Cal-Neva AFS recognized the contributions of the following individuals at the May 2025 meeting in Lodi.

1. J.D. Wikert, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service – Distinguished Professional Achievement Award

J.D. Wikert has played a pivotal role in California fisheries ecology. Recently retired as a Habitat Restoration Coordinator with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, his career spanned projects across multiple watersheds. As a leader in Central Valley river restoration, he has worked to lead the way on over a dozen habitat restoration projects that have received more than $50 million in public funding. His impact on the Stanislaus River alone has demonstrated his tremendous commitment to environmental conservation where projects under his direction have led to the restoration of more than 20 acres of floodplains and created greater spawning habitat for salmonids. He has also demonstrated his commitment to public outreach through his organization of the annual Stanislaus River Salmon Festival.

2. Luke Ellison, UC Davis – Deacon-Moyle Native Fishes Award

Since 1999, Luke Ellison has worked tirelessly for the conservation of delta smelt and longfin smelt in California. Throughout his career with UC Davis’s Fish Conservation and Culture Laboratory (FCCL), he has worked to establish and maintain refuge populations for these species and to develop culturing methods for their propagation. He has led the way for cultured fish to supplement wild populations of these species. He has collaborated in many research projects concerning delta smelt and longfin smelt. His work to culture these species has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to the conservation of California’s native fishes.

3. Lodi U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Office – Conservation Achievement Award

The Lodi U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Office will receive the Conservation Achievement Award for its commitment to conservation and restoration projects. With over 80 staff members working in fisheries ecology and fish conservation, the office conducts monitoring of multiple threatened, endangered, and candidate species such as delta smelt, longfin smelt, Chinook salmon, and white sturgeon. They have continued to complete research, monitoring, and restoration activities in spite of the current hardships facing federal offices. The work done by the staff of the Lodi U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Office exemplifies the ability of agencies to conserve native species and habitats.