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Current M.Sc. Research
The Fraser River fisheries is a very complicated system to manage for the reason that Pacific salmon stocks co-mingle during their migration upriver and managers are under pressure to protect the weaker stocks while keeping fisheries open. A selective fishing policy was adopted to address this predicament which mandates live-release of non-target species and modification of gears that allow non-target fish to escape. However, this creates a concern and leaves us wondering if these discarded and escaped fish will live and spawn successfully.
In general, salmon fisheries managers must consider the social, economical, political and ecological impacts of their decisions and so should research. Therefore, my research uses an interdisciplinary approach by looking at the biology and human dimensions of salmon conservation to address some of the issues managers are faced with today.
My biological component will attempt to address what happens to fish that are discarded back into the water or escape from fishing gears. Specifically, I want to know what role injury, stress and recovery play on the survival and migratory behaviour of these fish.
However, it’s important to note that information is not very useful if the resource users, fishers who are the ones in contact with these fish, do not use it. Therefore, my social science component is the study of fisher attitudes, beliefs and behaviour. I am interested in exploring the types of fishers that exist and to predict their likely behaviour and responses to certain management scenarios. This work will in turn help management predict how the public will respond to conservation initiatives and how best to disseminate information and promote responsible fishing.
Research and Background
2009 – B.Sc. Honours Environmental Science and Minors in Biology and Business – Carleton University (Ottawa, ON)
Thesis title (supervised by Dr. Steven Cooke): To fizz or not to fizz: the post-release behaviour and fate of tournament-caught smallmouth bass after ‘fizzing’ to alleviate distended swim bladders
Peer-reviewed publications
Rudd, M.A., K.F. Beazley, S.J. Cooke, E. Fleishman, D.E. Lane, M.B. Mascia, R. Roth, G. Tabor, J.A. Bakker, T. Bellefontaine, D. Berteaux, B. Cantin, K.G. Chaulk, K. Cunningham, R. Dobell, E. Fast, N. Ferrara, C.S. Findlay, L.K. Hallstrom, T. Hammond, L. Hermanutz, J.A. Hutchings, K.E. Lindsay, T.J. Marta, V. Nguyen, G. Northey, K. Prior, S. Ramirez-Sanchez, J. Rice, D.J.H. Sleep, N.D. Szabo, G. Trottier, J.-P. Toussaint, J.P. Veilleux. In press. Generation of Priority Research Questions to Inform Conservation Policy and Management at a National Level. Conservation Biology 00:000-000
Nguyen, V., M.A. Gravel, A. Mapleston, K.C. Hanson, and S.J. Cooke. 2009. Evaluating fizzing as a means of alleviating barotrauma in smallmouth bass. Fisheries Research 96: 313-318
Other publications
Cooke, S.J., R. Walker, A. O’Toole, Z. Whynot, A. Gingerich, K. Hanson, V. Nguyen, and T.Black. 2007. Fisheries and Fish Habitat Assessment for the Rideau Canal, Dow’s Lake Location of Work with respect to the Open Cut Tunnel for the North-South Light Rail Project: Final Report with Rehabilitation Appendix. Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory Research Report Series 07-01. Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada. |
