Curiosity, recruitment, and chaos: a tribute to Bill Ricker,s inquiring mind

Through three versions of a handbook on computations for biological statistics of fish populations, W.E. “Bill’ Ricker played a pivotal role in founding the field of quantitative fishery science. His interests, however, extended far beyond the con.nes of quantifiable events to a deep appreciation for the natural world. In this article, I trace his development of fishery models from the 1940s to the 1970s, using examples that illustrate his approach to statistics and biological systems analysis. I describe changes in technology and statistics that have made it possible to extend his research in new directions, although his approach still lies at the core of all modern fishery models. His gentle, inquiring spirit persisted long after his retirement in 1973, as I illustrate from personal experiences with him during the 1990s.

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