New Mexico Department of Game and Fish
Public contact, Information Center: (888) 248-6866
Media contact: Karl Moffatt: (505) 476-8007
karl.moffatt@state.nm.us
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, March 15, 2016:
Several receive awards for wildlife conservation achievements
ALBUQUERQUE – Several awards for achievement in wildlife conservation were bestowed during the second annual Governor’s Special Hunt Auction and Award Banquet on Feb. 20 in Albuquerque.
- Tod Stevenson, former department director, was awarded the Governor’s Conservationist Lifetime Achievement Award. Stevenson was recognized for his career with the department starting out as a hatchery worker in 1977 and retiring in 2011 as department director. During his career he served as a fish hatchery foreman and game warden before being promoted to division chief, assistant director, deputy director and finally, director of the department from 2008 through 2011.
- Eric Frey, sportfish program manager for the department, received the Director’s Professional of the Year Award for his work restoring the fishery at Eagle Rock Lake outside of Questa and habitat improvements on the nearby Red River. Frey also was recognized for his work on native cutthroat restoration and statewide fisheries management.
- Dona Ana County Associated Sportsmen received the Commissioners Wildlife Conservation Partnership award for the organization’s work on behalf of the department for many years. The organization has awarded over $100,000 in scholarships to New Mexico State University’s fish, wildlife and conservation ecology students. Many of its members assist the department by volunteering as hunter safety education instructors. The conservation organization also has helped develop and implement numerous wildlife habitat improvement projects in southwestern New Mexico over the years.
The special hunt auction during the banquet offered many attractive hunting and fishing packages and generated over $160,000 for wildlife conservation in New Mexico.
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