Fisheries Science and Management
The Fisheries Science and Management Research Group is led by three faculty members: Dr. Randall M. Peterman (a Canada Research Chair in Fisheries Risk Assessment and Management), Dr. Andrew Cooper, and Dr. Sean Cox. The overall objective of the Fisheries Science and Management Research Group is to improve the understanding and management of fish populations through research on marine and freshwater systems, including not only fishes, but also marine mammals, invertebrates, and their habitats. The strength of this group is built on a close-knit collaboration among faculty, graduate students, full-time research assistants, and post-doctoral fellows. They jointly pursue research projects that have direct economic or policy implications and that usually use advanced statistical and simulation methods.
Researchers within the group are able to utilize two major facilities while pursuing challenging scientific topics that are directly applicable to fisheries management. The Computer Laboratory for Fisheries Risk Assessment and Management provides capability to conduct research in leading-edge quantitative methods in fisheries science and management. This large facility, consisting of high-end computers, provides an environment for efficiently developing and testing advanced quantitative models of complex fisheries management problems. The lab is also an ideal venue for hosting “hands-on” workshops to provide policy makers with tools for making more informed decisions. The second facility includes a new $1,000,000 remote sensing laboratory to support state-of-the-art aquatic field research. The laboratory includes fisheries wet/dry labs, a 32 ft. (9.8 m) research vessel, a submersible / ROV rated to 2000 ft. (600 m), as well as hydroacoustics and sonic tracking equipment.
The applied, interdisciplinary training of students in the School has enabled fisheries science and management students to secure jobs in private consulting firms, federal and provincial government agencies, international agencies, First Nations tribal councils, and universities. Some students have gone on to Ph.D. degrees, post-doctoral fellowships, and faculty positions.