Mid-Atlantic Council Honors Jack Casey with James A. Ruhle Cooperative Research Award
Jack Casey (left) with Council Chair Wes Townsend
The Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council has named Jack Casey as the recipient of the James A. Ruhle Cooperative Research Award. The award was presented during the Council’s April meeting in Galloway, New Jersey, in recognition of Casey’s pioneering work in cooperative fisheries research and his decades-long contributions to the scientific understanding of shark species along the East Coast.
The Council established the award in memory of Captain Jimmy Ruhle – a commercial fisherman, former Council member, and trailblazer in cooperative fisheries research. The award celebrates individuals or groups who have made exceptional contributions to cooperative research in the Mid-Atlantic region.
Jack Casey’s legacy is one of innovation, leadership, and collaboration. A U.S. Navy veteran who began his fisheries career in 1960 with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Casey quickly recognized the untapped potential of working directly with fishermen to advance scientific understanding. In 1962, he launched the Cooperative Shark Tagging Program with fewer than 100 volunteer fishermen. Under his leadership, the program expanded into one of the most successful and enduring partnerships between the scientific and fishing communities, resulting in hundreds of thousands of sharks tagged and an unparalleled body of data on shark movements, behavior, and biology. His efforts helped transform the public’s perception of sharks and laid the groundwork for significant advancements in shark science.
In addition to founding the tagging program, Casey played a leading role in establishing NOAA’s marine fisheries laboratory in Narragansett, Rhode Island, where the Apex Predators Program continues his legacy of collaboration and innovation.
“This award is a fitting tribute to a man whose work helped define what cooperative research can achieve,” said Council Chair Wes Townsend. “Jack inspired generations of scientists, many of whom continue to carry forward his commitment to collaboration and innovation.”
Council member Robert Ruhle, who is the son of the award’s namesake, noted that Casey played an important role in his family’s involvement in cooperative research. “You are a big part of why I’m sitting at this table now and why my father sat at the table for nine years,” Ruhle said to Casey. “You broke the mold and showed the world what can happen when science and industry work together toward the same goal.”
Source: Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council
