SFOS Newsletter
Fall 2008
Featured Student
Kevin Fraley, B.S. Fisheries
by Kevin Fraley
Kevin Fraley with a carp. Photo courtesy Kevin Fraley.
Kevin Fraley is a freshman studying fisheries at the UAF School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences. In this autobiographical piece, Fraley tells us why he decided to study fisheries and why he chose to come to UAF for college.
I grew up in Kalispell, Montana, as the son of a fisheries biologist. I was exposed to the outdoors and fish when I was very young. My dad got me interested in fishing and aquatic insects, and I often helped him when he made presentations about natural resources and fisheries.
Later, when I was in fourth grade, I volunteered in the "Hooked on Fishing not on Drugs Program" at my elementary school. "Hooked on Fishing" is a program where kids are taken out on fishing trips at local bodies of water to increase their connection with the outdoors and wildlife. I continued to help with this program until I graduated from high school.
Another fisheries-related activity I participated in was the "Fishing Without Barriers Day." This is an activity where disabled anglers from all over Montana were taken out on Flathead Lake in charter boats to fish for the sporty and succulent lake trout. I helped these anglers fight and land the fish, and also assisted the charter boat captains with various nautical tasks.
I was and still am an avid fisherman, and this helped me appreciate the world of fish even more. I liked to fish for different and interesting fish, and I marveled at their strange and intriguing habits. It was then, in about seventh grade, that I decided I wanted to become a fish biologist like my father.
Photo courtesy Kevin Fraley.
I continued to participate in "Hooked on Fishing" and "Fishing Without Barriers Day," and I also began to volunteer for my dad at Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks.
I went with him several times to count Westslope cutthroat trout (Montana's state fish) and bull trout redd (a nest made by fish in gravel to lay eggs and spawn) counts in the area.
I also tagged along on genetic surveys, population estimates, and fish stocking efforts.
Two summers ago I went on a three day mark and recapture population estimate with the Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Fisheries crew.
This was a hook and line capture estimate, so it was lots of fun. It was also nice to hang out with the biologists on this trip. I realized that the field of fisheries must draw some pretty good people because everybody on the crew was very likeable and easy to relate to.
Last summer I was chosen as an American Fisheries Society Hutton Scholarship/Internship winner. During this internship I learned about fisheries techniques and the importance of public opinion. I was able to get the feel of what a fisheries biologist's job is really like. I participated in a wide variety of fun jobs such as gill-netting, plankton sampling, electrofishing from boat and backpack, and stocking fish. I even learned how to sort aquatic insects by order.
All these experiences have made me realize that fisheries is the career for me, and I wouldn't be happy doing anything else. It also makes me feel good to know that I'm contributing to the health and good management of the fish populations that I love.
I decided to come to the University of Alaska Fairbanks for several reasons, chiefly because I wanted to experience the wildness of Alaska. It also helped that the leader of the Montana State University fisheries school recommended UAF's program over his own.
The staff at UAF and the School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences (especially Katie Murra, [SFOS' Recruitment and Retention Coordinator]) were also more personable and helpful than those at MSU. I also earned several substantial scholarships that have allowed me to attend UAF.
I am currently taking "Introduction to Fisheries" because it is a requirement for the degree, and because it will help me jump right in to the next upper-level fisheries courses I take. As a fisheries student at UAF, I am looking forward to gaining new perspectives on what fisheries management is like in Alaska and learn about Alaska's fish, many of which are new to me.
- Back to Fall 2008 Newsletter