The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is pleased to announce that Brian Fillmore has been selected as the new supervisor of the Oklahoma Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office, located in Tishomingo, Oklahoma. Fillmore brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience –and is no stranger to conservation in the Sooner State.
Fillmore, a fish biologist, was previously employed at the Service’s Tishomingo National Fish Hatchery for 12 years where he was fully immersed in raising and releasing alligator gar, Arkansas River shiner, channel catfish, paddlefish, and various sunfish species. Fillmore was on the leading edge of culturing alligator snapping turtle—a rare and understudied species that the hatchery strives to bolster in the wild.
“I’m pleased to have Brian lead the Oklahoma Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office,” said Stewart Jacks, the Service’s Assistant Regional Director – Fish and Aquatic Conservation. “He’s dedicated to conservation and is an ardent angler and hunter. He’s very capable and a proven leader. Brian’s skills as a biologist coupled with his commitment to working with partners will prove beneficial to natural resources and the people who enjoy them.”
Fillmore and his crew will in the near-term collect wild paddlefish broodstock to help expand the fish’s range. They will also assess populations of alligator snapping turtle as well as the threatened leopard darter, a fish native to southeast Oklahoma.
Fillmore has worked for the Service for 18 years. He holds degrees from Hocking College (Ohio) and the University of Idaho. His wife, Rebecca, who is also a fish biologist, works at the Durant State Fish Hatchery. They welcomed their first child, Vivien, into the world in May 2017.
The Oklahoma Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office is one of 38 such facilities located across the United States.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service works with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.
