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Fisher, William L.
Cornell Faculty Member
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Positions
- Associate Courtesy Professor, Natural Resources (NTRES/DNR), College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS)
Bill Fisher joined the Department of Natural Resources in 2008, and he is Leader of the New York Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit. He is a fisheries scientist and stream ecologist with interests in applications of geographic information systems in fisheries, management of recreational fisheries, conservation of rare and declining fishes, and sustainable water resources management.
- Affiliations
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- Teaching
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Affiliations
member of
- David R. Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future (ACSF) Faculty Fellow
Research
research overview
- My research interests are in applications of geographic information systems in fisheries, management of recreational fisheries, conservation of rare and declining fishes, and sustainable water resources management. My research focus is primarily field oriented with an emphasis on modeling species-environment relationships. Current research includes (i) modeling fish-habitat relationships in streams; (ii) evaluating environmental flows in rivers; (iii) sampling design and methodology; and (iv) applying geotechnology (GIS, GPS) to natural resource management and conservation.
principal investigator on
- BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT CO-OP NEW YORK COOPERATIVE FISH & WILDLIFE RESEARCH awarded by NYS DEPT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION 2010 - 2013
- DEVELOPMENT OF A HYDROLOGIC FOUNDATION AND FLOW-ECOLOGY RELATIONSHIPS FOR MONITORING REVERINE RESOURCES IN TEH MARCELLUS SHALE REGION. awarded by US DEPT OF INTERIOR 2012 - 2014
- NYS ENDANGERED, THREATENED, AND SPECIAL CONCERN SPECIES LIST REVIEW AND REVISIONS awarded by NYS DEPT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION 2010 - 2013
- STRUCTERED DECISION MAKING FOR NATURAL RESOURCES ISSUES IN NEW YORK STATE awarded by GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, DOI 2011 - 2013
- USE OF TELEMETRY TO ASSESS POTENTIAL EFFECTS OF SCHOHARIE RESERVOIR WATERS ON TROUT POPULATIONS IN THE UPPER ESOPUS CREEK awarded by GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, DOI 2009 - 2012
co-principal investigator on
- NEW YORK SUSTAINABLE FLOWS PROJECT awarded by NATURE CONSERVANCY 2011 - 2012
Publications
individual publications
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academic article
- Habitat use by fishes in groundwater-dependent streams of southern Oklahoma. The American Midland Naturalist. 164:201-206. 2010
- Effects of variation in streamflow and channel structure on smallmouth bass habitat in an alluvial streams. River Research and Applications. 25:661-674. 2009
- Biogeography, ecoregions, and geomorphology affect fish species composition in streams of eastern Oklahoma, USA.. Environmental Biology of Fishes. 82:113-121. 2008
- Ontogenetic and seasonal diet shifts of smallmouth bass in an Ozark stream.. Journal of Freshwater Ecology. 23:113-121. 2008
- Spatial and temporal patterns in stream habitat and smallmouth bass populations in eastern Oklahoma.. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society. 137:1072-1088. 2008
- Electrofishing capture probability of smallmouth bass in streams. North American Journal of Fisheries Management. 27:162-171. 2007
- Geomorphology and stream habitat relationships with smallmouth bass abundance at multiple spatial scales in eastern Oklahoma. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Science. 64:1116-1129. 2007
- Microhabitat use by smallmouth bass in an Ozark stream. Journal of Freshwater Ecology. 22:189-199. 2007
- Spawning chronology, nest site selection, and nest success of smallmouth bass during benign streamflow conditions. American Midland Naturalist. 158:60-78. 2007
- Spawning chronology, nest site selection, and nest success of smallmouth bass during benign streamflow conditions. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Science. 64:1116-1129. 2007
- Analysis of environmental variation in a Great Plains reservoir using principal components analysis and geographic information systems. Lake and Reservoir Management. 22:132-140. 2006
- Development of a rapid bioassessment protocol for sampling fishes in large prairie rivers. North American Journal of Fisheries Management. 26:714-726. 2006
- Mapping stream habitats with a global positioning system: accuracy, precision, and comparison with traditional methods. Journal of Environmental Management. 37:271-280. 2006
- Distribution and abundance of black bass in Skiatook Lake, Oklahoma after introduction of smallmouth bass and a liberalized harvest regulation on spotted bass. North American Journal of Fisheries Management. 25:49-56. 2005
- Fish assemblage and aquatic habitat relationships at the Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge. Proceedings of the Oklahoma Academy of Sciences. 85:19-31. 2005
- Stream fisheries management in the United States: a survey of state agency programs. Fisheries. 28:10-18. 2003
- Habitat correlates of the distribution of Macrhybopsis hyostoma (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) in western reaches of the Arkansas River basin. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science. 105:53-161. 2002
- Habitat use of shorebirds at a stopover site in the southern Great Plains. Southwestern Naturalist. 47:372-378. 2002
- Recreational fishing and socioeconomic characteristics of eastern Oklahoma stream anglers. Proceedings of the Oklahoma Academy of Science. 82:79-87. 2002
- Catastrophic wildfire and number of populations as factors influencing risk of extinction for Gila trout. Western North American Naturalist. 61:139-148. 2001
- Characteristics of paddlefish in a southwestern U.S. reservoir, with comparisons of lentic and lotic populations. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society. 130:634-643. 2001
- Precision and bias of largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass ages estimated from scales, whole otoliths, and sectioned otoliths. North American Journal of Fisheries Management. 21:636-645. 2001
- Spring movements of paddlefish in a prairie reservoir system. Journal of Freshwater Ecology. 16:113-124. 2001
- A multi-stage approach to estimate fish abundance in streams using geographic information systems. North American Journal of Fisheries Management. 20:634-645. 2000
- Abiotic factors affecting summer distribution and movement of male paddlefish in a prairie reservoir. The Southwestern Naturalist. 45:133-140. 2000
- Inter-annual and size-related differences in the diets of three sympatric black bass in an Oklahoma reservoir. Journal of Freshwater Ecology. 15:465-474. 2000
- Allozyme perspective on genetic variation in a threatened percid fish, the leopard darter (Percina pantherina). American Midland Naturalist. 142:393-400. 1999
- Bioenergetics estimate of the effects of stocking density on hatchery production of smallmouth bass fingerlings. North American Journal of Aquaculture. 61:1-7. 1999
- Declining status of two species of the Macrhybopsis aestivalis complex (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) in the Arkansas River Basin and related effects of reservoirs as barriers to dispersal. Copeia Journal. 1999:981-989. 1999
- Evaluation of paddlefish length distributions and catch rates in three mesh sizes of gill nets. North American Journal of Fisheries Management. 19:599-603. 1999
- Simulation modeling of population viability for the leopard darter (Percidae: Percina pantherina). The Southwestern Naturalist. 44:470-477. 1999
- Swimming performance of the threatened leopard darter in relation to road culverts. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society. 128:155-161. 1999
- Recent trends in geographic information systems education and fisheries research applications at U.S. universities. Fisheries. 23:10-13. 1998
- Turbine passage of juvenile and adult fish at a warmwater hydroelectric facility in northeastern Oklahoma: monitoring associated with relicensing. North American Journal of Fisheries Management. 18:124-136. 1998
- Use of the index of biotic integrity to assess water quality in forested streams of the Ouachita Mountians Ecoregion, Arkansas. Journal of Freshwater Ecology. 13:181-192. 1998
- Warmwater stream and river fisheries in the southeastern United States: Are we managing them in proportion to their values?. Fisheries. 23:16-24. 1998
- Striped bass distribution, movements, and site fidelity in Robert S. Kerr, Oklahoma. North American Journal of Fisheries Management. 17:677-686. 1997
- AFS book program survey: members voice needs and preferences. Fisheries. 20:6-13. 1995
- AFS book program: a five-year plan. Fisheries. 20:12-16. 1995
- Benthic macroinvertebrates of an impounded prairie stream as affected by complete impoundment drawdown. Journal of Freshwater Ecology. 10:217-223. 1995
- Distribution of the Red River shiner, Notropis bairdi, in the Arkansas River drainage. Proceedings of the Oklahoma Academy of Science. 75:61-62. 1995
- A prepositioned areal electrofishing apparatus for sampling stream habitats. North American Journal of Fisheries Management. 13:807-816. 1993
- Entrainment of ichthyoplankton by a warmwater hydroelectric facility. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society. 122:709-716. 1993
- Life history and ecology of the orangefin darter Etheostoma bellum (Pisces: Percidae). American Midland Naturalist. 123:268-281. 1990
- Benthic fish sampler for use in riffle habitats. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society. 116:768-772. 1987
- Fishes of the Rolling Fork of the Salt River. Transactions of the Kentucky Academy of Science. 46:108-115. 1985
- An annotated list of the fishes of Eagle, Stotts and Rattlesnake creeks in central Indiana. Proceedings of the Indiana Academy of Science. 92:171-182. 1983
- The implications of rotenone eradication on the fish community of Eagle Creek in central Indiana. Proceedings of the Indiana Academy of Science. 90:208-215. 1981
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article
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book
- GIS in Fisheries 2004
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booksection
- Recent trends in fisheries geographic information systems. Vol. 3. 2007
- Freshwaters and inland fisheries. Vol. 2. 2004
- Regionalization of stream fisheries management using geographic information systems. Vol. 2. 2004
- Development of stream fish population sampling surveys and abundance estimates using GIS 2001
- Reservoir fishery sampling and experimental design 1996
- Decline of native prairie fishes 1995
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chapter
- Future of geographic information systems in fisheries. Geographic information systems in fisheries. 2004
- Geographic information systems applications in streams and rivers. Geographic information systems in fisheries. 2004
- Patterns of resource utilization among four species of darters in three central Kentucky streams. Community and Evolutionary Ecology of North American Stream Fishes. 1987
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conference paper
- GIS and spatial analyses in fisheries: challenges, opportunities and the future. GIS/spatial analyses in fishery and aquatic sciences. 3-14. 2010
- Fish assemblage and aquatic habitat relationships at the Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge. Proceedings of the Oklahoma Academy of Sciences. 19-31. 2005
- Habitat correlates of the distribution of Macrhybopsis hyostoma (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) in western reaches of the Arkansas River basin. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science. 153-161. 2002
- Recreational fishing and socioeconomic characteristics of eastern Oklahoma stream anglers. Proceedings of the Oklahoma Academy of Science. 79-87. 2002
- Characteristics of paddlefish in a southwestern U.S. reservoir, with comparisons of lentic and lotic populations. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society. 634-643. 2001
- Environmental influences on largemouth bass recruitment in a southern great plains reservoir. Proceedings of the Annual Conference Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. 146-155. 2001
- Population characteristics and management of black bass in eastern Oklahoma streams. Proceedings of the Annual Conference Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. 130-143. 1999
- Fish and habitat heterogeneity in four streams in the Central Oklahoma/Texas Plains Ecoregion. Proceedings of the Oklahoma Academy of Science. 11-18. 1998
- Fish sampling bias associated with stream access. Proceedings of the Annual Conference Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. 95-105. 1997
- Validation of the great blue heron HSI model reproductive index for the southcentral great plains. Proceedings of the Annual Conference Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. 476-488. 1997
- Effect of water level fluctuations on abundance of young-of-year largemouth bass in a hydropower reservoir. Proceedings of the Annual Conference of Southeastern Fish and Wildlife Agencies. 422-431. 1991
- Fishes of the Rolling Fork of the Salt River. Transactions of the Kentucky Academy of Science. 108-115. 1985
- An annotated list of the fishes of Eagle, Stotts and Rattlesnake creeks in central Indiana. Proceedings of the Indiana Academy of Science. 171-182. 1983
- The implications of rotenone eradication on the fish community of Eagle Creek in central Indiana. Proceedings of the Indiana Academy of Science. 208-215. 1981
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document part
-
report
- Biological assessment of environmental flows for Oklahoma. 43. 2012
- Development of fish sampling protocols for large non-wadeable rives in Oklahoma 2009
- Digital atlas of Oklahoma mammals: data capture and georeferencing of OSU Collection of Vertebrates. 2008
- Distribution and Ecology of Alligator Gar in Oklahoma. 2008
- Effects of Dredging and Dike Notching on the Aquatic Biota, Habitat, and Water Quality of the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System. 2008
- Economic Impact of Trout Fishing on the Lower Illinois River on the Economy of Sequoyah County, Oklahoma 2007
- A socio-economic evaluation of the Lower Illinois River 2006
- Aquatic habitat inventory of eastern Oklahoma streams 2006
- Digital Altas of Oklahoma Fishes: preparation of Data from Oklahoma State University 2006
- Fluvial geomorphology analysis of the Kiamichi River, Oklahoma 2006
- Instream flow modeling for mussels and fishes in southeastern Oklahoma 2005
- Review and summarization of literature pertaining to the ecosystem flow requirements for the Kiamichi River above Hugo Lake and Little River watershed in Oklahoma 2005
- Survival, growth, and recruitment of larval and juvenile striped bass in Lake Texoma 2005
- Development of rapid bioassessment protocols for non-wadeable rivers in Oklahoma 2004
- Random selection of stream sites: an important step in fluvial geomorphic and fishery surveys 2004
- Rapid bioassessment protocols for non-wadeable rivers in Oklahoma 2004
- Responses of fish populations to the installation of rock vanes in Spring Creek, Oklahoma 2004
- Sampling considerations for assessing prairie river fish assemblages 2004
- Stream fisheries management in the southeastern United States: trends from a survey of state agencies 2004
- Development of a stream fisheries management information system for Oklahoma 2001
- Genetic structure of spotted bass in Oklahoma 2001
- The Oklahoma Gap Analysis project 2001
- Genetic structure and age and growth of smallmouth bass in two Oklahoma reservoirs 2000
- Instream flow assessment of Baron Fork Creek, Oklahoma 2000
- Evaluation of the smallmouth bass recreational fishery in eastern Oklahoma streams 1997
- Investigation of land use, stream habitat, and fish population linkages for the leopard darter (Percina pantherina) 1997
- Critical swimming speed of the threatened leopard darter (Percina pantherina) 1996
- Leopard darter mark and recapture study 1996
- Assessment of fish communities in relation to chloride control in the Wichita River and distribution of pupfish in the Red River drainage 1995
- Distribution and movements of striped bass in Robert S. Kerr Reservoir, Oklahoma 1995
- GIS-based validation of the Habitat Suitability Index Model for the great blue heron 1995
- Genetic structure of stream populations of smallmouth bass in eastern Oklahoma 1995
- Status survey of the Arkansas darter in eastern Oklahoma 1994
- A new field station to assess and develop instream flow methodologies for southeastern warmwater streams and rivers. 2-3. 1990
- Effects of the Pensacola Hydropower Project on the fishery resource of the Grand River: Effects of lake level fluctuations resulting from power generation on littoral nursery habitats 1990
- Effects of the Pensacola Hydropower Project on the fishery resource of the Grand River: Effects on fisheries of establishment of a riverine environment in the headwaters of Lake Hudson 1990
- Effects of the Pensacola Hydropower Project on the fishery resource of the Grand River: Grand Lake study - fish assemblage composition and entrainment susceptibilities 1990
- Effects of the Pensacola Hydropower Project on the fishery resource of the Grand River: seasonal downstream movements of juvenile and adult fish past Pensacola Dam 1990
- The physicochemistry, flora, and fauna of intermittent prairie streams: a review of the literature 1989
- A preliminary checklist of the wetland plants of Kentucky 1987
- Wetland protection strategies for Kentucky 1986
- Ecological assessment of Husband Road, KY 1954, McCracken County, Kentucky 1985
- Ecological assessment of Threemile Road, Campbell County, Kentucky 1985
- Effects of agriculture on stream fauna in central Indiana 1983
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review
- The ecological basis for river management. 658-659. 1996
- Stream ecology: structure and function in running waters. 154-158. 1995
- Oklahoma Gap Analysis Project 2005
- The Oklahoma Gap Analysis Project: Information for Conservation Planning Across a Diverse Landscape 2003
- Habitat use of shorebirds at a stopover site in the southern Great Plains 2002
- Managing biodiversity in Oklahoma: a case for private land conservation 2002
- Two pre-positioned area shocker designs for sampling stream fishes 1992
- Effects of the Pensacola Hydropower Project on the fishery resource of the Grand River: Seasonal downstream movements of ichthyoplankton past Pensacola Dam 1990
Teaching
teaching activities
- CSS-6200: Spatial Modeling and Analysis - Spring 2013
- NTRES-6200: Spatial Modeling and Analysis - Spring 2013
- NTRES-6970: Graduate Individual Study in Natural Resources - Spring 2013
- NTRES-7900: Graduate-Level Thesis Research - Spring 2013
- NTRES-8900: Master's Thesis Research - Spring 2013
- NTRES-9900: Doctoral-Level Thesis Research - Spring 2013
- NTRES-6970: Graduate Individual Study in Natural Resources - Fall 2012
- NTRES-7900: Graduate-Level Thesis Research - Fall 2012
- NTRES-8900: Master's Thesis Research - Fall 2012
- NTRES-9900: Doctoral-Level Thesis Research - Fall 2012
- NTRES-6140: Seminar on Selected Topics in Applied Ecology and Conservation Biology - Spring 2012
- NTRES-6970: Graduate Individual Study in Natural Resources - Spring 2012
- NTRES-7900: Graduate-Level Thesis Research - Spring 2012
- NTRES-8900: Master's Thesis Research - Spring 2012
- NTRES-9900: Doctoral-Level Thesis Research - Spring 2012
- NTRES-6970: Graduate Individual Study in Natural Resources - Fall 2011
- NTRES-7900: Graduate-Level Thesis Research - Fall 2011
- NTRES-8900: Master's Thesis Research - Fall 2011
- NTRES-9900: Doctoral-Level Thesis Research - Fall 2011
Service
service to the profession
- American Fisheries Society Officer, 1st Vice President 2009 -
- New York Chapter of the American Fisheries Society Member 2008 -
- American Fisheries Society, Governing Board Member 2007 -
- American Fisheries Society, Management Committee Member 2007 -
- 3rd International Conference on GIS and Spatial Analysis in Fishery and Aquatic Science, Steering Committee
- American Fisheries Society, Executive Director Succession Committee Chairperson 2009 - 2010
- Executive Director Succession Committee Committee Member 2009 - 2010
- American Fisheries Society Officer, 2nd Vice President 2008 - 2009
- 4th International Conference on GIS and Spatial Analysis in Fishery and Aquatic Science Steering Committee Committee Member - 2009
- Computer User Section, American Fisheries Society President 2007 - 2008
- American Fisheries Society, Professional Safety Committee Chairperson 2005 - 2008
- American Fisheries Society OSU Student Submit Advisor 1996 - 2008
- American Fisheries Society - Oklahoma Chapter Awards Committee Committee Member 1995 - 2008
- Oklahoma Chapter of the American Fisheries Society Member 1991 - 2008
- American Fisheries Society, Distinguished Service Award Subcommittee Member 2005 - 2007
- Computer User Section, American Fisheries Society Officer, President/Elect/Past 2005 - 2007
- American Fisheries Society - Southern Division Awards Committee Committee Member 2005 - 2006
- American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting Program Committee Symposium Organizer - 2005
- Southern Division, American Fisheries Society Nominating Committee Representative 2002 - 2003
- Personnel Committee, Department of Zoology, OSU Committee Member 2000 - 2003
- American Fisheries Society Continuing Education Committee Member 2001 - 2002
- 2nd International Conference on GIS and Spatial Analysis in Fishery and Aquatic Science, Steering Committee Committee Member - 2002
- 1st International Conference on GIS and Spatial Analysis in Fishery and Aquatic Science, Steering Committee Committee Member - 1999
- Graduate Committee, Department of Zoology, OSU Graduate Coordinator 1997 - 1998
- Southern Division, American Fisheries Society Officer, Vice President 1994 - 1998
- American Fisheries Society - Southern Division Outstanding Achievement Award Committee Chairperson 1995 - 1996
- American Fisheries Society - Southern Division Membership Committee Chairperson 1994 - 1995
- Oklahoma Biodiversity Plan, Conservation and Recreation Task Force Committee Member 1994 - 1995
- American Fisheries Society - Oklahoma Chapter Continuing Education Committee Chairperson 1992 - 1995
- American Fisheries Society Publications Overview Committee Chairperson 1992 - 1995
- American Fisheries Society Continuing Education Committee Committee Member 1991 - 1994
- National Biological Service, Aquatic Gap Analysis Steering Committee Committee Member - 1994
- American Fisheries Society - Southern Division Warmwater Streams Committee Committee Member 1991 - 1993
- American Fisheries Society - Southern Division Awards Committee Committee Member 1991 - 1992
- American Fisheries Society - Southern Division Nominating Committee Committee Member 1991 - 1992
- American Fisheries Society - Southern Division Pollution Committee Committee Member 1991 - 1992
- American Fisheries Society - Southern Division Student Affairs Committee Committee Member 1991 - 1992
- American Fisheries Society - Southern Program Committee Committee Member 1991 - 1992
- American Fisheries Society Environmental Concerns Committee Committee Member 1988 - 1992
- Alabama Chapter of the American Fisheries Society Officer, President/Elect/Past - 1991
- American Fisheries Society, Program Committee symposium organizer Committee Member - 1991
- American Fisheries Society Student Concerns Committee Committee Member 1988 - 1989
- Kentucky Environmental Quality Commission's, Wetlands Advisory Committee Committee Member - 1987
reviewer or editor for
Background
education and training
- Ph.D. in Stream Ecology, University of Louisville 1987
- M.A. in Fish Ecology, DePauw University 1979
- B.A. in Aquatic Biology, University of Louisville 1976
awards and honors
- Leadership Excellence award, 2010
- Star Award, 2009
- Star Award, 2008
- Margaret S. Ewing Outstanding Mentor Award, 2006
- Service Excellence Award, 2005
- Star Award, 2000
- Star Award, 1999
- Outstanding Fisheries Worker Award, 1999
- Best Conference Paper, Nongame Session (co-recipient), 1997
- On-the-Spot Award, 1997
- Distinguished Service Award, 1996
- Best Paper Award-Honorable Mention (co-recipient), 1995
- Performance Award, 1995
- Performance Award, 1994
- Special Achievement Award, 1992
- Special Achievement Award, 1990
- Performance Award, 1990
- Sigma Xi, 1988
- The Graduate Dean's Citation, 1988
- Beechmont Garden Club Award (Wildlife Conservation), 1987
- Graduate Student Project Award, 1983
- Sigma Xi Grant-in-Aid of Research, 1982
- Graduate Student Project Award, 1981
Other
college
- CALS