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Dr. Olivier Morissette studies the integrative ecology of freshwater fishes under anthropogenic disturbances. He received an MSc in renewable resources from the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi and a PhD in biology from the Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes of the Université Laval, supervised by Professor Louis Bernatchez, where he developed his skill and interest in combining molecular and traditional approaches to studying fisheries ecology. During the last years of his PhD, Olivier accepted a position as a research scientist for the Quebec Ministry of Forestry, Wildlife and Parks, acting as the coordinator of the National Aquatic Invasive Species Committee, a position he held for 5 years. He is now an assistant professor in the Department of Basic Sciences at the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, where he is co-chair of the Research Chair on Exploited Aquatic Species.

Olivier’s early research focused on the study of intraspecific variation of fish, notably habitat use and migratory behavior of St. Lawrence River Estuary striped bass. During his PhD, he used different experimental approaches (genomics, stable isotopes, and otolith chemistry) to study the impacts of fisheries management and stocking practices on ecological and genomic variation in lake trout ecotypes. As a governmental researcher, Olivier explored the influence of human disturbances on fish communities and how management practices can mitigate these effects to provide sustainable fisheries. He also became interested in public transfer-of-knowledge, leading the production of Quebec’s national campaigns on prevention against invasive species and navigation best practices. Olivier has written 23 scientific articles and 5 reports.

Olivier joined the Editorial Board of Environmental Biology of Fishes in 2021. He also serves as an Associate Editor for Ecological Solutions and Evidence. He is very involved in several professional societies, including serving on the directory committee of Ressources Aquatiques Québec, a FRQNT strategic research group, on the scientific committee of the International Conference on Aquatic Invasive Species (ICAIS), and as the webmaster of the American Fisheries Society’s Early Life History Section. Having scientific communication at heart, Olivier explores various ways of reaching a large audience, notably by a social network presence (e.g., Twitter) and through participation in regional scientific events.