Attendees
Present: Emma Ellsworth/Vice Chair, Ernie Foster/Secretary, Matthew Sisk, Sasha Dyer, Malcolm Haith, Kyla Hastie, Tom O’Shea/DFG Commissioner, Eve Schlüter/Deputy Director, Kris McCarthy/Chief Fiscal Officer and Associate Director, Todd Richards/Assistant Director of Fisheries, Mike Huguenin/Assistant Director of Wildlife, Trina Moruzzi/Assistant Director of Operations, Nicole McSweeney/Assistant Director of Outreach and Education, Emily Myron/ Assistant Director of Land and Habitat, Jesse Leddick/ Assistant Director of Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program; Nicole Keleher/Habitat Restoration and Management Program Manager, Astrid Huseby/R3 Coordinator, Sarah Van de Berg/Wildlife Health Communication and Data Management Specialist, Rebecca Quiñones/Conservation Science Program Manager, Andrew Madden/Western District Manager, Jim Pollock/Operations Specialist, Pat Huckery/ Northeast Wildlife District Manager, Todd Olanyk/Central Wildlife District Manager, Jennifer Sulla/DFG General Counsel, Tori LaBate/DFG Assistant General Counsel; Christine Smith/DFG Assistant General Counsel; Public: Dave Morin; Steve LaRivee; Chris Giglio, Melinda MacKendrick
Commissioner O’Shea’s comments
Commissioner O’Shea stated that MassWildlife Director Tisa was unable to attend today’s meeting due to illness but shared that Director Tisa recently announced he will be retiring in January 2026 after over 35 years at MassWildlife, including the last 7 years as director. The Commissioner recognized the Director’s significant contributions to conservation over his many years of public service, especially his work to modernize the Field Headquarters facilities, increase MassWildlife’s relevancy to the general public, bring partners together on landscape-scale conservation, and improve access to nature for all people. The Commissioner stated that DFG, in collaboration with the Fisheries and Wildlife Board, will be searching for a new director to continue his legacy. The Commissioner noted that the state’s hiring freeze and budget constraints may impact the timeline of finding a replacement, but stated they would like to appoint an acting director if they are unable to fill the position before Director Tisa leaves.
The Commissioner recognized the impact of the transition on staff, in addition to hiring freezes and other budgetary constraints, and noted how staff continue to advance the agency’s conservation mission despite these challenges. He also commented that the work of the staff has received recognition nationally and within the state, including acknowledgement of staff through the performance recognition program. The Commissioner congratulated all the winners who will be honored at an award ceremony the following month, including individual citation winners and groups of staff who worked on MassFishHunt and the HPAI response. He acknowledged Eve Schlüter, Jen Ryan, and Julia Hopkins, who will be receiving the Manuel Carballo Governor’s Award for Excellence in Public Service for their contributions to the Biodiversity Initiative.
The Commissioner shared that there was a recent press release that announced Massachusetts’ intention to join the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), making Massachusetts and California the first states in the nation to make such a commitment to global action for biodiversity conservation. He commented that Massachusetts is already a leader on biodiversity, and this commitment brings Massachusetts to the next level. The Commissioner also shared that he was invited to do a TED talk at MIT next month about biodiversity. The Commissioner concluded by announcing that MassWildlife’s fall trout stocking efforts have concluded, and low water levels impacted staff’s ability to stock some rivers and streams.
Acceptance of minutes
A motion was made by Mr. Sisk to table the minutes of the September business meeting. The motion was seconded by Mr. Foster; the vote in favor was unanimous.
Vice chair's updates
Vice Chair Ellsworth praised the professionalism and skill of MassWildlife staff, and commented that staff consistently provide thoughtful and comprehensive answers to constituent inquiries. Ms. Ellsworth noted that transition can be a burden for staff but said that she is looking forward to this next phase and getting feedback from staff about the future vision for the agency and hearing how the Board can best support the staff’s work. Vice Chair Ellsworth acknowledged how much Director Tisa has done to advance landscape-scale conservation, in addition to increasing the number of days afield for hunters and increasing access and opportunity.
Vice Chair Ellsworth shared that she enjoyed recently volunteering with her bird dogs at MassWildlife’s Becoming an Outdoors Woman (BOW) Pheasant Hunt, which took place at Eugene Moran WMA. She commented that all the participants had a great experience, and the staff, especially Astrid Huseby, did a great job creating a sense of community for all the women, which is important for R3.
Vice Chair Ellsworth also shared that she attended an event the previous day to celebrate the conservation of over 1,400 acres in Winchendon, with many partners and community members. She acknowledged the hard work of several land trusts, as well as the strong advocacy from local community members that led to the land being protected. She noted the property is key for wildlife connectivity and noted the importance of protecting large tracts of land for biodiversity conservation to give wildlife like brook trout the space to move in the face of climate change.
Law Enforcement updates
No representative from Massachusetts Environmental Police was in attendance.
Confirm November business meeting date and time: November 12, 2025, at 10:00 a.m., at the MassWildlife Field Headquarters and in a Zoom webinar
After a brief discussion, the Board members confirmed the existing details of the November 12 business meeting to begin at 10:00 a.m. at the MassWildlife Field Headquarters and in a Zoom webinar, and confirmed that on the same day, there will be a Sargent Award Presentation for Mike Roche at 11:30 a.m. at Field Headquarters, by invitation only.
Members’ comments
Matt Sisk expressed his congratulations to the Performance Recognition Program award recipients, especially Eve Schluter for the Biodiversity Initiative. Mr. Sisk shared that he recently attended an event at the Braintree Rifle and Pistol Club, where he is a member, and had the opportunity to talk about the Commonwealth’s Biodiversity Initiative with the club’s members. He said that the feedback was very positive, with many people asking how individuals and groups can contribute to this effort, and noted that the topic of biodiversity resonates beyond our typical audience. Commissioner O’Shea agreed, adding that DFG will soon be announcing a new grant program to support locally led, community biodiversity projects. He noted that the cumulative impact of many individual actions can be significant in building momentum for biodiversity conservation, and encouraged Board members to be ambassadors for this effort.
Sasha Dyer praised MassWildlife’s Outreach and Education staff for recent R3 programs that she was able to mentor for, including the Becoming an Outdoors Woman pheasant program and the Learn to Hunt turkey class. Ms. Dyer noted that the programs had a great turnout, and she expressed how rewarding it is to see the diversity of students becoming more comfortable with firearms, asking questions, and enjoying themselves during the classes. Ms. Dyer commented on the transition to the new MassFishHunt licensing system, including recent difficulties with the sale of surplus antlerless deer permits. Ms. Dyer received feedback from hunters during the recent Worcester County League of Sportsmen’s meeting, and suggested the agency explore if it is possible to create separate waiting rooms, depending on which zone hunters would like to purchase. Ms. Dyer encouraged everyone to be patient as we work to address issues with the new system.
Ernie Foster announced that the Plymouth County League of Sportsmen has changed its name to Southeastern Mass. Sporting and Conservation Alliance (SEMSCA). Mr. Foster commented that this shift will bring in land trusts and other conservation organizations, such as the Taunton River Watershed Association, that traditionally haven’t been included. He noted that the groups share a common desire for biodiversity conservation and to keep lands open to hunting and fishing. Mr. Foster said they will be looking to bring in other groups and encourage other county leagues to use this model to bring in more partners to promote local biodiversity. Mr. Foster concluded by acknowledging the start of the upland game bird hunting season and expressing his appreciation for the late start time of the board meeting, enabling him to hunt in the morning.
Public Comments
Richard Maximus Strahan and Donald Graves were not present in person and did not make public comments.
Adjourn
There being no further business, Ms. Dyer moved to adjourn. Mr. Sisk seconded the motion.
The vote in favor was unanimous, and the meeting was adjourned at 3:38 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Ernie Foster
Secretary
List of documents presented to the Board in its October business meeting packets
October agenda