With great sadness, we report that Dr. David L. G. Noakes passed away on December 1, 2020. David was the Editor-in-Chief of Environmental Biology of Fishes since 2002, and he was one of the original Editorial Board members in 1976. Under the guidance of founding editor Dr. Eugene K. Balon, Environmental Biology of Fishes established itself as an international journal, publishing “as many original and creative papers” on the ecology, life history, epigenetics, behavior, physiology, morphology, systematics, and evolution of marine and freshwater fishes “as its capacity [would] permit” (Balon 1976). Under David’s leadership, the journal continued to grow and evolve. In his inaugural editorial, David emphasized that he would manage changes to the journal in a “progressive, evolutionary manner,” and he did exactly that (Noakes 2003). By 2013, the journal had grown from quarterly to monthly issues, including many influential special issues, and it was living up to its reputation as a truly global journal (Noakes 2011). In 2019, submitted manuscripts came from 50 countries and six continents, and David strove to achieve greater international and gender representation on the Editorial Board.

Although I will have enormous shoes to fill, I am incredibly honored to take on the position of Editor-in-Chief. As an undergraduate at the University of Guelph in the 1980s, I had the pleasure of being taught by both David Noakes and Eugene Balon (in Ichthyology and the aptly-named Environmental Biology of Fishes, respectively), and, in the years after, David continued to be a great mentor, colleague, and friend. As Editor of Springer’s Fish and Fisheries series, David encouraged me to edit two volumes on the biology, conservation, and control of lampreys, and he invited me to join the Editorial Board of Environmental Biology of Fishes in 2019. Although I am coming into this position with a mere two years’ experience as Advisory Editor, compared to David’s 44-year history with the journal, I am pleased to be given the opportunity to carry on his legacy. I will continue to work with our trusted Managing Editor, Lynn Bouvier, who worked alongside David in this position for 18 years. Lynn, as well as the Advisory Editors, took on many additional editorial responsibilities after David’s death, allowing us to continue publishing the journal without missing an issue. David has made his lasting mark on Environmental Biology of Fishes, and I am honored now to pick up the mantle.

Margaret F. Docker.

Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Canada.