A Kwantlen Polytechnic University researcher has won the 2024 medal from the Fisheries Society of the British Isles (FSBI) for her work on how environmental stressors impact fish.

Dr. Erika Eliason is an associate dean in the KPU Faculty of Science. Her studies have focused in particular on how Pacific salmon populations have been impacted by climate change.

香蕉视频直播淢y work has shown that populations of salmon differ in their thermal tolerance, which has important management implications,香蕉视频直播� Eliason said in a statement after the award was announced. 香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檝e also shown that Pacific salmon may be dying en route to their spawning grounds because of heart failure.香蕉视频直播�

She explained that most aquatic animals can香蕉视频直播檛 regulate their own body temperature. If water temperatures rise by two degrees Celsius, then the fish香蕉视频直播檚 temperature rises by the same amount.

香蕉视频直播淔ish can only thrive within a specific range of temperatures, so heat waves 香蕉视频直播� or cold snaps 香蕉视频直播� can create huge problems for fish, even leading to death,香蕉视频直播� Eliason said.

The FSBI noted that Eliason香蕉视频直播檚 research has been used by policy-makers, including Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Pacific Salmon Commission, which used her paper on migrating salmon to help in the management of B.C.香蕉视频直播檚 sockeye fishery.

香蕉视频直播淓rika香蕉视频直播檚 contribution to fish biology is voluminous and broad, underscoring her exceptional productivity and dedication to the field of fish biology as well as the influence her work has had across the community,香蕉视频直播� said Dr. Holly Shiels, FSBI honorary president and Professor of Integrative Physiology at the University of Manchester.

香蕉视频直播淔ish are incredibly important for our economy, recreation, culture and ecosystems,香蕉视频直播� she noted. 香蕉视频直播淲hen I decided to go to grad school, I was excited to bring together my curiosity about how the world works with my love of fish and nature.香蕉视频直播�

Growing up fishing and being outdoors, Eliason was drawn into studying biology.

She joined KPU in 2023, after having worked as an Associate Professor of Ecological and Evolutionary physiology at the University of California Santa Barbara, where her research program resulted in more than 90 scientific publications. She worked to train researchers at the undergraduate, masters, and doctorate levels.

The award will be presented this summer at the FSBI香蕉视频直播檚 annual symposium in Bilbao, Spain.

香蕉视频直播淚t is such an honour to win this award,香蕉视频直播� said Eliason. 香蕉视频直播淭ruly exceptional fish biologists and fisheries scientists have received this award in the past, and I am humbled and honoured to be included in their group.香蕉视频直播�

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