The Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC is awarding $2,500 scholarships to three outstanding students enrolled at Simon Fraser University this fall. Sophie Collins, Travis Hackett, and Alexander Iritani are undertaking research that will help to formulate fisheries management decisions with projects that include integrating watershed assessments with Indigenous knowledge, angler-preference modelling, and research on socio-ecological interactions.
“Investing in these passionate individuals is one of the most rewarding parts of our work because we’re directly supporting the future stewards of B.C.’s lakes, rivers, and fisheries,” says Tammy Longbottom, Director of Human Resources at the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC. “The exceptional depth of talent among this year’s applicants gives us immense confidence in the future of fisheries management and conservation across the province.”
Since 2008, the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC has awarded $105,000 in scholarships to 63 students at various levels of post-secondary study. The scholarships are available to students enrolled in fish culture or natural resource management programs within a recognized post-secondary educational institution in British Columbia.
More information on the scholarships is available here.
2026 Scholarship Recipients
Sophie Collins
Sophie Collins is an Indigenous researcher of Esk’etemc (Secwépemc Nation) descent on her mother’s side, Woodland Métis heritage on her father’s side, and mixed European ancestry. She holds a Bachelor of Science (with a focus on physics, mathematics, and statistics) from Thompson Rivers University (2022), where internships sparked her passion for the natural resource sector and cumulative effects modelling. Learning to model and understand the relationships between the environment, people, and economy across space and time strengthened Sophie’s appreciation for informed, collaborative approaches to environmental stewardship.
Sophie is entering the Master of Resource Management program at Simon Fraser University, where, in partnership with the Skeetchestn Indian Band, her thesis will investigate declining steelhead trout populations in the Thompson (Deadman) watershed. By blending Traditional Ecological Knowledge surveys with her background in Cumulative Effects Assessments, she aims to develop a methodology for respectfully integrating Indigenous knowledge into cumulative effects assessments for the Secwépemc Nation.
Travis Hackett
Travis Hackett grew up in San Diego, California. A childhood filled with camping, hiking, and fishing sparked a passion for the outdoors and the conservation of aquatic ecosystems. When considering post-secondary education, Travis’s passion for fish led him to Colorado State University, where he completed a Bachelor of Science in Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology (with a focus on fisheries and aquatic sciences). While there, he conducted length-at-age research on mottled sculpin in the Blue River, Colorado.
Travis is now pursuing a master’s degree at Simon Fraser University, where his research examines how differences in fisher preferences and skill level may lead to overfishing in freshwater recreational fisheries. He will be surveying B.C. recreational fishers to determine the preferences of fishers of different skill levels, and using those data in a simulation model in which fishers will choose between lakes with different expected catch rates based on their preferences. After completing his master’s degree, he plans to work in recreational fisheries management, fishery enhancement, or conservation in B.C.
Alexander Iritani
Alexander (Tad) Iritani is a Ph.D. candidate at Simon Fraser University whose research focusses on improving recreational fisheries management through innovative strategies and better understanding of socio-ecological interactions. Originally from Seattle, Washington, Tad’s lifelong passion for angling led him to earn both his bachelor’s (2022) and master’s (2025) degrees in Environmental Science from Washington State University, where he undertook research on salmonid physiological adaptations to climate change. His hands-on experience includes working as a fisheries technician, sampling salmon for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and monitoring weirs for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Tad is also currently working with the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC as an Outreach Instructor at the Fraser Valley Trout Hatchery in Abbotsford. Following his doctoral studies, Tad aims to advance West Coast salmon and steelhead conservation while mentoring and collaborating with the next generation of fisheries professionals.
The Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC was created in 2003 as a not-for-profit organization, funded mainly through freshwater fishing licence revenues. In partnership with the Province, the Society annually stocks six million trout, char, and kokanee in 800 B.C. lakes. It also manages special hatchery programs for endangered species, including white sturgeon; conducts fisheries research, education, and conservation programs; and works to make angling more accessible for all.
Media contact
Tammy Longbottom, Director, Human Resources
Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC
