Gordon Gunter

Gordon Pennington Gunter (August 18, 1909 – December 19, 1998) was an American marine biologist and fisheries scientist. He is noted for his pioneering study of fisheries in the northern Gulf of Mexico, a topic to which he devoted his entire professional life over a career spanning 60 years. His own research, and that of the scientists under his direction, established an understanding of the ecology, comparative physiology of the plant and animal life, and commercial fisheries of the region, and he coined the phrase "fertile fisheries crescent" to refer to Mississippi Sound and adjacent waters along the United States Gulf Coast. He also pioneered the study of the comparative physiology of shellfish and fish. as one of his first initiatives as director, he established a research library at the laboratory for use by faculty, staff, visiting scientists, and students.

Some of his more important papers were:

"Notes on invasion of fresh water by fishes of the Gulf of Mexico, with special reference to the Mississippi- Atchafalaya river system." Copeia 1938(2):69-72. (1938) "Seasonal variations in abundance of certain estuarine and marine fishes in Louisiana, with particular reference to life histories." Ecological Monographs 8:3 13-346. (1938) "Relative numbers of shallow water fishes of the northern Gulf of Mexico, with some records of rare fishes from the Texas coast." The American Midland Naturalist 26: 194- 200.(1941) "Studies of marine fishes of Texas." Publications of the Institute of Marine Science, University of Texas 1:l-190. (1945) "Seasonal population changes and distributions as related to salinity, of certain invertebrates of the Texas coast, including the commercial shrimp." Publications of the Institute of Marine Science, University of Texas 1:7-5 1. (1950) "Correlation between the temperature of water and size of marine fishes on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States." Copeia 1950(4):298-304. (1950) "Historical changes in the Mississippi River and the adjacent marine environment". Publications of the Institute of Marine Science, University of Texas 2: 119–139. (1952) "Predominance of the young among fishes found in fresh water." Copeia 1957(1):13-16. (1957) "Salinity." Chapter 7. In: "Treatise on Marine Ecology and Paleoecology." Vol. 1 Ecology. Memoir 67, Geological Society of America. p. 129-1 57. (A.S. Pearse and Gunter). (1957) "Temperature." Chapter 8. In: "Treatise on Marine Ecology and Paleoecology." Vol. 1 Ecology. Memoir 67, Geological Society of America. p. 159-18 4. (1957) "Some relations of estuarine organisms to salinity." Limnology and Oceanography 6: 182–190. (1961) "Salinity and size in marine fishes." Copeia 1961(2):234- 235. (1961) "Biological investigations of the St. Lucie Estuary (Florida) in connection with Lake Okeechobee discharges through the St. Lucie Canal." Gulf Research Reports, 1:189-307. (Gunter and G.E. Hall). (1963) "Some relations of salinity to population distributions of motile estuarine organisms, with special reference to penaeid shrimp." Ecology 45:181-185. (with J. Y. Christmas and R. Killebrew). (1964) "A biological investigation of the Caloosahatchee Estuary of Florida". Gulf Research Reports 2: 1-71. (1965) "Some relationships of estuaries to the fisheries of the Gulf of Mexico. Part IX Fisheries." In: G. H. Lauff, ed., Estuaries, Publication No. 83. American Association for the Advancement of Science, Washington, D.C. p. 621-638. (1967) "A review of salinity problems of organisms in United States coastal areas subject to the effects of engineering works." Gulf Research Reports 4:3 (1974)

Professional associations and awards Gunter belonged to the American Fisheries Society for 50 years, and received its highest honor when he was named an Honorary Member of the Society. An active member of the National Shellfisheries Association, he became its first paid Life Member in 1959, and in 1973 he received its highest honor when he was named an Honored Life Member. He was a member of the Mississippi Academy of Sciences and was elected its president in 1966; it presented him with its prestigious Outstanding Contributions to Science in Mississippi award in 1975. A charter member of the World Mariculture Society, later renamed the World Aquaculture Society, he hosted its first meeting in 1969, and he served as its president from 1973 to 1974.

Personal life Gunter married the former Carlotta "Lottie" Gertrude La Cour in 1932, with whom he had a daughter and two sons. In 1955, he married the former Frances Hudgins, with whom he had two sons.

An American Civil War (1861–1865) enthusiast who sympathized strongly with the Southern cause, Gunter wrote in 1969 that he found comfort and inspiration in the sight of the Confederate battle flag flying over the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory grounds after the destruction wrought by Hurricane Camille that year. He was an active member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans and the Military Order of the Stars and Bars. He also was an active member of the Sons of the American Revolution.

Death Gunter died on December 19, 1998, in Ocean Springs. His career in marine biology and fisheries science had lasted more than 60 years.

Commemoration NOAAS Gordon Gunter (R 336)On December 21, 1972, the Board of Trustees of the Institutes of Higher Learning of the State of Mississippi named the library Gunter established and expanded at the Gulf Coast Research Library the Gunter Library in his honor.

The National Shellfish Association created its Gordon Gunter Poster Award in Gunter's honor.

Thomas D. McIlwain, a student of Gunter's who served as director of the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory from 1989 to 1994 and then became an administrator at the National Marine Fisheries Service, an element of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), led an effort to honor Gunter's fisheries work in the Gulf of Mexico by having a ship of the NOAA fleet named after him, saying of Gunter, "He was one of the pioneers." McIlwain's efforts paid off when the NOAA research ship NOAAS Gordon Gunter (R 336) was named in honor of Gunter. Gunter attended the ship's commissioning ceremony on August 28, 1998, only 16 weeks before his death.