General Manager – Ed Desson
Ed oversees day to day operations at the A/OFRC head office in North Bay. He is the primary contact for client and funding relationships both at the provincial and federal levels, reporting directly to the A/OFRC Board of Directors. Prior to becoming General Manager, Ed provided technical and data management support to A/OFRC staff and clients over a span of 8 years. Ed began his fisheries career working in the Contaminants Surveillance Program with Fisheries and Oceans Canada out of Burlington. He then moved to the Ministry of Natural Resources Fisheries Assessment Unit network, with stops in the Kawartha Lakes, Lake Huron, and Lake Nipissing, over a span of 10 years. Two years working as a private environmental consultant then led to his eventual employment with the A/OFRC. Ed’s strengths lie in project planning, the technical aspects of fish population and habitat assessment, training, and data management. Ed’s passion is in technical innovation, adapting new and old ideas for use in modern fisheries science. He was instrumental in the development and perfecting of the Bathymetric Automated Survey System (BASS) which allows for the generation of accurate geo-referenced, bathymetric charts in the field.
Office Administrator – Cynthia Roy
A graduate of Canadore College of the Applied Arts Small Business Management Program, Cynthia continues her involvement with the College as an alumni advisor for that program. Having joined the A/OFRC in 1999, Cynthia provides financial, administrative, and support services to the staff and Directors of the Centre. Cynthia offers extensive experience working in professional office environments for the past eight years.
Community Liaison Specialist – Maureen Peltier
Maureen holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology from Laurentian University. She joined the A/OFRC team as a fisheries technician in the summer of 2001 for the Joint Whitefish Index Netting Study. In 2002 she became an A/OFRC biologist where she analyzed and interpreted data for staff field representatives and community technicians and played a role in designing and reviewing fisheries assessment projects. As of September 2010, Maureen has taken over the Community Liaison Specialist position. In her new role, she maintains communication with various levels of government and First Nations, promotes the A/OFRC through various means, oversees the youth engagement program and assists with field projects. She is also a member of the American Fisheries Society and past member of the Fisheries Management Zone 10 Advisory Council.
Fisheries Biologist – Kim Tremblay
Kimberley, who is originally from the North Bay area, has much work experience and personal commitment to fisheries. “It is a commendable cause to work towards sustainable fisheries, by strengthening the relationships with those groups who are responsible for the management of the fisheries, mainly the First Nations and the government” Kimberly states. She obtained her Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies (Honours) majoring in Environmental Protection with a minor in Water Resources. In the past, Kim has worked for Environment Canada, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR), Zoology Department University of Guelph and finally the Cooperative Freshwater Ecology Unit out of Sudbury Ontario where she had been employed until being offered the biologist at the A/OFRC.
Fisheries Technician – Sarah Couchie
Sarah Couchie graduated from Sir Sanford Fleming College in 2007 with diplomas in their Fish and Wildlife as well as Forestry Technician programs. She grew up on (N’biising) Nipissing First Nation. Sarah has job experience as an Aboriginal Junior Ranger Coordinator where she taught youth about forestry, plant and tree ID, as well as minnow and fish ID. She feels it is very important to get youth interested in the outdoors at a young age so they grow up to embrace and respect Mother Nature. She has currently been with the A/OFRC since graduating college in April 2007. She started as a part of the initial Internship Program with two other interns. As of April 2009 she has been working with the A/OFRC full time as a Fisheries Technician.
Fisheries Biologist – Stacey McKee
In 2008, Stacey graduated from the Honours program at Nipissing University with a Bachelor of Science degree. The following year, Stacey graduated from the Faculty of Education program at Nipissing University. She began working with the A/OFRC in January 2010. Stacey has previously worked for the Ministry of Natural Resources as a Management Biologist, Crew Leader and Resource Technician. She has worked on projects such as the Lake Simcoe Muskellunge Restoration project and the Broad-scale Monitoring project. Her work experiences and her duties as a biologist have proven to be an asset in her current position as a Fisheries Biologist. Currently, Stacey is working on designing field studies and preparing scientific reports. Stacey “continues to be fascinated by First Nation’s culture and our changing natural environment”.
Fisheries Biologist Intern – Jenna MacLaurin
Jenna, from Fort William First Nation, joined the A/OFRC as a Fisheries Biologist Intern in the spring of 2010. Jenna started her internship with her first placement on the Pic River Lake Sturgeon Study where she was able to participate in and complete sturgeon radio tracking, depth contour mapping, detailed habitat mapping of suspected spawning grounds, gill netting and the subsequent tagging of captured fish. Currently, Jenna assists with the implementation of field projects, data entry, and the preparation of technical reports. Jenna has an Associates in Science Degree in Marine Environmental Technology and an Associates in Arts Degree: General Transfer from Florida Keys Community College. She comes to the A/OFRC with experience in 3D GPS coral mapping, coral restoration, environmental conservation issues, and Basic Marine Mammal Care and Training. With all of her qualifications and the fact that there is nothing that she is more passionate about than conservation, Jenna proves to be an important asset to the A/OFRC.
Fisheries Technician Intern – Art Trudeau
Art graduated from Sault College in 2011 with a diploma in Natural Environment Technician – Conservation and Management. He joined the A/OFRC in July 2011 as a Fisheries Technician Intern. Art’s first Intern duties were to assist on the Henvey Inlet Fish Community Index Netting project where he furthered his knowledge of netting, biological fish sampling and data entry (Fishnet). He has also assisted on the Summer Profundal Index Netting project where the crew studied the lake trout population of Lake Memesagamesing. Art is pleased to join the A/OFRC team so that he can expand the skills he acquired in school. He hopes to attain knowledge in global positioning systems/units, species at risk and invasive species. Art previously worked in mining and construction and welcomes the opportunity to work at conserving resources. For the future, Art hopes to “continue working in fisheries conservation and management and helping First Nations to understand the importance of our waters.”
Contract Fisheries Biologist - Andrew Ecclestone
In 2008, Andrew received his honors degree in biology from Trent University. Throughout his undergraduate degree, he developed a strong interest in aquatic ecology and fisheries management. After working as a fisheries technician and biologist for the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters in 2008 and 2009, Andrew returned to Trent University to undertake a Masters degree. The Masters research project was in partnership with the Anishinabek/Ontario Fisheries Resource Centre (A/OFRC) and focused on the Lake Sturgeon radio telemetry project in the Pic River, which was undertaken by the A/OFRC in 2006. Currently, Andrew is in the process of completing his Masters degree at Trent University and has undertaken a new Lake Sturgeon radio telemetry project on the White River with the A/OFRC. Given the threatened status of Lake Sturgeon in Ontario, his research aims to identify Lake Sturgeon habitat through the use of radio telemetry and to characterize this habitat so it can be effectively protected or recreated in disturbed tributaries. As a Fisheries Biologist with the A/OFRC, Andrew looks forward to continuing the Lake Sturgeon work on the Pic and White Rivers and hopes to work with different First Nations to conserve and protect the diversity of freshwater aquatic resources that exist in Ontario.
