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Written by Mayumi Arimitsu and Sarah Ann Thompson

John Piatt retired from the USGS in December 2023. His career spanned more than four decades, with significant scientific contributions to seabird and forage fish ecology in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. He has been a member of PSG since 1982, he was Executive Council chair in 1994, and won the lifetime achievement award in 2016. “I remember the first meeting in Seattle in 1982”, he says, “I took the ferry over from Victoria, BC, and met a character on the bow looking for seabirds, who it turned out was also going to PSG—Harry Carter.” John and Harry were fast friends and worked together on many projects in the years that followed. John is enjoying more quality time with his many farm animal friends and wife Nancy at his Auk Ranch in Port Townsend, WA. John is continuing as Scientist Emeritus and can be reached at jpiatt@usgs.gov.

Left: John Piatt, the dedicated puffin protector. Center top (L-R): Alcid Heads Gus Van Vliet, Alan Springer, and John. Center bottom (L-R): Bill Montevecchi, Bill Sydeman, and John at PSG 2022. Right top: John and puffin crew at Bogoslof Island, Alaska (L-R) Josh Adams, Gary Drew, Sarah Schoen, Forrest Piatt, John Piatt, Yumi Arimitsu, Erica Madison, Martin Renner, Nora Rojek. Right bottom (L-R): Nancy and John.