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Wes Porak

Wes Porak, Researcher Department Freshwater Fisheries Biology Location Eustis

Degrees / Certifications

B.S. Biology, University of Illinois, 1975
M.S. Biology, Tennessee Tech University, 1981
Certified Fisheries Scientist (American Fisheries Society)

Education / Experience

As a senior at the University of Illinois, I worked in a fisheries genetics lab for college credit, which “got my foot in the door” for employment with the Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS). The summer after graduation, I ran an angler creel station at an INHS fish management research lake, and over the next two years, I helped with a variety of fisheries research projects on a power plant cooling reservoir in Illinois.

After the research grant ended in Illinois, I went to Tennessee Tech University for graduate school. My master’s thesis focused on studies assessing the effects of acid drainage and mitigation of acid leachates on benthic (bottom-dwelling) invertebrates and fish in Appalachian mountain streams. While in school, I also used ultrasonic transmitters and receivers to help track the movements of sauger in the Cumberland River.

After Tennessee, I took a two-year technical position at the U.S. Geological Survey’s Great Lakes Science Center, which turned out to be a wonderful experience. Working from the research vessel Cisco, we used gill nets and trawls to sample lake trout, yellow perch, smelt, and other species in Lake Michigan. I also identified, sorted, and cataloged aquatic invertebrates for an ecological study of the use of invertebrates that live on aquatic plants (phytomacrofauna) by select sport fish in the interconnecting waters of the Great Lakes. Toxicologists at our facility were studying the effects of pesticides on the development of lake trout eggs and fry. We helped culture the lake trout eggs and fry, and we built test chambers, or bioassay systems, for toxicology studies.

In 1982, I moved to Florida to become a largemouth bass research biologist with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. I helped to determine the accuracy of using otoliths for ageing largemouth bass and developed lab procedures for ageing. This was one of the early age-validation studies using otoliths for ageing freshwater species of fish. Our project sampled a number of lakes and rivers to obtain basic information on age structures, growth rates, and survival rates of bass populations in Florida. We later applied the age and growth information to help assess the effects of various management programs such as aquatic plant management, stock enhancement, and recreational fishing regulations.

My project evaluated techniques to study largemouth bass diets without sacrificing the fish. We learned that bass food habits were dramatically different between heavily vegetated lakes and lakes in which aquatic plants had been virtually eliminated by grass carp. We also learned that pellet-reared, hatchery largemouth bass did not feed as efficiently as did wild bass in both field and laboratory studies. The poor condition and low survival rates of hatchery largemouth bass released into lakes were attributed to reduced feeding efficiency or the failure of pellet-reared bass to transition from artificial feed to live prey.

Our project also evaluated the effectiveness of coded wire tags and plastic dart tags for marking largemouth bass. We then used these tagging methods to evaluate the rate at which anglers remove fish from a system (angler exploitation) and the success of largemouth bass stocking programs.

Recent Projects / Interview Body

What are you working on now?

I am collaborating with colleagues from the University of Florida and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on a study to determine the distribution and prevalence of the largemouth bass virus (LMBV) in select Florida water bodies. LMBV has been widespread and infrequently associated with disease problems and fish kills throughout the Southeastern and Midwestern United States, but no disease outbreaks documented in Florida have been attributed to LMBV. We have also completed studies in the laboratory that involved exposing largemouth bass to the virus and measuring how quickly the fish developed antibodies to the virus and how long the antibodies persisted or lasted in the fish.

I am also working on a statewide largemouth bass genetics study with colleagues from the Illinois Natural History Survey. For this study, starch-gel electrophoresis techniques are used to determine the distribution of pure Florida largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides floridanus) populations and intergrade populations that have a mixture of Florida and northern largemouth bass (M. s. salmoides) genes. Mitochondrial DNA analysis is also used to assess the genetic divergence among populations within Florida and to identify potential stocks. Sixty water bodies have been sampled throughout Florida over the last three years. Tissues have been processed, frozen, and sent for analysis to geneticists at the Illinois Natural History Survey. We are also participating in a genetic evaluation of Suwannee bass (M. notius) to collect baseline data on population genetics. Suwannee bass, designated a Species of Special Concern in Florida, occur in only six drainages within the state.

Was work in your current field your original career interest—why or why not?

Yes, it was. My childhood vacations revolved around fishing, which gave me an appreciation for fishing and for the outdoors. As I grew up, I thought it would be great to work for a fisheries management agency.

What would you say is your biggest accomplishment?

Although my wife of 29 years deserves most of the credit, my greatest achievement is raising three boys. So far, my most significant career achievement has been working with Bill Coleman and Steve Crawford to validate and develop otolith-ageing techniques for largemouth bass. Prior to our work, there was no basic information on largemouth bass growth rates, ages, longevity, and survival rates in Florida because other ageing techniques did not work in a subtropical environment. The types of information obtained by researchers who age fish are paramount to understanding the dynamics of populations and how those populations respond to management programs and environmental changes.

What do you like most about your career?

The three things that I like most about my career are co-workers, resource management, and job diversity. My co-workers have colorful, interesting personalities, and they are passionate and kind people that create a great work environment. Even if the input is small, there is a good deal of satisfaction when our research results improve management of Florida’s unique resources. Diverse responsibilities that vary from collecting fish to report writing keep the job perpetually interesting.

What do you like least about your career?

The salaries are poor. Nobody ever went into a life sciences field to become wealthy, but the low pay can become very stressful when raising children and trying to keep up with medical and car-repair bills.

What are some of your biggest challenges

Florida’s natural resources are encountering tremendous pressures, primarily stemming from human population growth and development throughout the state. Researchers need to answer many more questions than we have time or monetary resources to address. While all of the questions are important, prioritizing needs and allocating inadequate time and resources to finding answers is always a difficult process.

What advice would you give to someone interested in pursuing a career in your field?

Go into this field only if you are very passionate about natural resources. Do whatever it takes to get your first job; that might include volunteering, taking a low-paying job, or moving across the country. Even while you are still in school, but especially once you are a scientist, get involved with scientific societies and organizations for professional growth. To broaden your own understanding and to help answer questions that need a multidisciplinary approach, develop partnerships with professionals that have other areas of expertise. Set your standards and goals high.