Dr. Christopher C. Kohler
(CKohler@siu.edu) is Director of the Fisheries and Illinois
Aquaculture Center and Professor of Zoology at Southern Illinois
University Carbondale (SIUC). He joined the SIUC fisheries staff in
1980 after completing his Ph.D. the same year in fisheries sciences from
Virginia Tech. He received his B.S. (1973) in biology from St. Mary's
College of Maryland and M.S. (1975) in marine sciences/aquaculture from
the University of Puerto Rico. Kohler currently teaches ZOOL 477
Aquaculture, ZOOL 570 Advanced Aquaculture, and ZOOL 564 Aquaculture
Techniques. Kohler's research encompasses aquaculture, fisheries
management and aquatic ecology. He has published over 100 scientific
articles, including a dozen book chapters as well as co-editorship of
Inland Fisheries Management in North America (1st and 2nd editions), a
college level and professional text published by the American Fisheries
Society. In 1995, he was awarded the Kaplan Research Award by the SIUC
Chapter of Sigma Xi as the university's outstanding researcher; in 2007
he was named the College of Science Outstanding Scholar. In 1999, the
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) labeled Chorulon, a synthetic
human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) produced by Intervet, Inc., for
broodfish spawning based, in large part, on the Target Animal Safety
Study conducted under Kohler's direction (the first drug approved at
that time by the FDA for fish in 14 years). His current research is
largely focused on the influence of omega-3 fatty acids on finfish
nutrition and health as well as developing nutritional strategies to
reduce marine-derived protein and lipid sources in aquafeeds. His
research has been funded, among others, by NSF, USDA National Research
Initiative, and the North Central Regional Aquaculture Center. Kohler
completed his term in 2006 as President of the American Fisheries
Society.
