James “Jim” H. Cowan, Jr.

March 9, 1954 – August 11, 2021

James Howard Cowan, Jr. passed away on August 11, 2021 at the age of 67 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Cowan was born to James Howard Cowan, Sr. and Imelda Lee “Patsy” Cowan on March 9, 1954 in Fayetteville, North Carolina. His family later moved to Tampa, Florida, and he spent his formative years in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Jim was an avid football player who later fell in love with sportfishing, particularly along the Outer Banks of North Carolina. He earned his BS (1976) and MS degrees (1981) in biological sciences from Old Dominion University, where he worked with Ray Birdsong. He earned an MS in applied statistics and a PhD (1985) in marine science from Louisiana State University (LSU), where he worked on Gulf of Mexico ichthyoplankton. Cowan was a postdoctoral scientist at the LSU Coastal Ecology Institute and later at the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory in Solomons, Maryland, where he worked with Ed Houde on fish early life history and recruitment dynamics. His first faculty job was in the department of marine sciences at the University of South Alabama, with a joint appointment as a Senior Marine Scientist at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab. In 2001, Cowan returned to LSU, where he earned the title of E. L. Abraham Distinguished Professor in 2012.

Cowan’s teaching and research efforts in the field of fisheries science made him well known in the Gulf of Mexico region, nationally, and internationally. He created and taught a range of fisheries-related courses, including fish recruitment, estuarine ecology, field and lab methods, fisheries oceanography, and physical oceanography. He advised dozens of PhD and MS students, who now hold academic, agency, or nongovernmental organization positions around the globe. Cowan’s early career was focused on fish early life history and the recruitment problem, and later in his career much of his and his students’ research centered on reef fish ecology. Red Snapper Lutjanus campechanus was often a feature of Cowan’s later research; his 2007 co-edited book on Red Snapper ecology remains on many bookshelves today. Cowan also co-edited two other books, co-authored seven book chapters, and authored or co-authored over 150 scientific articles. He was an active member of the American Fisheries Society (AFS) and was a Past President of its Early Life History Section. In 2007, Cowan was given the AFS Award of Excellence in Fisheries Management for “for inspirational leadership in the fishery profession and substantial achievements for AFS and the fisheries resource.”

Cowan served in various scientific advisory capacities with the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, including stints as the chair if its Reef Fish and Coastal Migratory Pelagics Stock Assessment Panels, and was a longtime member of the Gulf Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee. In addition, he served on several National Research Council study committees and technical review panels, as well as review panels for various the National Science Foundation programs. Lastly, Cowan served as a U.S. delegate to the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea and the Pacific Marine Sciences Organization.

In addition to Cowan’s many scientific accomplishments, he was also a good friend and gracious host to many. When Cowan’s name would come up in conversation, it was inevitably followed by someone fondly describing how he had taken them to sample Cajun dancing, jazz music, Louisiana cuisine, literature, or fishing somewhere for something. We all have anecdotes about our adventures with Jim. Many of us not only worked with Jim for decades but also called him a good friend. Cowan will be missed both for his science and for his welcoming comradery. Among his former students, they have expressed their gratitude for his encouragement, drive, and accessibility. In the end, perhaps Cowan’s greatest legacy in realm of fisheries is the good will he fostered among scientists, managers, and fishers, among whom he was well regarded as an honest broker who aimed to keep politics out of the science.

詹姆斯“吉姆” H.考恩，JR。

1954 年 3 月 9 日 – 2021 年 8 月 11 日

James Howard Cowan, Jr. 于 2021 年 8 月 11 日在路易斯安那州巴吞鲁日去世，享年 67 岁。Cowan 于 1954 年 3 月 9 日出生于北卡罗来纳州费耶特维尔，其父为 James Howard Cowan, Sr. 和 Imelda Lee “Patsy” Cowan。他的家人后来搬到了佛罗里达州的坦帕，他在弗吉尼亚州的弗吉尼亚海滩度过了他的成长岁月。吉姆是一名狂热的足球运动员，后来爱上了运动钓鱼，尤其是在北卡罗来纳州外滩。他在 Old Dominion 大学获得了生物科学学士学位（1976 年）和硕士学位（1981 年），在那里他与 Ray Birdsong 一起工作。他在路易斯安那州立大学 (LSU) 获得应用统计学硕士学位和海洋科学博士学位（1985 年），在那里他从事墨西哥湾浮游鱼类研究。Cowan 是路易斯安那州立大学海岸生态研究所的博士后科学家，后来在马里兰州所罗门群岛的切萨皮克生物实验室担任博士后科学家，在那里他与 Ed Houde 一起研究鱼类的早期生活史和补充动态。他的第一份教职工作是在南阿拉巴马大学海洋科学系工作，并被联合任命为多芬岛海洋实验室的高级海洋科学家。2001 年，Cowan 回到路易斯安那州立大学，并于 2012 年在那里获得了 EL Abraham 杰出教授的称号。

Cowan 在渔业科学领域的教学和研究工作使他在墨西哥湾地区、国内和国际上享有盛誉。他创建并教授了一系列与渔业相关的课程，包括鱼类招募、河口生态学、野外和实验室方法、渔业海洋学和物理海洋学。他为数十名博士和硕士生提供建议，他们现在在全球担任学术、机构或非政府组织的职位。Cowan 的早期职业专注于鱼类的早期生活史和招募问题，后来在他的职业生涯中，他和他的学生的大部分研究都集中在珊瑚鱼生态学上。红鲷鱼Lutjanus campechanus经常是考恩后来研究的一个特点；他 2007 年合编的关于红鲷鱼生态学的书今天仍然在许多书架上。Cowan 还与人合着了另外两本书，合着了七本书的章节，并撰写或合着了 150 多篇科学文章。他是美国渔业协会 (AFS) 的活跃成员，并且是其早期生活史部门的前任主席。2007 年，Cowan 被授予 AFS 渔业管理卓越奖，以表彰“在渔业行业的鼓舞人心的领导力以及 AFS 和渔业资源的重大成就”。

Cowan 曾在墨西哥湾渔业管理委员会担任各种科学咨询职务，包括担任其珊瑚礁鱼类和沿海洄游中上层种群评估小组的主席，并且是墨西哥湾委员会科学和统计委员会的长期成员。此外，他还曾在多个国家研究委员会研究委员会和技术审查小组以及各种国家科学基金会项目的审查小组任职。最后，考恩还担任国际海洋勘探委员会和太平洋海洋科学组织的美国代表。

除了 Cowan 的许多科学成就之外，他还是许多人的好朋友和亲切的主人。当 Cowan 的名字出现在谈话中时，不可避免地会有人亲切地描述他是如何带他们去品尝 Cajun 舞蹈、爵士音乐、路易斯安那州美食、文学或在某处钓鱼的。我们都有关于与吉姆的冒险经历的轶事。我们中的许多人不仅与吉姆一起工作了几十年，而且还称他为好朋友。考恩将因其科学和热情的同志而被怀念。在他以前的学生中，他们对他的鼓励、动力和可及性表示感谢。最后，也许考恩在渔业领域最大的遗产是他在科学家、管理者和渔民中培养的善意，