John Watson
John Watson is retired from NOAA Fisheries where he served as Laboratory Director for the Southeast Fisheries Centre’s Mississippi Laboratories. He was previously the team leader for the NOAA Fisheries Southeast Fisheries Science Centre’s Harvesting Systems and Engineering Branch.
During his 40 year career with NOAA, Watson conducted extensive research on fishing and fisheries sampling gear. He has published over 50 articles and presented over 300 oral presentations on the subject.
He developed the first prototype turtle excluder device for shrimp trawls and developed sampling gear standards for resource surveys.
He designed and supervised cooperative industry projects to develop improved turtle excluder devices for U.S. shrimp fisheries, fish bycatch reduction devices for shrimp trawls, selective harvesting seines for the catfish aquaculture industry, and bycatch mitigation technology for the pelagic longline fishery. John is currently managing the family farm and is a private consultant.
During his 40 year career with NOAA, Watson conducted extensive research on fishing and fisheries sampling gear. He has published over 50 articles and presented over 300 oral presentations on the subject.
He developed the first prototype turtle excluder device for shrimp trawls and developed sampling gear standards for resource surveys.
He designed and supervised cooperative industry projects to develop improved turtle excluder devices for U.S. shrimp fisheries, fish bycatch reduction devices for shrimp trawls, selective harvesting seines for the catfish aquaculture industry, and bycatch mitigation technology for the pelagic longline fishery. John is currently managing the family farm and is a private consultant.
John Watson