Marine Fisheries Specialist, Texas Sea Grant Program at Texas A&M University. USA

After more than 40 years of extension work, Gary Graham currently focuses primarily on commercial fisheries bycatch issues, an area in which he has had a long and distinguished career.

He started working with the Texas shrimp industry early in the development of turtle excluder devices, or TEDs, which today are 97 percent effective in excluding sea turtles from nets. Today, Graham teaches captains and crews proper installation, use and maintenance of TEDs. In 2014, Graham was honoured with the Gene Raffield Humanitarian Award from the Southeast Fisheries Association for his devotion to educating commercial fishers, demonstration of leadership, and support of fishing communities.