The oyster toadfish (Opsanus tau) is the official logo/mascot of the Tidewater Chapter of AFS. And, as you might expect, there is a story behind how that all came to be. Here is what I remember, with a little help from some old notes, about what happened.
I was one of the Chapter EXCOM members who participated in the creation of a new Chapter logo over 26 years ago. John Cooper, Rick Eades, Dean Fowler, John Merriner, Paul Miller, Roger Rulifson, Joe Smith, and Ron Southwick were also involved. The pursuit of an official Chapter logo started way back in early November 1991. One major goal of this effort was to create a new logo to adorn the cover of the Chapter's Procedural Manual being developed at that time.
The first version logo, drawn by a MD/DNR illustrator, Lamar Platt, was basically a rectangular frame filled with 10 finfish and shellfish species. The displayed 'critters' were swimming or crawling in and out of the frame. This logo idea was eye-catching and paid homage to many important fishes, but it was busy.
So, a second version logo, also drawn by Lamar Platt (as were all subsequent logo versions), featured a map along at the left edge of the rectangular frame showing the coast lines of the three original Chapter states (Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina), and a single shortnose sturgeon swimming across the coastline of North Carolina. Most EXCOM members preferred this single species logo design versus the multi-species version. But, no surprise, some also thought that other fish species like American shad or tidewater silverside or even striped bass were more appropriate choices.
The EXCOM continued to exchange opinions on the developing Chapter logo. Sometime during the winter of 1991-1992, the oyster toadfish emerged as the EXCOM's preferred candidate species for the new logo. Outgoing Chapter President, John Merriner, asked me to solicit input from our members.
The March 1992 issue of the Chapter's newsletter contained a 12-question survey that was mailed to all members. With regards to a new Chapter logo, Question 11 asked: "Is the attached tri-state with fish plus design acceptable to you as a logo for the Tidewater Chapter? yes/no." Question 12 asked: "Do you like the oyster toadfish (Opsanus tau)? yes/no. If no, please suggest another species. We can either use the same species all the time, or change species as desired. What do you think?"
Like many surveys, response to our March 1992 survey netted only 12 responses, a meager 9.5% return rate. Eight of the 12 respondents said "Yes" to Question 11. Six of the respondents liked the oyster toad, while six preferred one of 11 other fish species.
We received mixed responses to the question about changing or not changing the fish species featured as the Chapter logo. Between March and May of 1992, after what I dimly recall was a bit of arm wrestling and the consumption of several good brews, the Chapter EXCOM reached agreement and selected the oyster toad for the new official Chapter logo. In June 1992, this very distinctive-looking (a few us might say 'attractive') and definitely memorable fish was introduced to the membership and the rest of the world on the cover of the Chapter's Procedural Manual.
If I may speak for the members of the EXCOM back then and those few Chapter members who weighed in on the logo ideas, we all felt the need for something a little different. We preferred a fish that was not of commercial or recreational importance, or even an ecological dominant. We wanted a fish on our logo that would represent the unique character of the Tidewater Chapter -- as it was back then and as it still is today: a group of folks who are serious about fisheries science but also fun-loving and enjoy laughing together. I think most of us fish heads smile, and some may even laugh, when we cast our eyes on an oyster toad's countenance. And yet, the oyster toad is very good at what it does. So, the oyster toad and the Tidewater Chapter seemed to be a good fit back in 1991-1992 -- and also today, 2018.
So how did the oyster toad grow from being on our logo to becoming the Chapter's mascot? Well, here's the rest of the story. A few years after the new logo was created, several Chapter members wanted more than just a drawing of an oyster toad to put on Chapter letterhead, procedural manuals, web pages, meeting materials, etc. They wanted something more tangible too--a mascot and something that could also become the center piece of a new Chapter award.
I knew and still know Bill Richkus, a fisheries scientist here in MD who retired a few years ago from Versar Inc., an environmental consulting company. Bill was and probably still is a good taxidermist. In late 1998, somebody from MD/DNR (I don't remember who) caught a nice-sized oyster toad in Chesapeake Bay that came to me. I asked Bill if he would stuff and mount the beauty on a nice wooden plaque for the Chapter, and he did---for $110.
On March 13, 1999, Bill's creation, the Chapter's first Coveted Oyster Toadfish Award, was presented to John Olney at our annual meeting in Gloucester Point, VA. That started an annual tradition that continues to this day. The mounted oyster toad is passed from one Chapter President to the next, along with the responsibility to keep it safe while in their possession. This passing of the Coveted Oyster Toadfish Award acknowledges the hard work of the President-Elect and his/her transition to President, and also ensures a sense of continuity between our leaders.
The last time I took a long look at our beloved oyster toad, it was looking a bit worse for wear. Perhaps it's time for the Chapter EXCOM to talk about getting a new oyster toad stuffed and nicely mounted on an engraved wooden plaque for the traditional passing ceremony, and then retire the original specimen to the Chapter's museum---or other safe place, so it doesn't deteriorate any further.
Ron Klauda; Prince Frederick, MD; January 21, 2018
