Misty MacDuffee
Biologist and Wild Salmon Program Director

Misty MacDuffee is a conservation biologist with a focus on fisheries ecology in salmon ecosystems. For the past 15 years, she has undertaken various types of field, laboratory, technical and conservation assessments in the salmon-bearing watersheds of the BC coast. She has a particular interest in the role of salmon as critical food sources for wildlife and incorporating their needs into salmon management decisions. The application of her work is to implement ecosystem considerations in fisheries management. This often requires engagement with management, dialogue and stakeholder forums that affect fisheries and wildlife policy.

Misty MacDuffee in the Fraser River estuary.
Wild Salmon Program

Scientific articles

Chalifour, L., Holt, C., Camaclang, A.E., Bradford, M.J., Dixon, R., Finn, R.J., Hemming, V., Hinch, S.G., Levings, C.D., MacDuffee, M. Scott D. … and Martin. T.G. 2022. Identifying a pathway towards recovery for depleted wild Pacific salmon populations in a large watershed under multiple stressors. Journal of Applied Ecology59(9), pp.2212-2226. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.14239

Kehoe, L.J., J.Lund, L. Chalifour, J.M. Casey, B. Connors, N. Cryer, M.C. Drever, C. Levings, M. MacDuffee, H. McGregor, D.C. Scott, R.G. Vennesland, C.E. Wilkinson, P. Zevit, J.K. Baum and T.G. Martin. 2021. Conservation in heavily urbanized biodiverse regions requires urgent management action and attention to governance. Conservation Science and Practice 3, no. 2 (2021): e310 https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.310

Chalifour, L., D.C. Scott, M. MacDuffee, S. Stark, J.F. Dower, T.D. Beacham, T.G. Martin, and J.K. Baum. 2020. Chinook salmon exhibit long-term rearing and early marine growth in the Fraser River, B.C., a large urban estuary. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Science DOI: 10.1139/cjfas-2020-0247

Chalifour, L., D.C. Scott, M. MacDuffee, J.C. Iacarella, T.G. Martin and J.K. Baum. 2019. Habitat selectivity by juvenile salmon, resident and migratory species underscores the importance of estuarine habitat mosaics. Mar Ecol Prog Ser Vol. 625: 145–162, https://doi.org/10.3354/meps13064

Gayeski, Nick, Misty MacDuffee, and Jack A. Stanford. 2018. Criteria for a Good Catch: A Conceptual Framework to Guide Sourcing of Sustainable Salmon Fisheries. Facets. 3: 300–314. https://doi.org/10.1139/facets-2016-0078

Lacy, Robert C., R. Williams, E. Ashe, K.C. Balcomb III, L.J. N. Brent, C.W. Clark, D.P. Croft, D.A. Giles, M. MacDuffee and P.C. Paquet. 2017. Evaluating anthropogenic threats to endangered killer whales to inform effective recovery plans. Scientific Reports. 7, Article number: 14119 doi:10.1038/s41598-017-14471-0

Michael H.H. Price, K.K. English, A.G. Rosenberger, M. MacDuffee, and J.D. Reynolds. 2017. Canada’s Wild Salmon Policy: an assessment of conservation progress in British Columbia. Can J. Fish & Aquatic Sci. https://doi.org/10.1139/cjfas-2017-0127

Jarvela Rosenberger, A.L., M.MacDuffee, A.G. J. Rosenberger and Peter S. Ross. 2017. Oil Spills and Marine Mammals in British Columbia, Canada: Development and Application of a Risk-Based Conceptual Framework. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 73: 131. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-017-0408-7

Darimont, C.T., K. Artelle, H. Bryan, C. Genovali, M. MacDuffee, and P.C. Paquet. 2013. Brown bears, salmon, people: Traveling upstream to a sustainable future. Chapter 14 in Bear Necessities: Rescue, Rehab, Sanctuary and Advocacy. Lisa Kemmerer ed. Brill Press. Boston

Christensen, J.R., M.B. Yunker, M. MacDuffee and P.S. Ross. 2013. Plant consumption by grizzly bears reduces biomagnification of salmon-derived PCBs, PBDEs, and organochlorine pesticides. Env.Tox. Chem. 02/2013

Levi T., C.T. Darimont, M. MacDuffee, M. Mangel, P. Paquet, C.C Wilmers. 2012. Using Grizzly Bears to Assess Harvest-Ecosystem Tradeoffs in Salmon Fisheries. PLoS Biol 10(4)

Darimont, C.T., Bryan, H.M., Carlson, S.M., Hocking, M.D., MacDuffee, M., Paquet, P.C., Price, M.H.H., Reimchen, T.E., Reynolds, J.D., and Wilmers, C.C. 2010. Salmon for terrestrial protected areas. Conservation Letters. 3(6): 379–389

MacDuffee, M. and E. MacIsaac (eds). 2009. Applications of paleolimnology to sockeye salmon nursery lakes and ecosystems in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska: Proceedings of a workshop at the Institute of Ocean Sciences, October 2008. Can. Tech. Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci. No. 2847

Price, M.H., C.T. Darimont, N.F. Temple and M. MacDuffee. 2008. Ghost Runs: Management and status assessment of Pacific salmon returning to British Columbia’s central and north coasts. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. Vol 65, No 12, pp. 2712-2718(7)

Christensen, J.R., MacDuffee, M., Yunker, M.B., and Ross, P.S. 2007. Hibernation associated changes in persistent organic pollutants (POP) levels and patterns in British Columbia grizzly bears. Environ.Sci.Technol. 41: 1834 – 1840;

Christensen, J.R., MacDuffee, M., MacDonald, R.W., Whiticar, M. and Ross, P.S. 2005. Persistent Organic Pollutants in British Columbia’s Grizzly Bears: Consequence of Divergent Diet. Environ. Sci. Technol. 39: 6952-6960

Recent articles

Lia Chalifour walks through the tall grass of the Fraser Estuary hauling her equipment for the salmon ear bone study.

Unpacking new research on the Fraser Estuary’s importance to Chinook salmon

A new paper, “Chinook salmon exhibit long-term rearing and early marine growth in the Fraser River, B.C., a large urban estuary,” has highlighted the importance of the Fraser estuary as…

A juvenile Chinook salmon is measured in a clear container with water with the estuary in the background.

Otolith study confirms Harrison Chinook salmon rely on the Fraser River Estuary for early growth

Lia Chalifour is the lead author of a recent study which reveals the early life histories of juvenile Chinook salmon in the Fraser River Estuary. It’s now published online and…

Young woman wearing a mask looking out at the ocean while standing on a sail boat.

Join us for a webinar on conservation in action

BC’s coast holds enormous ecological, cultural and economical significance for wildlife, their habitats, and the communities throughout its range and beyond. Protecting these ecosystems is vital to the survival and…

An infographic about the Fraser Estuary overlayed on top of an underwater photo of some salmon.

Research: Conservation in heavily urbanized biodiverse regions requires urgent management action and attention to governance

The Fraser River estuary, which once supported Canada’s  largest wild salmon runs, is now home to over half of British Columbia’s human population. With this comes growing urban centers, new…