Remembrance of Dr. Lee H. Simons

Authors: Gary Scoppettone, Dean A. Hendrickson, Jon Sjoberg, David Syzdek, Paul Barrett

Year: 2018

Abstract

On the occasion of the 50th annual Desert Fishes Council meeting, this session is dedicated to Dr. Lee H. Simons, who devoted much of his adult life to the study and protection of native species and ecosystems. Dr. Simons is honored here today because he exemplified the spirit and soul of the Desert Fishes Council – working together to protect and preserve our native species and natural ecosystems. As a positive force toward these goals, Dr. Simons spent a third of his natural resources career focused on the protection and recovery of federally listed endangered desert fishes in Arizona and Nevada. From 1985 to 1988 Lee worked for Arizona Game and Fish, much of that time focused on recovery activities of Gila topminnow. After earning his PhD at U.C. Davis and working in research, science education and natural resources, Dr. Simons renewed his work with desert fishes from 2008-2016. As Senior Fish Biologist for the Las Vegas Office of the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, he concentrated on recovery actions for Devil’s Hole Pupfish, Moapa Dace, and Pahranagat Roundtail Chub. Those of us who worked with Lee on endangered desert fish recovery appreciated his intellect, kind manner, leadership, infectious enthusiasm, and all his accomplishments. Remembrance of Dr. Simons’s all too short, but stellar desert fish career will be briefly covered by four co-workers representing four different agencies.