Dylan Smyth, MSc Student
Cetacean Conservation Program Associate

Dylan is an aquatic sciences technician with a focus on marine mammal ecology and conservation. After graduating in 2015 with a Bachelor of Science, Dylan spent several years working on various projects involving juvenile salmon survival before switching gears to marine mammals. He loves being on the water, playing with boats, drones, and various other scientific toys. His keen interest, and ear, for marine mammal acoustics has given him the privilege of working with a variety of organizations such as OrcaLab, Ocean Wise, and DFO.

After nearly 10 years of field work up and down British Columbia’s coastline, Dylan is now returning to school to pursue a Masters degree with the University of the Algarve in Portugal. Working closely in collaboration with Raincoast and Simon Fraser University, his research will investigate the effects of anthropogenic noise on southern resident killer whale call type selection.

dylan [at] raincoast [dot] org

Recent articles

A group of Southern Resident killer whales are seen swimming along the surface of the water while birds fly above.

Listening to protect

Our ongoing projects allow us to hear cetacean vocalizations in…

Massive grizzly bears on the ground in green forest and sunlight on Haíɫzaqv land.

“Smile, you’re on a wildlife camera!” on Haíɫzaqv territory 

Working to better understand how variables such as forest age…

A tiny salmon fin pokes out of the dark roiling waters of a central coast stream.

The need for renewed federal commitment to The Wild Salmon Policy

New paper evaluates both the enduring relevance of the Wild…

Raincoast scientists walk along a roaring river in the central coast, doing salmon stream surveys.

30 years in the Great Bear Rainforest

How Haíɫzaqv principles and ongoing research will guide our future.

Chum salmon are lurking underwater under an overhead growth, with light streaming down and small pebble rocks seen below them.

Canada’s Policy for the Conservation of Wild Pacific Salmon

A framework for safeguarding salmon diversity and resilience.

A river that forks into two branches - one has the text "extinction" and the other has the text "recovery" with killer whales swimming towards the fork.

A killer future

By restoring Chinook salmon, reducing underwater noise, and stopping pollution…

On the left is a man holding up a small salmon and on the right is a boat on the water.

Honey, I shrunk the Chinook

Chinook salmon are getting smaller, and one explanation is uncomfortably…

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