Auston Chhor, MSc
Salmon Habitat Biologist
Auston received a BSc in Biology from Queen’s University and went on to complete a Masters of Science at Carleton University under Dr. Steven Cooke, where he studied how catch-and-release impacts the behaviour of fish. He spent three summers in the field at the Queen’s University Biological Station and the Kenauk Institute where his love of the outdoors deepened, spurring his move out west to Vancouver. Over the course of his career he has had the privilege to study bass, salmon, walleye, and sturgeon, but salmonids hold a special place in his heart. He grew up in a suburb of Toronto where his passion for learning about the natural world was formed in front of the TV by Planet Earth and Jacques Cousteau’s Ocean Tales.
When he has a spare moment you can find him biking, skiing, or rock climbing, depending on the weather. He is also a freelance writer for The Tyee, Canada’s National Observer, and Science World.
Publications
Chhor AD, Reid JR, Holder PE, Nowell LB, Brownscombe JW, Danylchuk AJ, Cooke SJ. Temporary retention in cold water reduces post-release behavioural impairment in angled Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) (2022) North American Journal of Fisheries Research 42(1): 140-150 https://doi.org/10.1002/nafm.10731
Chhor AD, Glassman DM., Smol JP, Vermaire JC, Cooke SJ (2020) Ecological consequences of shoreline armoring on littoral fish and benthic macroinvertebrate communities in an eastern Ontario lake. Aquatic Sciences 82(73) https://doi.org/10.1007/s00027-020-00740-0
Chhor AD, Glassman DM, Brownscombe JW, Trahan AT, Danylchuk AJ, Cooke SJ. Short-term behavioural impacts of air-exposure in three species of recreationally angled freshwater fish. Fisheries Research 253(106342) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fishres.2022.106342
Glassman DM, Chhor AD, Vermaire JC, Bennett JR, Cooke SJ (2022) Does bait type and bait container configuration influence the performance of remote underwater video systems in temperate freshwater lakes for assessing fish community structure? Hydrobiologia https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-021-04776-7
LaRochelle L, Chhor AD, Brownscombe JW, Zolderdo AJ, Danylchuk AJ, Cooke SJ (2021) Ice-fishing handling practices and their effects on short-term post-release behaviour of Largemouth Bass. Fisheries Research 243.
Trahan A, Chhor AD, LaRochelle L, Danylchuk AJ, Cooke SJ (2021) Influence of artificial lure hook type on hooking characteristics, handling, and injury of angled freshwater gamefish. Fisheries Research 243.
Trahan AT, Chhor AD, Lawrence MJ, Brownscombe JW, Glassman DM, Reid CH, Abrams AEI, Danylchuk AJ, Cooke SJ. (2020) Do carbonated beverages reduce bleeding from gill injuries in angled Northern Pike? North American Journal of Fisheries Management 41(3): 639 – 649.
Hlina, B, Glassman DM, Chhor AD, Etherington BS, Elvidge CK, Diggles BK, Cooke SJ. (2020) Hook retention but not hooking injury is associated with behavioral differences in Bluegill. Fisheries Research 242 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fishres.2021.106034
Reid JL, Bergman JN, Kadykalo AN, Taylor JJ, Twardek WM, Rytwinski T, Chhor AD, Frempong-Manso A, Martel AL, Lapointe NWR, Bennett JR, Nguyen VM, Reid AJ, Marty J, Robinson SA, Drake DAR, Winegardner AK, Gregory-Eaves I, Taylor MK, Smol JP, Creed IF, O’Connor CM, Cooke SJ (2022) Developing a national level evidence-based toolbox for addressing freshwater biodiversity threats. Biological Conservation 269(109533).
Nyboer E, Lin HY, Bennett J, Gabriel J, Twardek W, Chhor AD, Daly L, Dolson S, Guitard E, Holder P, Mozzon C, Trahan A, Zimmerman D, Ksener-Reyes K, Garilao C, Kaschner K, Cooke SJ. (2021) Global assessment of marine and freshwater recreational fish reveals mismatch in climate change vulnerability and conservation effort. Global Change Biology 27(19): 4799 – 4824.
Popular articles
Why It’s Time to Rethink Electric Vehicle Rebates. The Tyee. Jan 11, 2023. https://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2023/01/11/Why-Time-Rethink-Electric-Vehicle-Rebates/
Why the Stanley Park Bike Lane Needs to Stay. The Tyee. Nov 15th, 2022. https://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2022/11/15/Stanley-Park-Bike-Lane-Stay/
Sacrificing Ontario’s scarce green space for sprawl a giant mistake. Canada’s National Observer. Nov 10, 2022. https://www.nationalobserver.com/2022/11/10/opinion/sacrificing-ontario-scarce-green-space-sprawl-giant-mistake
Am I helping? A biologist’s search for self worth in a world on fire. Canada’s National Observer. Oct 27, 2022. https://www.nationalobserver.com/2022/10/27/opinion/am-i-helping-biologists-search-self-worth-world-fire
Breaking up with the seawall. The Tyee. Oct 18th, 2022.https://thetyee.ca/Analysis/2022/10/18/Breaking-Up-With-Seawall/
A Climate Report Card for Vancouver’s City Council. The Tyee. Sept 15, 2022. https://thetyee.ca/Analysis/2022/09/15/Climate-Report-Card-Vancouver-City-Council/
Recent articles
The wonders of a Fraser River tributary
Two team members from our Lower Fraser Salmon Conservation and Wolf Conservation Programs offer a glimpse into their experiences while working on a collaborative project. Auston Chhor Auston is Raincoast’s…
The rights of the river: could granting legal personhood for the Fraser River estuary spur its protection?
Our current methods of protecting important ecosystems are not working. It is time for governments at all levels to adopt a different way of thinking about natural places. Here in Canada,…
Letter in Science identifies the contradiction between protecting economic growth and biodiversity in Canada’s Fraser River Estuary
The June 30th, 2023 edition of the journal Science features a letter written by Raincoast science staff on the repercussions of expanding the shipping terminal at Roberts Bank in the…
BC needs to stand up to the federal government on salmon issues
While approved by the Canadian federal government, the contentious Roberts Bank Terminal 2 expansion project still requires a green light from the province of BC, which recently announced a 30-day…