding and acceptance of the value of business management as a tool of natural resource management.  

This...

The directors of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (SEAFWA) recently voted at their annual spring meeting for member states to collectively partner with the Council to Advance Hunting and the Shooting Sports (CAHSS) and the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF) to co-fund a southeastern Recruitment, Retention, and Reactivation (R3) Coordinator position.  “We all know having a dedicated person to help us with planning, proposals, partnerships, coordination, evaluations, and communication will greatly enhance our capacity as a region to advance R3...

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) voted to appoint Colonel Roger Young to the position of executive director. He replaces Eric Sutton, former executive director, who retired last December. Chairman Barreto touted Colonel Young’s leadership and experience with challenging conservation issues.

“Colonel Young’s leadership is second to none, and I’m confident that he will do a fantastic job leading the agency,” said Chairman Rodney Barreto. “As executive director, I feel that he will take the FWC to the next level.”

While growing up in...

Jamie Dozier, who leads the Tom Yawkey Wildlife Center in Georgetown County for the S.C. Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR), has been awarded Clemson University’s College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences (CAFLS) Professional Achievement Award. 

“Throughout his career, Jamie’s accomplishments in wildlife management, research, teaching, and public outreach have exemplified the finest qualities of a wildlife biologist and conservationist,” said Billy Dukes, SCDNR chief of wildlife. “We congratulate CAFLS for this outstanding selection and...

Three recent recipients of the Minorities in Natural Resource Conservation Technical Committee’s (MINRC) scholarships to attend SEAFWA’s annual conference have joined the professional ranks with agencies in the southeast.  Abby Florez is a Wildlife Refuge Specialist in Georgia, Lavendar Harris is also in Georgia as a Wildlife Biologist, and Cerise Mensah is an Environmental/Natural Resources Specialist in Mississippi.

MINRC’s mission is to increase the overall representation of minorities and women in professional occupations within the field of natural resource conservation...

The National Fish Habitat Board (Board) will kick off its first meeting of 2023 with a new Board Chairman. With the retirement of National Fish Habitat Board Chairman, Ed Schriever, the Board has announced a successor, Robert Boyles, Director of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. Boyles was appointed to the seat on the Board held by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA), which is designated to Chair the Board per the 2020 America’s Conservation Enhancement Act (ACE Act). Mr. Boyles becomes the fifth Chairman of the Board following John Cooper (SD), Kelly...

COVID-19 isn’t the only contagious disease sweeping across American shores. Earlier this year, the team at the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study (SCWDS) in UGA’s College of Veterinary Medicine confirmed the first cases of a highly pathogenic avian influenza virus in three bald eagles in Georgia. The news set off alarm bells in the Georgia wildlife community.

“It’s an unprecedented outbreak,” said Nicole Nemeth, associate professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine and head of the wildlife research and diagnostic service at SCWDS. “Sometimes influenza virus comes...

The C.W. Watson Award is the most prestigious award given by the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. This award was established in 1964 to recognize individuals who have contributed the most to fish and wildlife conservation. The 2022 winner of the award, Dennis Krusac, endangered species specialist with the USDA Forest Service in Atlanta, GA, has maintained the tradition of conservation excellence in the Southeast for his entire 43-year career. Dennis stood out for his development of innovative conservation and education programs, managing habitat for many species...