In Memoriam: Dr. Eric Prince
A pioneer, conservationist and brilliant scientific mind in the world of sportfishing
The sportfishing world has lost a true pioneer, conservationist, and scientific mind with the passing of Dr. Eric Prince—an angler, researcher, and passionate advocate for the ocean and its inhabitants. Widely considered one of the top fisheries scientists of his time, Dr. Prince’s nearly four-decade career with the National Marine Fisheries Service helped shape our modern understanding of pelagic species and led to sweeping improvements in billfish conservation.
Born into a military family during the final years of World War II, Eric’s early years were spent in Great Falls, Montana, where his father, a United States Air Force captain, taught flight school at Malmstrom Air Force Base. It was near the banks of the Missouri River that Eric caught his first fish—a rainbow trout—at just five years old. That simple act sparked a lifelong love of fishing and a curiosity about the natural world that would define the rest of his life.
Eric’s family later moved to southern California, where he immersed himself in the marine environment, fishing off the Santa Monica Pier and working as a deckhand on boats plying the waters around Catalina and San Clemente Islands. At 18, he became a certified scuba diver, deepening his connection with the ocean and setting the foundation for his future as a fisheries scientist.
After playing four years of college football, Eric earned his graduate degree in fisheries science at Humboldt State University, followed by a Ph.D. in Fisheries from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute in 1977. “The rest was history,” he would later say.
Eric began his career at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Clemson, South Carolina, before joining the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) in Miami, Florida, in 1980. It was there that he was introduced to billfish, specifically blue marlin, which would become the cornerstone of his life’s work.
Over the next 37 years, Dr. Prince emerged as a global authority on billfish science. At NMFS, he led Atlantic billfish research, developed the Atlantic Billfish Research Plan, and coordinated the ICCAT Enhanced Research Program for Billfish in the Western Atlantic. He served as ICCAT Rapporteur for billfish and chaired its Billfish Working Group, helping guide international assessments of sailfish, white marlin, and blue marlin populations.
A champion of innovation in marine research, Dr. Prince played a critical role in the Adopt a Billfish satellite tagging program and was a leading proponent of circle hooks—an important conservation tool that dramatically reduces post-release mortality in catch-and-release fisheries.
He authored more than 100 scientific papers covering a wide range of topics, including fish biology, early life history, migration, reproduction, and climate change impacts on pelagic predators. His groundbreaking work continues to inform global fishery management policies today.
Throughout his career, Dr. Prince received numerous honors and accolades, including the IGFA Conservation Award, multiple awards from The Billfish Foundation, and recognition from the Smithsonian Institute. He was also the recipient of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Research Award and the Lokey Distinguished Lecturer Award from Texas Tech University.
In 2017, Dr. Prince was inducted into the IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame—an honor that reflected not just his contributions to science, but his lifelong passion for fishing and unwavering dedication to conservation.
Dr. Eric Prince leaves behind a legacy that bridges science and sport, passion and purpose. His life's work has helped preserve the fish we love to chase and the ecosystems they call home. He will be deeply missed by colleagues, anglers, and ocean lovers around the world.
Fair seas and tight lines, Dr. Prince.