Richard Methot
Voices from the Science Centers
Voices from the Science Centers is an oral history initiative dedicated to documenting the institutional knowledge of fisheries scientists and administrators in the labs of NOAA’s Fisheries Science Centers.
Dr. Richard Methot grew up in western Massachusetts. He attended the University of Washington and received a bachelor'sdegree from the College of Fisheries. Following graduation, Dr. Methot went to Scripps Institution of Oceanography where he earned his Ph.D. in Biological Oceanography in 1981. After a one year postdoc at Bodega Marine Laboratory, he began working for NOAA that same year at the Southwest Fisheries Science Center in LaJolla, CA. In 1988, he moved to the Alaska Fisheries Science Center in Seattle, WA. Then in 1995, he moved across town to start the west coast groundfish program at the Northwest Fisheries Science Center.In 2002, he became the National Stock Assessment Coordinator for NOAA Fisheries Office of Science and Technology. Since 2012, he has served as the first NOAA Senior Scientist for Stock Assessments. Dr. Methot is also an affiliate professor at the University of Washington School of Aquatic and Fisheries Science.
Interview contains discussions of: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, Scripps Institution, stock assessments, stock assessment models, stock synthesis, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, coastal pelagic fisheries management plan, U.S. West Coast, Northwest and Alaska Science Center, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, groundfish industry, anchovy and sardine stocks, resource ecology and fishery management, communicating research with the public and national assessment toolbox.
Dr. Methot discusses his career at NOAA NMFS and details the work he has done on stock assessment, particularly the stock synthesis model. His work has led him to various positions at both the regional and national level.
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