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CORVALLIS - Carl Schreck, a courtesy professor of fisheries and wildlife at Oregon State University and international expert on salmon conservation and management, has received the Meritorious Service Award from the U.S. Department of the Interior.

The award is the second highest honor made by this federal agency, and was presented by Gale Norton, Secretary of the Interior, to Schreck for his "exceptional contributions to the science of fisheries management, and to salmonid conservation and policies in the Pacific Northwest."

Schreck was one of the pioneers in the understanding of salmon genetics and how fish respond to environmental stresses. His work has influenced the design of hatcheries to minimize stress and increase survival of young salmonids, and it has changed how fish are liberated after being transported in trucks or barges, and increased the post-release survival of fish.

Schreck also leads the Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit in the OSU Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, serves on the Oregon Independent Multidisciplinary Science Team that's exploring recovery of endangered species, and has helped draft the recovery plans for several salmonid species.