Paxson H. Offield, a gentleman long known for his work in conservation on many fronts, especially along the Pacific coast, has been named to the International Game Fish Association’s (IGFA) Board of Trustees.
Offield, of Avalon, California, is chairman of the board of the Santa Catalina Island Company, a family owned corporation involved in the stewardship of developable lands in Catalina Island. He’s also a benefactor member of the Santa Catalina Island Conservancy and was its first chairman of the board.
A graduate from the University of Denver in 1975 with a degree in economics, he taught at the Catalina Island School from 1976-78, before being asked by his family to join the century old Santa Catalina Island Company. Formed in 1894 the company has been guided by the Wrigley and Offield families since 1919.
A dedicated conservationist, Offield is the past chairman and current board member of The Billfish Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation and enhancement of billfish populations worldwide through scientific research, education and advocacy. He is the former chairman and current board member of The Peregrine Fund, a worldwide organization dedicated to preserving birds of prey.
Last October, Offield received the Commendador Award from the President of Panama for work through the Peregrine Fund on the reintroduction of the Harpy Eagle, the national bird of Panama. He was also awarded the 2006 Conservation Medal from the Zoological Society of San Diego this past December.
Paxson is also chairman of the Catalina Seabass Fund, dedicated to the restoration of seabass and other fisheries in Southern California waters, a past president of the Avalon Tuna Club, the world’s oldest sportfishing club and board member of the Center for the Reproduction of Endangered Species of the San Diego Zoological Society. He’s also been involved in developing satellite tags for tagging billfish in Pacific waters for several years, to track migration and other data on billfish. Offield is the chairman of the Offield Center for Billfish Studies, under the auspices of the Marine Conservation Science Institute (MCSI), of which he is a founding board member. Offield is also a director of the Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies at USC and has endowed the Paxson H. Offield Professor of Fishery Population Ecology now held by Dennis Hedgecock at USC.
He has three Tuna Club record fish using three thread linen and 8 lb. Dacron and has been recognized twice as the club’s angler of the year. He participates when he can at the International Masters Angling Tournament in Cancun.
“I’m thrilled and honored to be named to the IGFA’s Board of Trustees,” said Offield. “The Pacific coast, particularly California, has many fine IGFA representatives and members, many who I have known as friends for several decades from both my work and recreational fishing.”
“Paxson is a great addition to the IGFA board of trustees,” said IGFA President Rob Kramer. “His efforts along the Pacific coast as not only a conservationist and sportsman but as a steward of both land and sea are well recognized. His expertise in pelagic and billfish fisheries will be a big asset to our work at the IGFA.”
By: Pete Johnson, Johnson Communications
