Meet Melissa Evans and Cosmo Roemer, Halalt First Nation’s new marine biologists.
Melissa is a broadly-trained biologist with over 20 years of experience working in academia, with First Nations/Tribes, and other levels of government. Melissa has been working for Halalt First Nation since April 2024 as a fisheries scientist and Natural Resources Manager. As part of her work with Halalt, she leads the BCSRIF Twinned Watersheds Salmon Sustainability project, a collaboration between Cowichan Tribes and Halalt First Nation that is focused on collecting up-to-date information on the status of salmon populations in the Koksilah and Chemainus rivers through comprehensive life-cycle monitoring. Melissa has also worked with a diverse group of colleagues in the United States and Canada (Université Laval, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Oregon State University, the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, St’at’imc Nation) on research, monitoring, and evaluation programs for at-risk salmonid fish populations.
Cosmo is a dedicated marine biologist committed to the Halalt Nation, where he focuses on sustainable resource management and conservation. With a background in biological consulting in the marine sector Cosmo brings a broad range of skills and knowledge to the team. His work emphasizes capacity building within the Halalt community, empowering local stakeholders through education, and collaborative stewardship initiatives. Passionate about integrating traditional ecological knowledge with modern science, Cosmo aims to cultivate a deeper understanding of marine ecosystems while promoting stewardship and sustainability for future generations.
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