The Ontario B.A.S.S. Nation (OBN) is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and conserving angling opportunities in the Province of Ontario, and is made up of over 700 members who are actively involved in ecological restoration projects, youth programs and promoting recreational angling. As a token of appreciation, the OBN honoured the most outstanding graduate student research poster with the OBN Student Poster Award. The OBN sponsored the Best Student Poster Presentation at our Annual General Meeting between 2005 and 2018.
The OBN Award consisted of a copy of Black Bass: Ecology, Conservation and Management (Phillip and Ridgway [eds.]) and a one-year membership to the American Fisheries Society and the Ontario Chapter.
AWARD WINNERS
The 2018 winner was Geraint Element from Queens University. Geraint (left) received his award from Ontario Chapter Northern Member-at-large Bill Gardner (right). Geraint’s poster was titled “Gut microbial ecology of traditionally important Arctic salmonids in Kitikmeot, Nunavut” and his abstract is available in the 2018 Annual Meeting Program.
The 2017 winner was Vivian Nguyen from Carleton University. Vivian’s poster was titled “To share or not to share – Perspectives from fish telemetry researchers on data sharing” and her abstract is available in the 2017 Annual Meeting Program.
The 2016 winner was Karl Lamothe from the University of Toronto. Karl (centre) received his award from OBN representative Robin Gáspárdy (left) and Ontario Chapter President Lee Gutowsky (right). Karl’s poster was titled “Quantifying the resilience of communities to disturbance using a multivariate approach” and the abstract is available in the 2016 Annual Meeting Program.
The 2015 winners were Jennifer Magel, from Carleton University and Natalie Rook, from the University of Toronto. Jennifer (far left) and Natalie (far right) received their awards from OBN representative Jason Barnucz (2nd from right) and Lee Gutowsky (2nd from left). Jennifer’s poster was titled “Do physical habitat complexity and predator cues influence the baseline and stress-induced glucocorticoid responsiveness of the Checkered Puffer?”. Natalie’s poster was titled “Recolonization Trends in Fish Communities Following the Restoration of a Great Lakes Coastal Wetland”. Abstracts are available in the 2015 Annual Meeting Program.
The 2013 winner was Alexandra Muhametsafina, from Carelton University. Alexandra (right) received her award from OBN representative Robin Gáspárdy (left). Alexandra’s poster was titled “The fate of dead fish in an urban stream: insights for tracking studies and fish kill investigations” and the abstract is available in the 2013 Annual Meeting Program.
The 2012 winner was Shannon Fera, from Trent University. Shannon (centre) received her award from OBN representative Jason Barnucz (right) and Ontario Chapter President Dean Fitzgerald (left). Her poster was titled “Using stable isotopes to analyze dreissenid-induced changes in the feeding habits of Lake Whitefish in the Great Lakes” and the abstract is available in the 2012 Annual Meeting Program.
The 2011 winner was Alyssa Murdoch, from the University of Waterloo. Alyssa (left) received her award from OBN representative Jason Barnucz (right). Her poster was titled “Short-term individual growth patterns of anadromous Arctic charr in Ungava- Labrador, Canada” and the abstract is available in the 2011 Annual Meeting Program.
The 2010 winner was Laura Chomyshyn, from Carleton University. Laura (right) received her award from Ontario Chapter Vice President Scott Gibson (left). Her poster was titled “Evaluating the Need to Minimize Water Entry and Surgical Aseptic Techniques During Telemetry Implantation Surgeries”.
The 2008 winner was Sarah McConnachie, from Carleton University. Sarah (left) received her award from OBN representative Jason Barnucz (right). Her poster was titled “A comparison of nearshore fish sampling gears in Oneida Lake, New York” and the abstract is available in the November 2008 Newsletter.
The 2007 winner was Mark Poesch (nee Poos), from the University of Toronto. Mark (centre) received his award from OBN representative Jason Barnucz (right) and Ontario Chapter President Bill Gardner (left). His poster was titled “The Mismeasure of Functional Diversity: The importance of choices” and the abstract is available in the 2007 Annual Meeting Program.
The 2006 winner was Christine Pelletier, from Carleton University. Christine (left) received her award from OBN representative Jason Barnucz (right) and Ontario Chapter President Warren Dunlop (centre). Her poster was titled “Do catch-and-release guidelines from state and provincial fisheries agencies conform to scientifically-based best practices?” and the abstract is available in the 2006 Annual Meeting Program.
The inaugural recipient in 2005 was Nick Lapointe, from the University of Windsor. Nick (centre) received his award from OBN representative Jason Barnucz (right) and Ontario Chapter President Dave Stanley (left). His poster was titled “Fish-Habitat associations in shallow Canadian Waters of the Detroit River” and the abstract is available in the 2005 Annual Meeting Program.
