Rachel Mair receiving the first-ever Rachel Carson award from Director Dale Hall. Photo by Ryan Haggerty, USFWS.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director H. Dale Hall recently recognized the outstanding contributions of Service employees to science-based management of the Nation's fish and wildlife resources by announcing the Service's first ever science awards. Rachel Mair, a biologist at White Sulphur Springs National Fish Hatchery in West Virginia, was announced as the inaugural individual recipient of the Rachel Carson Award for Scientific Excellence, an honorary award that recognizes Service employees who exemplify the best in scientific contribution and application to achieve extraordinary results in fish and wildlife conservation. Rachel received this prestigious award for her work to develop highly successful and efficient culture systems and feeding regimes for the culture and propagation of endangered freshwater mussels. She led a team to design and develop a new culture system to meet water quality, food quality, and food quantity requirements for freshwater mussels in captivity. Freshwater mussels are among the most threatened species nationally and globally. For example, the northern riffleshell is currently found in only 5 percent of its historic range. The federally endangered northern riffleshell, James spinymussel and oyster mussel were all successfully cultured at White Sulphur Springs as a result of Rachel's commitment and expertise. In recognition of Rachel's accomplishments, White Sulphur Springs National Fish Hatchery will receive $50,000 in additional operational funds.