“Where are they now” is a series on the California WaterBlog that celebrates the alumni who got their start at the Center for Watershed Sciences (CWS) and have now gone on to bigger and better things. Blog posts from the “Where are they now” series will be peppered throughout our regular blog lineup, highlighting both former students and past employees of CWS. We hope you enjoy their stories in their own words!
I had the pleasure of spending 2018 to 2022 at the Center for Watershed Sciences, where I worked as a Junior Specialist, earned a PhD, and met my lovely wife – I was a busy guy those four years! I was fortunate to get to work with Doctors Peter Moyle and John Durand on the UC Davis Striped Bass Project. The Striped Bass Project was somewhat of a blank canvas that allowed me to investigate the life history of this charismatic fish species in its non-native range in the field, in the lab, and behind the computer.
During my time as a Junior Specialist, I learned the ways of Suisun Marsh and the North Delta, where I assisted with (and sometimes led) long-term fish monitoring studies. We sampled fishes using bottom trawls, beach seines, and hook and line, and I experienced many early mornings and late evenings on the water. My involvement in those surveys sparked ideas about how these data can be used to tell stories about the fish populations of the San Francisco Estuary, and ultimately inspired the first chapter of my dissertation.
My field research brought me to Oregon estuaries, the nearshore water of the Sonoma and San Mateo Coasts, and several hundred miles up the Sacramento River. I also spent time in the Otolith Geochemistry (OG) Fish Lab and Interdisciplinary Center for Plasma Mass Spectrometry working up striped bass otoliths for isotope analysis. Of these experiences, exploring Oregon estuaries on a road trip to collect water samples with my future wife and my loyal field work dog, Leo, was my favorite. All these experiences were foundational to my development as a scientist and would not have been possible without the support of Peter, John, and the other wonderful and collegial staff of CWS.
Nowadays, I’m a Senior Environmental Scientist (Specialist) for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Ocean Salmon Project. I assess the status of marine species listed or proposed to be listed under the California Endangered Species Act and work towards their recovery. I also work on salmon fishery management within both CDFW and the Pacific Fisheries Management Council. Through this work I interact with tribes and fishermen to assess, model, and plan for ocean salmon fisheries within the confines of the federal fisheries management plan and the Endangered Species Act. While this work is much more policy-focused than the research I conducted at CWS, I use the understanding of ecology and perspectives that I developed at CWS every single day.
The path to good policy and science is often paved with unique experiences and diverse perspectives, and I’d encourage any young scientist to seize the opportunities that they’re presented with to learn and work. The people you meet along the way and the skills you develop will be invaluable as you develop as a scientist.
About the Author
Dylan Stompe is a Senior Environmental Scientist (Specialist) at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Further Reading
Stompe, D.K., Roberts, J.D., Estrada, C.A., Keller, D.M., Balfour, N.M. and Banet, A.I., 2020. Sacramento River predator diet analysis: a comparative study. San Francisco Estuary and Watershed Science, 18(1). https://doi.org/10.15447/sfews.2016v18iss1art4
Stompe, D.K., Moyle, P.B., Kruger, A. and Durand, J.R., 2020. Comparing and integrating fish surveys in the San Francisco Estuary: why diverse long-term monitoring programs are important. San Francisco Estuary and Watershed Science, 18(2). https://doi.org/10.15447/sfews.2020v18iss2art4
Moyle, P.B. and Stompe, D.K., 2022. Non‐native Fishes in Estuaries. Fish and fisheries in estuaries: a global perspective, 2, pp.684-705. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119705345
Stompe, D.K., Moyle, P.B., Oken, K.L., Hobbs, J.A. and Durand, J.R., 2023. A Spatiotemporal History of Key Pelagic Fish Species in the San Francisco Estuary, CA. Estuaries and Coasts, 46(4), pp.1067-1082. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-023-01189-8
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