Ron Lukens
Assistant Director,
Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission, Ocean Springs, MS

Ron Lukens is a marine fisheries biologist and has worked in the fields of research, aquaculture, and policy for marine fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico region since 1975. Since 1990, Ron has served as Assistant Director of the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission (GSMFC). The GSMFC coordinates interstate and state-federal research, data collection and management, regulation, legislation, and policy among the five states in the Gulf of Mexico and the federal government.

The following describes Ron's work experience:

• fisheries science and policy, working as a marine bio-technician, an intensive culture striped bass aquaculture scientist, a field technician collecting biological samples, and finally a fishery administrator helping to develop regional and national fisheries policy,
• biodiversity and genetics issues, involved as a writer and planner in the development of the Gulf Sturgeon Recovery/Management Plan, and setting protocol for the collection and analysis for Gulf sturgeon and striped bass genetics samples,
• marine environmental education, working as a marine fisheries specialist for the Mississippi Sea Grant Advisory Service, developing and presenting adult education programs regarding commercial and recreational fishing activities,
• ecosystems monitoring and limited GIS experience, assisting in the development of a GIS data base for the Pascagoula, Leaf, Chickasawhay River System,
• fisheries data base design and integration of data bases, through the development of the Fisheries Information Network (FIN), which is a state-federal cooperative fishery dependent data collection and management program. Through the FIN, various state and federal data bases are being integrated to form a large diverse fisheries data base, and standard protocols and formats have been developed to guide future data collection and management efforts,
• and the use of the Internet for environmental communications and research, through the implementation of a communications network of fisheries scientists, primarily associated with management of the FIN.
• directly involved in invasive species work, currently serving on the Gulf of Mexico Regional Panel of the Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) Task Force and as an Ex-Officio member of the ANS Task Force. In addition, Ron serves on the National Invasive Species Advisory Committee.