Enhancing fisheries education and research through the Canadian Fisheries Research Network: A student perspective on interdisciplinarity, collaboration and inclusivity
Katrine Turgeon,
Sarah C.F. Hawkshaw,
Kristin M. Dinning,
Brady K. Quinn,
Danielle N. Edwards,
Catarina Wor,
Courtenay E. Parlee,
Allan Debertin,
Mike Hawkshaw,
Benjamin W. Nelson,
Fan Zhang,
Laura Benestan,
Eric Angel,
Bryan L. Morse,
Daniel Mombourquette
Affiliations
Katrine Turgeon
Department of Biology, McGill University, 1205 Docteur Penfield Avenue, Montreal, QC H3A 1B1, Canada. Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada.
Sarah C.F. Hawkshaw
Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, The University of British Columbia, 2202 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada.
Kristin M. Dinning
Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Brunswick, Saint John, 100 Tucker Park Road, P.O. Box 5050, Saint John, NB E2L 4L5, Canada.
Brady K. Quinn
Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Brunswick, Saint John, 100 Tucker Park Road, P.O. Box 5050, Saint John, NB E2L 4L5, Canada.
Danielle N. Edwards
Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, The University of British Columbia, 2202 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada.
Catarina Wor
Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, The University of British Columbia, 2202 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada.
Courtenay E. Parlee
School of Graduate Studies, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, Sir Howard Douglas Hall, P.O Box 4400, Fredericton, NB E3B 5A3, Canada.
Allan Debertin
Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada.
Mike Hawkshaw
Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, The University of British Columbia, 2202 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada.
Benjamin W. Nelson
Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, The University of British Columbia, 2202 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada.
Fan Zhang
Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada.
Laura Benestan
Département de Biologie, Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada.
Eric Angel
School of Resource and Environmental Management, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada.
Bryan L. Morse
Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Brunswick, Saint John, 100 Tucker Park Road, P.O. Box 5050, Saint John, NB E2L 4L5, Canada.
Daniel Mombourquette
School of the Environment, Saint Mary’s University, 923 Robie Street, Halifax, NS B3H 3C3, Canada.
Fisheries involve complex problems not easily addressed by a single discipline, methodology, or set of stakeholders. In 2010, the Canadian Fisheries Research Network (CFRN) was initiated to increase fisheries research capacity in Canada through interdisciplinary and inclusive research collaborations. As post-graduate students in the network, we reflected on the type of training necessary to tackle fisheries problems and reviewed opportunities available at Canadian universities to receive such training. This paper presents an overview of fisheries education currently available in Canada, reflects on our training within the CFRN, and proposes improvements to fisheries education and research. Our review of the subject revealed few dedicated fisheries programs, limited interdisciplinary programs, few specialized fisheries training programs, and a heavy reliance on academic supervisors to secure research opportunities in fisheries. In contrast, the CFRN enhanced our training by deliberately focusing on tools and techniques to address fisheries issues, providing venues to foster interdisciplinary and inclusive research collaborations, and exposing the realities of stakeholder collaborations. We call for post-graduate-level fisheries education and research that is interdisciplinary, collaborative, and inclusive to produce well-rounded scientists and managers, and we suggest ways that universities, researchers, and funding agencies can incorporate these themes into fisheries education and research.
