Dave Hu, who serves as the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) National Fisheries Biologist, will discuss “modernizing government fisheries programs; services provided; funding challenges; social perceptions; and maintaining local community relevance.” Dave is also a big supporter of the Fisheries for Veterans Project, which is an innovative service relationship using public lands fishing as a tool to encourage social, mentoring, and networking that emphasizes health and life cycle management and serves as a unique community driver connecting veterans and their families, local communities, government programs, and non-profit organizations.

• Where: McLean Community Center – Stedman Room, 1234 Ingleside Ave, McLean, VA 22101
• When: May 25, 2016 at 7:30 pm (doors open at 7:00 for socializing)

About David Hu

Dave Hu, who serves as the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) National Fisheries Biologist, will speak to the PRSC meeting on May 25. Dave is responsible for BLM-wide fisheries program administration and staff support. He previously worked for the US Forest Service as a Fisheries Program Manager on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest in Vancouver, WA. Prior to that, Dave worked as a Habitat Restoration Coordinator for the USFWS Anadromous Fish Restoration Program up and down California’s Central Valley and previously in his home state with New Mexico Game and Fish working on cutthroat, native fish inventories, and fish museum collections.

Dave grew up in southern New Mexico fishing for catfish in the Rio Grande (when still flowing) and agricultural diversion ditches for carp and sunfish. Discovering the bait collecting power of a kitchen strainer taped onto the end of a broom handle, and that catfish can swim in a bathtub with a young boy sitting in it, just shows how tolerant Dave’s mom was of his young interest in fish and fishing.

Dave describes himself as a “spincast guy.” He uses flies, but hates fly rods. He prefers rubber jigs, spinners, and spoons. Dave loves to fish the shad run at Fletcher’s Boathouse. He does most of his fishing out of a kayak, mostly hitting the Triadelphia Reservoir in Maryland, which is near his home. He also spends quite a bit of time kayak fishing the Shenandoah near Front Royal, “and every state when I get out there on business.”

Asked to describe the state of fishing across the country, Dave responded: “Hmmn … wearing a national hat … the general state of sport fishing popularity continues to decline. Not a lot of recruitment of new generations fishing, a large reduction in retention, and fewer and fewer people are renewing licenses. However, a rising national trend right now is kayak fishing. General aquatic habitat and water quality continue to decline. Warm water/cool water fishing appears to be doing OK to good, and I expect will continue to expand and do better provided water quality is maintained. Very cold water fish are getting squeezed pretty good and are expected to crash and burn.”

Dave’s topic of choice will be to discuss “modernizing government fisheries programs; services provided; funding challenges; social perceptions; and maintaining local community relevance.” Dave is also a big supporter of the Fisheries for Veterans Project, which is an innovative service relationship using public lands fishing as a tool to encourage social, mentoring, and networking that emphasizes health and life cycle management and serves as a unique community driver connecting veterans and their families, local communities, government programs, and non-profit organizations.

The Fisheries for Veterans Project works to demonstrate that America’s public land resources provide: 1) recreational and social opportunities to fish; 2) educational and on the ground job training opportunities in public land resource management; and 3) rejuvenation, rehabilitation, and healing capacities for people, families, and communities. All Fisheries for Veterans Project activities are free of charge and open to all veterans, all veteran family members, of any disability, of any service campaign. We invite participation by any agency or anyone who wants to contribute to help make a difference.