Conte Anadromous Fish Research Center Home Phone: (413) 687-4772

USGS/BRD Work Phone: (413) 863-3823

PO Box 495 Email: ghorton@forwild.umass.edu

Turners Falls, MA 01376 SSN: 055-64-9086

CAREER OBJECTIVE

I would like to apply ecological research to stream/riverine fish
management and restoration problems.

EDUCATION

*2000-present* Ph.D., Wildlife and Fisheries Conservation, University of
Massachusetts , Amherst (anticipated 2005)

*1994* Master of Science, Fisheries, University of Alaska, Fairbanks

*1990* Bachelor of Science, Wildlife Management, University of Maine,
Orono

1985. Associate of Applied Science, Fish & Wildlife Technology, SUNY
      Cobleskill

FISHERIES EMPLOYMENT

*1/00-present **Research Assistant, Conte Anadromous Fish Research
Center, Turners Falls, MA***

I am in the data analysis and writing phase of research that is part of
a Ph.D. program at the University of Massachusetts investigating growth
and survival of juvenile Atlantic salmon in freshwater. The primary
field site is a tributary to the Narraguagus River in Maine. The main
tools used are PIT (passive integrated transponder) tag technology and
the application of mark-recapture theory to address research questions.
These individually-based approaches are aimed at understanding the
causes and consequences of various forms of movement: within study site
using active capture techniques, and emigration from the study site
using passive PIT tag antenna arrays. I developed several database
applications for simplifying data append operations and relating
individual records among tables using Microsoft Access. Along with
computer intensive simulations using Visual Basic and Program MARK,
findings thus far have provided novel insights into the consequences of
movement for survival estimation and for understanding causal
relationships of movement from both abiotic (flow, season, temperature)
and biotic (community dynamics) perspectives.

*9/94-1/00 **Fisheries Biologist II (promoted from Biologist I, 1996),
Maine Atlantic Salmon Commission, Cherryfield, ME***

I was responsible for Atlantic salmon management activities on Maine's
remaining wild Atlantic salmon rivers. I supervised a staff of six. I
coordinated and conducted management and research activities to assess
and enhance salmon stocks and identify threats to these stocks in
freshwater and the near-shore estuary; surveyed and geo-referenced
salmon habitat for devising habitat protection strategies; performed
environmental review functions for development projects according to
state statute; provided scientific advice and assistance to

> state/federal agencies, local groups, university researchers, and
> tribal entities; developed long-range and short-term plans to address
> data needs; reported

FISHERIES EMPLOYMENT (continued)

> ***Fisheries Biologist II (continued)***
>
> scientific findings in state and federal reports on an annual basis;
> participated on fisheries and watershed committees ranging from local
> to national for planning at all levels; prepared scientific data for
> uses ranging from local town planning to the negotiation of
> international fisheries treaties.

*9/91-12/93 **Research Assistant, Alaska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife
Research Unit, ***

> ***Fairbanks, AK***

This position entailed research towards my Master's degree program on
the effects of jetboats on salmonid reproduction in Alaska. Research
included streamside spawning and incubation of sockeye salmon eggs in
artificial redds and repeated trials mimicking typical jetboat use
patterns in the vicinity of incubating eggs. I analyzed results
statistically by employing categorical data models and adaptations of
linear regression models. Other studies included laboratory
experimentation with simulated jetboat pressure waves, hydrologic and
water quality measurements, substrate analysis, and pacific salmon
embryology and life history investigations. I presented findings in the
form of interim reports to the National Park Service, my final thesis,
an accepted manuscript to a peer-reviewed fisheries journal (in
preparation), university seminars, and national and chapter American
Fisheries Society meetings.

*7/89-8/91 **Fisheries Biologist I, Maine Atlantic Salmon Commission,
Bangor, ME***

I was one of two biologists responsible for management activities on
Maine's remaining wild Atlantic salmon rivers. This included working on
a joint study with the National Marine Fisheries Service to intensively
study freshwater life stages of Atlantic salmon for the purpose of
evaluating causes for documented low adult recruitment. I was
extensively involved in initial planning and reporting for the study. My
primary responsibility was juvenile population sampling that provided
data for modeling drainage-wide smolt production. I was also involved in
design and operation of an adult counting facility, water quality
monitoring efforts, and age and growth evaluations using scales.

*5/89-7/89 **Fisheries Technician, Bangor Hydro-Electric Company***

I assisted with the implementation and execution of radio-telemetry
studies of Atlantic salmon adults and smolts to evaluate fish passage
efficiencies around company-owned dams in the Penobscot River.

*5/88-8/88 **Assistant Fishery Biologist, Maine Atlantic Salmon
Commission***

I assisted biologists in the operation of adult counting facilities and
the collection of broodstock, juvenile population assessment through
electrofishing, spawning ground surveys, and data entry.

*4/87-3/88 **Assistant Fishery Biologist, Maine Department of Inland
Fisheries & Wildlife***

I conducted both an open-water season and winter season creel survey,
and a brown trout/chain pickerel interaction study.

PUBLICATIONS

Horton, G.E., B.H. Letcher, T.D. Dubreuil. In preparation.  A modeling
approach to incorporating PIT tag antenna efficiency into estimates of
stream fish emigration.

Horton, G.E., B.H. Letcher. In preparation. Movement and emigration in
juvenile Atlantic salmon: patterns and correlates.

Horton, G.E., B.H. Letcher. In preparation. Consequences of movement on
survival estimation and methods to incorporate emigration into parameter
estimates.

Horton, G.E., B.H. Letcher. In preparation. Consequences of movement on
growth and survival of Atlantic salmon.

Horton, G.E., et al. 1998. 1997 Endangered Species Project Report
Contract No. 14-48-0005-93-9035; Annual report number 4. Maine Atlantic
Salmon Authority, Bangor, Maine.

Horton, G.E., et al. 1995. Wild Atlantic salmon rivers in Maine: 1994
Field Activity Report. USFWS and Maine Atlantic Salmon Authority, East
Orland and Cherryfield, Maine.

Letcher, B.H., G.E. Horton, et al. Submitted. Field estimates of the
change in strength and direction of selection differentials after
accounting for emigration.

Letcher, B.H., G.E. Horton, et al. In preparation. Power of multistate
mark-recapture models to detect size-dependent survival: selection on
body size in juvenile Atlantic salmon.

O'Donnell, M.J., G.E. Horton, et al. In preparation. Efficiency of a
portable antenna in detecting PIT tagged stream salmonids.

Sigourney, D.S., G.E. Horton, et al. Accepted. The effects of PIT
tagging and repeated electroshocking on the growth of juvenile Atlantic
salmon. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society.

Zydlewski, G., Horton, G.E., et al. In preparation. Small Stream
Applications of PIT tag Monitoring Systems.

### PRESENTATIONS

Horton, G.E., B.H. Letcher, et al.  2003.  Improving mark-recapture
estimates using pit tag antenna data.  American Fisheries Society, 2003
Annual Meeting, Quebec City, Quebec, CAN.

Horton, G.E., B.H. Letcher.  2001.  Estimating survival and growth of an
individually-tagged Atlantic salmon population in Maine.  Atlantic
International Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, 2001 Annual
Meeting, NH, USA.

 

Horton, G.E., B.H. Letcher.  2001.  An individual growth modeling
approach for juvenile Atlantic salmon.  Southern New Englnd Chapter of
the American Fisheries Society, 2001 Annual Meeting, RI, USA.

### Activities and Interests

I enjoy bicycle touring, backpacking, snorkeling, reading, and any
activity with my family. In 2004 I completed a self-supported,
cross-continent bicycle tour of North America.