O.F.A.H. supports fish and wildlife research

O.F.A.H. supports fish and wildlife research
Three research grants awarded at O.F.A.H. Fish and Wildlife Conference

Three postgraduate university students will receive a total of $6,000 toward their conservation research efforts, thanks to grants from the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, and partners such as the Toronto Sportsmen’s Show. The students received their awards at the recent 80th O.F.A.H. Annual General Meeting and Fish and Wildlife Conference in Mississauga.

“The O.F.A.H. is pleased to be able to financially support the work of these students,” said Dr. Terry Quinney, O.F.A.H. Provincial Manager of Fish and Wildlife Services. “It is conservation research like this that will help us continue the optimal sustainable management of our fish and wildlife.”

Leah James is a Queens University Master of Science candidate studying the impact of the invasive species Bythotrephes (spiny water flea), on fish communities in Ontario’s shield lakes. The predatory invertebrate arrived in the Great Lakes in the mid 1980’s and originates from northern Europe. It can consume as much as 40% of the total zooplankton production in a lake, leaving little food available to native species. The O.F.A.H./Toronto Sportsmen’s Show Fisheries Research Grant will assist Leah’s research.

David Messmer, a Master of Science candidate from the University of Western Ontario, is the winner of the O.F.A.H./O.F.A.H. Zone G Wildlife Research Grant. He will study the affects of wetland density, particularly small wetlands, on waterfowl breeding pair densities. The results will help waterfowl managers and conservation organizations, such as the O.F.A.H. effectively target conservation efforts in southern Ontario. David brings his field experience in the eastern United States and Alaska to this research project.

Michelle Palmer, a PhD candidate at York University, is the recipient of the O.F.A.H./Oakville & District Rod & Gun Club Conservation Research Grant. Michelle is studying the response to fresh-water stressors on aquatic ecosystems and the feasibility of developing a model to predict the impact of multiple stressors. This area of research has been understudied and has great potential to assist in fisheries management.

With over 83,000 members and 655 member clubs, the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters is the leading fishing, hunting and conservation organization in Ontario and the voice of anglers and hunters.

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