Michael G. Sullivan

In 1983, Sullivan started as a junior biologist with the Government of Alberta.[1] He currently serves as the provincial fish science specialist for Alberta Environment and Parks.[6] His main area of expertise is in fisheries management,[2] but he has also contributed to caribou studies and management[4] in Alberta and British Columbia. He was part of the team that worked on restoring Alberta's collapsed walleye populations[7][8][9]

In the mid-1990s Sullivan began serving as an advisor to Parks Canada.[10][1] in the western national parks. He has is a member of the North American Journal of Fisheries Management Editorial board[11] and currently sits as the associate editor.[11] He is adjunct professor both at the University of Alberta[12] and Royal Roads University, where he has acted as a supervisor to graduate students.[13] He serves on various projects at the ALCES, a group which provides landuse and resource solutions[13]

Sullivan was part of the team that helped restore Alberta fish populations for traditional use.[8] Native fish in Alberta were over-harvested for decades, and walleye, pike, whitefish, etc. populations are still recovering.[9] Since Alberta is somewhat scarce in waterbodies compared to the rest of Canada (estimated 315 anglers per lake, compared to 2 in SK, 2 in MN, and 6 in ON),[9] and has a relatively short fishing season,[7][9] the fisheries are vulnerable.[7][9] Sullivan was part of the team of biologists at the Government of Alberta that came up with a framework with 4 main management objectives[8] related to: i) first nations, ii) ecosystem iii) fish habitat and iv) recreation fisheries[7][9]

Sullivan also reaches many people through the news,[14][15][16][17][5][18][19][20][21] online videos [8]  and community meetings[22][23][24]

In 2019, Sullivan received the Award of Excellence from the Fisheries Management Section.[1] of the American Fisheries Society. In 2015 he received the Alberta Chapter of Wildlife Outreach Award[25]

Through his career with the Alberta Government, Sullivan has completed numerous occupational health and safety training courses.[26] These safety training courses are applied volunteering at local events and as a volunteer member of the Canadian Ski Patrol.[27] He volunteers at the River Edge Ultra Running Race,[28] a 100 km running race near Devon where runners wade to an island on the North Saskatchewan River, requiring (potential) river rescuers [29]

• Watkins, Owen B.; Paul, Andrew J.; Spencer, Stephen C.; Sullivan, Michael G.; Foote, Lee (2019). "Dude, Where's my Transmitter? Probability of Radio Transmitter Detections and Locational Errors for Tracking River Fish". North American Journal of Fisheries Management. 39 (4): 753–761. doi:10.1002/nafm.10307. ISSN 1548-8675. S2CID 191163731.
• Mogensen, Stephanie; Post, John R.; Sullivan, Michael G. (2013-11-29). "Vulnerability to harvest by anglers differs across climate, productivity, and diversity clines". Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. 71 (3): 416–426. doi:10.1139/cjfas-2013-0336. ISSN 0706-652X.
• [30]
• MacPherson, Laura M.; Sullivan, Michael G.; Foote, A. Lee; Stevens, Cameron E. (2012). "Effects of Culverts on Stream Fish Assemblages in the Alberta Foothills". North American Journal of Fisheries Management. 32 (3): 480–490. doi:10.1080/02755947.2012.686004. ISSN 1548-8675.
• Macpherson, Laura, Sullivan, Michael G., Foote, Lee and Stevens, Cameron E. 2011. “How Road Networks Affect Stream Fish Assemblages.” In proceedings of the American Fisheries Society 140th Annual Meeting.
• Stevens, Cameron E.; Council, Trevor; Sullivan, Michael G. (2010-02-01). "Influences of Human Stressors on Fish-Based Metrics for Assessing River Condition in Central Alberta". Water Quality Research Journal. 45 (1): 35–46. doi:10.2166/wqrj.2010.005. ISSN 1201-3080.
• Walker, Jordan R.; Foote, Lee; Sullivan, Michael G. (2007-11-01). "Effectiveness of Enforcement to Deter Illegal Angling Harvest of Northern Pike in Alberta". North American Journal of Fisheries Management. 27 (4): 1369–1377. doi:10.1577/M06-011.1. ISSN 0275-5947.
• Sullivan, Michael G. (2002). "Illegal Angling Harvest of Walleyes Protected by Length Limits in Alberta". North American Journal of Fisheries Management. 22 (3): 1053. doi:10.1577/1548-8675(2002)022<1053:IAHOWP>2.0.CO;2. ISSN 1548-8675.[3]
• Sullivan, Michael G. (2003). "Active Management of Walleye Fisheries in Alberta: Dilemmas of Managing Recovering Fisheries". North American Journal of Fisheries Management. 23 (4): 1343–1358. doi:10.1577/M01-232AM.[2]
• Sullivan, Michael G. (2003-05-01). "Exaggeration of Walleye Catches by Alberta Anglers". North American Journal of Fisheries Management. 23 (2): 573–580. doi:10.1577/1548-8675(2003)023<0573:EOWCBA>2.0.CO;2. ISSN 0275-5947.
• Post, John R.; Sullivan, Michael; Cox, Sean; Lester, Nigel P.; Walters, Carl J.; Parkinson, Eric A.; Paul, Andrew J.; Jackson, Leyland; Shuter, Brian J. (2002-01-01). "Canada's Recreational Fisheries: The Invisible Collapse?". Fisheries. 27 (1): 6–17. doi:10.1577/1548-8446(2002)027<0006:CRF>2.0.CO;2. ISSN 0363-2415.

• Sullivan, Michael G., Propst, David, and Gould, Bill. 2009 “Fish of the Rockies: including best fishing sites.” Edmonton, AB: Lone Pine Publishing
• Joynt, Amanda, and Sullivan, Michael G. 2003. “Fish of Alberta” Edmonton, AB: Lone Pine Publishing