Eric R. Fetherman

Eric R. Fetherman

Aquatic Research Scientist
Salmonid Disease and Sport Fish

Contact Information

317 W Prospect Road
Fort Collins, CO 80526
Office: 970-472-4436
Cell: 970-481-3225
E-mail: Eric.Fetherman@state.co.us

• ResearchGate Profile​

Education

• Ph.D., Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology — Colorado State University. 2013
• M.S., Fishery Biology — Colorado State University, 2009
• B.S., Fishery Biology — Colorado State University, 2006
• B.S., Wildlife Biology — Colorado State University, 2006

Current or Recent Positions

• Aquatic Research Scientist — Colorado Parks and Wildlife, 2011-Current
• Graduate Research Assistant (Ph.D.) — Colorado Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Colorado State University, 2009-2013
• Graduate Research Assistant (M.S.) — Colorado Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Colorado State University, 2006-2009
• Teaching Assistant — Colorado State University, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2011

Current or Recent Research Projects

• Whirling disease resistant rainbow trout introductions
• ​Optimizing rainbow trout production in CPW hatcheries
• Wild rainbow trout brood stock development
• Wild trout population dynamics, survival and movement

Areas of Interest/Expertise

• Fish disease
• Fish physiology
• Fish culture
• Fish ecology​

Publications​

Avila, B. W., D. L. Winkelman, and E. R. Fetherman. 2023. Biotic and abiotic factors affecting survival of two Rainbow Trout strains in streams in Colorado. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 43(3): 786-793.

Erickson, T. A., G. J. Schisler, and E. R. Fetherman. 2023. Post-stocking survival and myxospore evaluation of whirling disease resistant rainbow trout strains. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 43:586-599.

Fetherman, E. R., B. Neuschwanger, C. Praamsma, and T. Davis. 2023. Concentration, life stage, feeding, density, flow, and strain effects on formalin sensitivity in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Animals 13(15):2425.

Kopack, C. J., E. D. Broder, E. R. Fetherman, R. M. Fitzpatrick, and L. M. Angeloni. 2023. Assessing antipredator behavior and the potential to enhance it in a species of conservation concern. North American Journal of Aquaculture 85:136-145.

Kopack, C. J., E. R. Fetherman, E. D. Broder, R. M. Fitzpatrick, and L. M. Angeloni. 2023. The effects of abiotic enrichment and predator training on the behavior,morphology, and survival of a species of conservation concern. Conservation Science and Practice, e12999.

Riepe, T. B., E. R., Fetherman, B. Neuschwanger, T. Davis, A. Perkins, and D. L. Winkelman. 2023. Vertical transmission of Renibacterium salmoninarum in hatchery-reared Cutthroat Trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii). Journal of Fish Diseases 46(4): 309-319.

Avila, B. W., K. P. Huyvert, D. L. Winkelman, and E. R. Fetherman. 2022. Factors affecting post-challenge survival of Flavobacterium psychrophilum in susceptible Rainbow Trout from the literature. Pathogens 11:1318.

Avila, B. W., D. L. Winkelman, and E. R. Fetherman. 2022. Dual resistance to Flavobacterium psychrophilum and Myxobolus cerebralis in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss, Walbaum). Journal of Fish Diseases 2022:1-13.

Fetherman, E. R., and B. W. Avila. 2022. Habitat associations of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss and brown trout Salmo trutta fry. Journal of Fish Biology 100:51-61.

Riepe, T. B., V. Vincent, V. Milano, E. R. Fetherman, and D. L. Winkelman. 2021. Evidence for the use of mucus swabs to detect Renibacterium salmoninarum in brook trout. Pathogens 10(4), 460.

Fetherman, E. R., B. Neuschwanger, T. Davis, C. L. Wells, and A. Kraft. 2020. Efficacy of Erymicin 200 injections for reducing Renibacterium salmoninarum and controlling vertical transmission in an inland rainbow trout brood stock. Pathogens 2020, 9(7), 547.

Richer, E. E., E. R. Fetherman, E. A. Krone, F. B. Wright III, and M. C. Kondratieff. 2020. Multispecies fish passage evaluation at a rock-ramp fishway in a Colorado transition zone stream. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 40:1510-1522.

Fetherman, E. R., P. Cadmus, A. L. Jefferson, and M. K. Hura. 2019. Increasing copper concentrations do not affect Myxobolus cerebralis triactinomyxon viability. Journal of Fish Diseases 42:1327-1331.

Avila, B. W., D. L. Winkelman, and E. R. Fetherman. 2018. Survival of whirling-disease- resistant rainbow trout fry in the wild: A comparison of two strains. Journal of Aquatic Animal Health 30:280-290.

Hodge, B. W., E. R. Fetherman, K. B. Rogers, and R. Henderson. 2017. Effectiveness of a fishway for restoring passage of Colorado River cutthroat trout. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 37(6):1332-1340.

Richer, E. E., E. R. Fetherman, M. C. Kondratieff, and T. A. Barnes. 2017. Incorporating GPS and mobile radio frequency identification to detect PIT-tagged fish and evaluate habitat utilization in streams. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 37(6):1249-1264.

Fetherman, E. R., J. A. Wardell, C. J. Praamsma, and M. K. Hura. 2016. Critical dissolved​ oxygen tolerances of whirling disease-resistant rainbow trout. North American Journal of Aquaculture 78:366-373.

Kopack, C. J., E. D. Broder, E. R. Fetherman, J. M. Lepak, and L. M. Angeloni. 2016. The effect of a single prerelease exposure to conspecific alarm cue on poststocking survival in three strains of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Canadian Journal of Zoology 94(9): 661-664.

Stout, J. B., B. W. Avila, and E. R. Fetherman. 2016. Efficacy of commercially available quaternary ammonium compounds for controlling New Zealand mudsnails, Potamopyrgus antipodarum​. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 36:277-284.

Fetherman, E. R., J. M. Lepak, B. L. Brown, and D. J. Harris. 2015. Optimizing time of initiation for triploid walleye production using pressure shock treatment. North American Journal of Aquaculture 77:471-477.

Kopack, C. J., E. D. Broder, J. M. Lepak, E. R. Fetherman, and L. M. Angeloni. 2015. Behavioral responses of a highly domesticated, predator naïve rainbow trout to chemical cues of predation. Fisheries Research 169:1-7.

Fetherman, E. R., D. L. Winkelman, L. L. Bailey, G. J. Schisler, and K. Davies. 2015. Brown trout removal effects on short-term survival and movement of Myxobolus cerebralis­­-resistant rainbow trout. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 144:610-626.

Fetherman, E. R., B. W. Avila, and D. L. Winkelman. 2014. Raft and floating radio frequency identification (RFID) antenna systems for detecting and estimating abundance of PIT-tagged fish in rivers​. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 34:1065-1077.

Fetherman, E. R., D. L. Winkelman, M. R. Baerwald, and G. J. Schisler. 2014. ​Survival and reproduction of My​xobolus cerebralis resistant rainbow trout in the Colorado River and increased survival of age-0 progeny.​ PLoS ONE 9(5):e96954.​

Fetherman, E. R. 2013. Introduction and management of Myxobolus cerebralis-Resistant Rainbow Trout in Colorado​. Ph.D. dissertation. Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO.

Fetherman, E. R., and J. M. Lepak. 2013. Addressing depletion failure and estimating gear efficiency using back-calculation of capture probabilities. Fisheries Research 147: 284-289.

Fetherman, E. R., D. L. Winkelman, G. J. Schisler, and M. F. Antolin. 2012. Genetic basis of differences in myxospore count between whirling disease-resistant and -susceptible strains of rainbow trout. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 102:97-106.

Lepak, J. M., E. R. Fetherman, W. M. Pate, C. Craft, and E. I. Gardunio. 2012. An experimental approach to determine esocid prey preference in replicated pond systems. Lake and Reservoir Management 28:224-231.

Lepak, J. M., K. D. Kinzli, E. R. Fetherman, W. M. Pate, A. G. Hansen, E. I. Gardunio, C. N. Cathcart, W. L. Stacy, Z. E. Underwood, M. M. Brandt, C. A. Myrick, and B. M. Johnson. 2012. Manipulation of growth to reduce mercury concentrations in sport fish on a whole-system scale. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 69(1):122-135.

Fetherman, E. R., D. L. Winkelman, G. J. Schisler, and C. A. Myrick. 2011. The effects of Myxobolus cerebralis on the physiological performance of whirling disease resistant and susceptible strains of rainbow trout. Journal of Aquatic Animal Health 23:169-177. ​

Fetherman, E. R. 2009. Heritability of myxospore count and the effects of Myxobolus cerebralis exposure on the physiological performance of whirling disease resistant and susceptible strains of rainbow trout. M.S. thesis, Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO. 

Fetherman, Eric R.