BEST 2.0+ is very happy to announce that one of our grantees from the Polar and Subpolar region, the Fédération Territoriale de la Pêche et la Protection du Milieu Aquatique (FTPSPM), participated at the “8^th Rencontres de l’Ichtyologie en France” in Paris last March.

The FTPSPM has been managing the inland waters of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon (SPM) for more than 15 years, particularly angling of brook trout. The association is now managing BROOKTROUTSPM, a BEST 2.0+ project, which is focused on promoting angling and eco-tourism in this overseas French Territory.

This is the first time SPM has participated in the “Rencontres de l’Ichtyologie en France”, an important event for sharing knowledge and promoting ichthyology, a branch of zoology devoted entirely to the study of freshwater and marine fish. The event also offers young French-speaking researchers a chance to share their work with others.

Erwan Durand (Project Manager at the FTPSPM whose position is supported by BEST 2.0+), presented an overview of the rivers and ponds of SPM while PhD student Julie Viana [jointly supervised by the University of Lorraine and the Université du Québec à Rimouski (UQAR) and co-funded by the L’Institut France-Québec and Fondation de France] presented her thesis work for which some of her study areas are linked to the BEST 2.0+ project.

Overall, it was a wonderful opportunity to showcase the importance and potential of angling and eco-tourism of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon and build new collaborations.

You can follow the work on brook trout with BEST 2+ here.