Charles Townsend

Background

The son of the Reverend Daniel W. Townsend and Elizabeth Townsend, nee Kier, he was born at Parnassus, Pennsylvania, and educated in public and private schools.

Career

In 1883, he became assistant United States Fish Commissioner in charge of salmon propagation in California. Foreign a time, he was in charge of deep-sea explorations on the United States Ship Albatross. From 1897 to 1902, he served as chief of the Fish Commission"s fisheries division.

He then served as director of the New York Aquarium at Castle Garden, from 1902 until his retirement in 1937.

Achievements

• In 1902 he was an expert before the Russo-American fisheries arbitration at The Hague. In 1912-1913 he was president of the American Fisheries Society. He was elected a fellow of the New York Academy of Sciences. He is commemorated in the names of Townsend"s shearwater and the Guadalupe fur seal (Arctocephalus townsendi).