Dr. Marvin Rosenau brings a lifetime of experience and academic credentials as a fisheries biologist to his new role as the B.C. Wildlife Federation’s Freshwater Fisheries Chair. That he has been an avid outdoorsman for more that 60 years doesn’t hurt either.
“I’ve been fishing since I was five years old and joined the B.C. Wildlife Federation as a teenager when I got my CORE training, though I took up hunting a bit later in life,” said Rosenau. “I also have a doctorate with a specialization in fish ecology, behaviour and management, so that’s a unique mix.”
Rosenau obtained his doctorate studying Lake Taupo Rainbow trout in New Zealand and has spent much of his career studying salmonids in B.C., white sturgeon on the lower Fraser River, and aquatic habitat protection and restoration. He has worked for a variety of government ministries and international organizations from the government of British Columbia and Fisheries and Oceans Canada to the Pacific Salmon Commission. He has testified as an expert in the Supreme Court and to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans.
Most recently Rosenau taught at BCIT on aspects of fisheries management and environmental monitoring. Over the years, he applied his skills as a volunteer for B.C.-based stewardship groups such as the Salmon River Enhancement Society, the Alouette Rive Management Society, and the Fraser River Sturgeon Conservation Society.
“I think that I have the academic credibility and years of interactions with people in higher levels of government to make a difference working with the BCWF,” he said. “The B.C. Wildlife Federation has a broad base and a lot of clout with more than 40,000 members. I’ve already worked with past president Harvey Andrusak and Barsby Trophy winner Larri Woodrow and a lot of committees full of people who are as passionate about hunting and fishing as I am.”
Rosenau has received several prestigious awards for his conservation work including the Roderick Haig-Brown Conservation Award from the Totem Flyfishers, the Roland Michener Conservation Award from the Canadian Wildlife Federation, and the Barsby Trophy for Conservationist of the Year from the B.C. Wildlife Federation.
If Rosenau’s name and face seem familiar, that’s because he is a go-to interview for B.C.’s top media outlets, including Global News, The Vancouver Sun, and CBC News.
“We are excited to welcome Marvin to our leadership group,” said BCWF Executive Director Jesse Zeman. “His experience, vast knowledge, and dedication will help support our clubs and members on fisheries issues and make headway for fish and fish habitat across the province.”