BATON ROUGE- Gov. John Bel Edwards has appointed William J. "Joe" McPherson to the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission.

McPherson will serve as an at-large commissioner. The self-employed business owner and developer is a former Louisiana State Senator. During his six terms as a state senator, McPherson authored several bills for outdoor causes, including the creation of three wildlife management areas. In 2005, McPherson was honored with the Governor's Award for Conservation Achievement.

According to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, McPherson's term will run until Dec. 12, 2023. He will make his first appearance on the board during the commission's January meeting in Baton Rouge.