Michael Terry, M.Sc. Student
Contact Information:
Email: mterry@ualberta.ca
Previous Education:
B.Sc. in Biological Sciences (University of Regina)
Thesis Title:
Using hydroacoustics to assess fisheries productivity in boreal lakes.
Research Description:
Our ability to dramatically alter the landscape around us places significant stress on freshwater ecosystems. The associated loss and degradation of aquatic habitat, in particular, has resulted in dramatic declines in freshwater fish populations across the globe. My research is focused on using hydroacoustics to understand how alterations to habitat quality and availability will influence the productivity of a fishery. Hydroacoustics provides a low-impact cost effective alternative for monitoring both the biological and physical characteristics of aquatic ecosystems utilizing sound navigation and ranging (SONAR) technology. With the goal of improving adaptive management strategies I will use this technique along-side conventional sampling methods to (1) establish a baseline for fisheries productivity in the region, and (2) quantify the observed spatial distribution of fish in relation to environmental variables.