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By Deborah Weisberg

By Deborah Weisberg

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3 photo-Spring Gearhart

Fisheries biologists from around the world will gather in in September on the banks of an environmental success story. The Fish & Boat Commission (PFBC) will host the 140th annual meeting of the American Fisheries Society (AFS) at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, overlooking the , Downtown, September 12 through 16. One of America’s great waterways, the Allegheny meets the at Point State Park to form the , which is part of the mighty Mississippi River watershed. Although the Monongahela and Ohio are vital to the region’s remaining steel mills and coke plants, they and the Allegheny have become thriving recreational resources, too. Marinas, houseboat communities and fishing clubs abound on all three rivers, which boast walleyes, saugers, black bass and at least a dozen kinds of mussels. “Pittsburgh’s green renaissance—and not just the waterways, but the entire city—was a big selling point in our decision to hold our conference there,” said Beth Beard, managing editor of Fisheries magazine, the AFS publication. “We’re expecting 1,500 scientists from around the world who are going to be pleasantly surprised by what they see in Pittsburgh.” The last time the AFS met in Pittsburgh was 20 years ago when the Clean Water Act was beginning to pay off and the city’s revitalization was well underway. “Pittsburgh is even more vibrant now,” said PFBC fisheries bureau director Leroy Young, who is the

4 by Deborah Weisberg

photo-CMS OAKLAND AREA 1 Andy Warhol Museum A Carnegie Mellon University 2 August Wilson Center B Carnegie Museum of Art & Natural History 3 C Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens 4 D 5 Mount Washington Incline/Overlook 6 PNC Park 7 Point State Park 8 Rivers Casino 9 Westin Convention Center Hotel

1 9 Subway Stop Direction of 6 2 traffic flow

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To Oakland D C

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conference’s general meeting chair. “A testament to the transformation is that two major bass tournaments were held in Pittsburgh in recent years—the Bassmaster Classic and the Forrest Wood Cup (FLW).” Thanks to riverside trails a short jaunt from their hotel, AFS conference goers will be able to touch the water, watch wildlife, wet a line and rent a kayak or canoe and 5 paddle in the shadow of Downtown skyscrapers. Water photo-VisitPittsburgh quality improvements by the PFBC and its many partners have enabled more than 80 species of fish from skipjack herring to muskellunge to flourish in all three rivers, while rare mussels including the snuffbox, rabbitsfoot photo-VisitPittsburgh and salamander varieties have been documented in the Allegheny. Of course, fabulous fishing isn’t all that the rivers have 6 spawned. The North Shore is home to the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field, the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park and the Carnegie Science Center with its World War II-era submarine, the USS Requiem. The Pittsburgh Penguins’ brand-new ice arena is a short walk 7

from Downtown as is the Strip District, a landmark photo-VisitPittsburgh neighborhood of colorful markets and home to the Smithsonian Institution-affiliated Senator John Heinz History Center. On the South Side at Station Square—an 8

18th Century train terminal converted into an elegant photo-VisitPittsburgh complex of restaurants and shops—folks can board the Gateway Clipper for a moonlit river-cruise or catch a cable car for a ride up the Pittsburgh Incline to Mt. Washington and its spectacular urban vista. Included in the view is Point State Park, a historic landmark that dates to the (1754-1763). The 36-acre green space includes an intact remnant of that is today a public museum known as the Blockhouse. Dozens of activities will be offered to conference 9 participants and their spouses, from an evening social

photo-CMS at the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium with its world-famous polar bear exhibit to a walking tour of Downtown. Day trips to famous attractions outside Pittsburgh may interest conferees who arrive a day or two early. They include an American Heroes Tour of the site of the Quecreek Mine rescue and nearby Flight 93 National

photo-VisitPittsburgh Memorial—an especially fitting visit for 9/11—as well as Frank Lloyd Wright’s and Bedford’s covered bridges. Folks interested in bridges, though, needn’t leave 10 Pittsburgh. With 445, it has more bridges than any other city in the world, including Venice, the previous record-holder. 11 There’s plenty to keep attendees busy at the conference where symposia are slated on a variety of topics including

photo-Spring Gearhart environmental impacts from sand and gravel dredging and oil and gas development, invasive species and habitat protection. PFBC biologists will speak about the 1 Gateway Clipper Excursion Boat. role of private sector partners in fisheries conservation 2 PNC Park. efforts, the salvage of rare mussels during dam removal 3 The Westin Hotel. operations and efforts to restore American shad in Atlantic Coastal waters including the 4 Pittsburgh at night. Delaware River. 5 Point State Park. “This is an important group and the annual meeting is a very big deal for those who have a stake in aquatic Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater. 6 wildlife,” said Young. “AFS members come from all 7 view. sectors—government, universities, tribal communities and corporations. They conduct research and influence 8 Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium. policies pertaining to fisheries management and 9 Fountain at Point State Park. conservation. Information sharing is critical to the future 10 Kayaking on the Three Rivers of our natural resources.” Besides dozens of symposia, hundreds of papers will 11 Carnegie Science Center. be presented on timely topics. “Biologists tend to get immersed in their particular areas of expertise,” said Young. “This lets us recharge our batteries and expand our professional horizons.” Keynote speakers will include National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration chief Jane Lubchenco, National Wildlife Federation chief executive officer Larry Schweiger, University of Hull International Fisheries Institute director Ian Cowx and South Dakota State University assistant professor Melissa Wuellner. We sincerely appreciate the generosity of our sponsors.

ATLANTIC OCEAN $15,000 OR GREATER

GULF OF MEXICO $10,000

MISSISSIPPI RIVER $5,000

OHIO RIVER $2,500

ALLEGHENY RIVER $1,000

MONONGAHELA RIVER $500

www.fishandboat.com Pennsylvania Angler & Boater • July/August 2010 19

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