Dr. Tommi Linnansaari

Biography

Tommi Linnansaari holds the Atlantic Salmon Research Chair and serves as the research coordinator for the Collaboration Atlantic Salmon (CAST) consortium. His primary research focus is on understanding the mechanisms behind Atlantic salmon population dynamics in natural and hydropower-regulated rivers. He conducts studies on migratory fishes such as the American eel and Striped bass, as well as their habitats and the interconnected biota. Dr. Linnansaari is also a member of the Atlantic Salmon Research Joint Venture, a significant government-led consortium aimed at facilitating large collaborative projects designed to conserve the Atlantic salmon. His current research projects include assessing adult Atlantic salmon populations through multi-beam sonar technology (CAST ARIS), understanding the risks and benefits of smolt-to-adult supplementation as a conservation strategy (CAST-SAS), investigating the genetic structure of Atlantic salmon sub-populations in the Miramichi River, studying salmon migrations in the hydropower-regulated Saint John River, and habitat modeling for freshwater fish guilds under different hydropower management scenarios. Furthermore, he is involved in strategic management initiatives concerning migration barriers affecting Atlantic salmon in the Restigouche River, and he aims to comprehend the critical thermal refugia necessary for the survival of juvenile and adult Atlantic salmon.

Research Interests