MassWildlife Names Dr. Eve Schlüter as Agency Director

Massachusetts has a new permanent fish and wildlife chief, and the job matters to everyone who hunts, fishes, traps, manages habitat, or cares about science-based conservation in the state.

The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife named Dr. Everose “Eve” Schlüter as Director after she served as Acting Director beginning in January. She is the first woman to lead MassWildlife and brings nearly two decades of agency experience.

Before taking the top job, Schlüter served as Deputy Director from 2023 to 2025 and helped oversee major program areas including fisheries, wildlife, endangered species, operations, land conservation, and habitat work. She also helped lead development of statewide biodiversity conservation goals and coordination across land acquisition, stewardship, and habitat-management programs.

Agency leadership is not just a title on a letterhead. Directors influence priorities, budgets, habitat work, hunting and fishing opportunity, endangered species decisions, access, partnerships, and how much weight field science carries when politics starts leaning on wildlife management.

MassWildlife’s mission has to stay grounded in conserving fish and wildlife while keeping lawful outdoor recreation on the landscape. Hunters and anglers should watch these appointments closely, support good science, and hold every agency leader to the same standard: manage the resource, respect the people who fund it, and keep opportunity alive for the next generation.