Fish Habitat Restoration — Instream Techniques

Description

The Fish Habitat Restoration (FHR) – Instream Techniques course will provide skills and knowledge to successfully conduct and manage an instream restoration project specific to low-gradient stream environments. This course will provide skills and knowledge to successfully conduct site selection, habitat assessment, construction techniques and other key considerations for a variety of in-stream restoration projects, including riffle and groyne design (Newbury Riffle design principles), aeration, bank stabilization, creation of spawning/rearing habitat and opportunities for rehabilitation in salt lakes (unique to the Canadian prairies).

Prerequisites

There are no formal prerequisites. However, a basic knowledge of statistics would be an asset. Previous experience with Fish Habitat Assessment or completion of NRTG’s Fish Habitat Assessment – Level One course is recommended.

Each NRTG course includes free, lifetime admission. Enrol once – come back anytime.

FHR – Instream Techniques is one in a series of NRTG Fish Habitat Assessment and Restoration training programs currently offered, including Fish Habitat Restoration – Field Techniques, Fish Habitat Restoration – Prescription Development, and Fish Habitat Assessment – Level One. Each program focuses on a specific area of assessment and restoration and is designed to complement our other Fish Habitat training programs. While these courses may be completed in any order, we recommend first completing Fish Habitat Assessment – Level One.

Who attends?

Course participants may include technicians, biologists and other professionals required to conduct, design, and manage fish habitat restoration projects.

How do I attend?

This course is available for individual registration via our website schedule page, or on contract to organizations/community groups. Are interested in a contract delivery of this course? If so, please contact us.

What should I bring or supply?

Own computer and a stable internet connection, writing supplies for taking notes are also recommended.

Course Formats

This course is available in two formats: a self-paced fully online program with regularly scheduled “mentoring” sessions, and an online version with in-person instruction. Contact us if you are interested in a contract delivery of this program.

Instructor Profile

Jeff Sereda, PhD.

Senior Fisheries Ecologist, Adjunct Professor University of Saskatchewan

Headshot of Jeff Sereda, Senior Fisheries Ecologist and NRTG instructor.

Jeff holds a PhD. in Limnology and an Aquaculture Technician Diploma. He served as manager of a commercial salmonid hatchery for 4 years, lectured at the University of Saskatchewan on topics of fish physiology, taxonomy, ecology, conservation, and aquaculture. Currently, Jeff is a Senior Habitat and Population Ecologist with the Saskatchewan Government and an Adjunct Professor at the University of Saskatchewan.

Jeff’s research has encompassed topics such as assessing the risk of lakes to anthropogenic eutrophication, macrophyte management, fish habitat restoration, and the impacts of water management on species as risk (Bigmouth Buffalo, Chestnut Lamprey, Mountain Sucker, and Lake Sturgeon). Jeff’s research has been presented at over 60 national and international conferences and resulted in 15 peer reviewed publications.

Frequently Asked Questions

We offer this fully online course year-round. 

The online FHR Instream course includes planning and design-level training and is appropriate for anyone responsible for planning, designing, constructing, and monitoring instream restoration projects and programs. The classroom and field-based Fish Habitat Restoration course is designed for anyone conducting fish habitat restoration off-channel projects.  The online and field-based Fish Habitat Restoration-Field Techniques course is designed for field personnel conducting fish habitat restoration field activities associated with instream and off-channel restoration projects.

Testimonials

Great course! Really liked the expertise of instructors and course practicality.

-Kristin Singer, DFO Biologist, Nanaimo, BC

The wealth of knowledge and experience of the instructors is really quite impressive! Very informative course!

-Tanya Katamay-Smith, Environmental Supervisor, Vancouver, BC

Real-world examples were great. I really liked the mix of class and field, and hearing what worked, and didn’t, and the theory behind the design followed by field trips to view examples firsthand.

-Suzanne Earle, DFO Biologist, Vancouver, B.C.

A great course for both regulators and practitioners!

-Tina Hoffart, Biologist, Revelstoke, BC

Great course! Two very knowledgeable instructors, with loads of excellent examples and lessons.

-Jennifer Johnson, Biologist, Vancouver, BC

Course was great, really liked the real life experiences, discussion of what worked and what didn’t work, and design features to incorporate.

– Jennifer Sarchuk, Biologist, Surrey, BC

Really liked the general knowledge of the instructors and their real-world knowledge and examples of what works and lessons learned. Great course!

-Lindsay Knezevich, DFO Biologist, Vancouver, BC

There was a lot of great and useful detail. Very interesting content to know how to design habitat for different fish species.

– Chelsea Nerpio, Biologist Vancouver, BC