PhD candidate

My work uses population, spatial, and genetics models to design and evaluate management and recovery plans for fish species-at-risk. This includes evaluating implications for different sampling strategies on admixture estimates, application of cumulative effects processes on advice for westslope cutthroat trout, and evaluating changes in stock structure among steelhead.

Funder: BC Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship

Co-supervisors: Brett van Poorten and Michael Whitlock (UBC)

MRM student

I am developing a stock assessment model for Arctic Dolly Varden subsistence fisheries and using this as the basis for a closed-loop simulation to test reference points derived from Maya’s thesis.

Funders: Fisheries and Oceans Canada; Government of Northwest Territories

Supervisor: Brett van Poorten

MRM student

My work explores how watershed characteristics and dam configuration work to constrict the range of flow conditions experienced below hydroelectric dams. This is important as hydroelectric companies work to balance operations aimed at providing consistent electricity for the public against ecological and social impacts of dam operations on downstream habitats and communities. Understanding this restricted operating space helps to streamline discussions and negotiations with governments (including Indigenous nations) and stakeholders.

Funders: BC Hydro; Mitacs

Co-supervisors: Fiona Johnston and Brett van Poorten

MRM student

I study fishers at multiple lakes in the Thompson-Nicola region of BC, in partnership with Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC. My research aims to determine how new and experienced anglers value different attributes of fisheries and facilities. This will help evaluate how improved access and docks affects these different groups to identify who benefits from increased access to fishing sites.

Funders: Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC; Mitacs

Supervisor: Brett van Poorten

My work involves understanding the scope of change that has occurred in the Mackenzie Delta Dolly Varden fisheries over the past several decades. I will work with harvesters and elders to understand the scale the fishery in previous generations and use this information to recreate the fishery using quantitative models. This will help us understand how productivity has declined and how we can manage in the face of a similar uncertain future.

Funders: Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Supervisor: Brett van Poorten

Many researchers have found evidence of effort sorting - the redistribution of skilled anglers away from lakes with few fish and movement of skilled anglers towards those lakes. I will take a different perspective by understanding what motivates differently skilled/experienced anglers to fish at a lake and simulate how these stated preference will lead them to chose among a landscape of fisheries in different states of collapse.

Funders: Natural Science and Engineering Research Council

Supervisor: Brett van Poorten

We expect that when catch rates declines it is because there are fewer fish, but this isn’t necessarily the case. In many inland recreational fisheries, hundreds of lakes are managed by a single biologist; it is impossible to monitor them all, so they partially rely on reports from anglers about poor catch rates to signal a decline. But if catch rates stay high, they may not be aware of declines. I am investigating several mechanisms of this disconnect between catch rates and abundance to propose when it is sufficient to rely on catch rates and when it is necessary to invest more in monitoring to avoid ecological and economic collapse of important fisheries.

Funders: Natural Science and Engineering Research Council

Supervisor: Brett van Poorten

MRM student

The Metro Vancouver Regional District collects fish and analyzes their tissue for contaminants to monitor the impact of their wastewater discharges. Ideal sentinel fish species for this type of work should exhibit high site fidelity, such that a fish collected at an exposure site is representative of long-term exposure to the discharge. I will be tracking peamouth chub, northern pikeminnow, and largescale sucker in the lower Fraser River using acoustic telemetry to assess their use as sentinel species.

Funders: Metro Vancouver Regional District; Mitacs