Alain Branchaud
Biologist

A biologist greatly fascinated by fish, Alain Branchaud has completed a master’s degree in biology at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) with a specialization in ecotoxicology. Preoccupied by the destruction of natural habitats and the constant lost of biodiversity, he rapidly gained interest in endangered wildlife species. For the past decade he has led a fight for the protection and recovery of the copper redhorse population, a fish at risk exclusive to the province of Quebec. His work helped shed light on the species reproduction problems and elaborate solutions to increase recruitment first by supporting natural populations via controlled stockings, then by helping the migration of adult fish towards spawning sites and finally by protecting the spawning habitats from hydroelectric development and human disturbance. Thanks to his intuition and determination, understanding the decline of this legendary fish greatly progressed.

Beyond his scientific contributions, his public interventions and implication as a member of the Projet Rescousse, Alain greatly contributed to heighten social consciousness for this species. The great social, historical and ecological values now given to the copper redhorse contribute to make its extinction an intolerable outcome to the eyes of the society.

Published works

Branchaud, A. et A. Gendron. 1993. Artificial spawning and rearing of the copper redhorse, Moxostoma hubbsi (Teleostei: Catostomidae). Can. Field-Nat. 107: 279-282.

Branchaud, A., A. Gendron, R. Fortin, P.D. Anderson et P.A. Spear. 1995. Vitamin A stores, teratogenesis and EROD activity in a contaminated population of white sucker (Catostomus commersoni), from Rivière des Prairies near Montréal and a reference site. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 52: 1703-1713.

Gendron, A.D. et A. Branchaud. 1997. Impact potentiel de la contamination du milieu aquatique sur la reproduction du suceur cuivré (Moxostoma hubbsi): Synthèse des connaissances. Québec, ministère de l'Environnement et de la Faune, Service de l'aménagement et de l'exploitation de la faune, Longueuil, rapport technique 16-02. 160 p.

Gendron, A.D. et A. Branchaud. 1999. Dossier de présentation du refuge faunique des rapides de Chambly pour la protection du chevalier cuivré. Québec, ministère de l'Environnement et de la Faune, Direction régionale de la Montérégie, Longueuil et Direction de la faune et des habitats, Québec, iv + 48 p.

Branchaud, A. et R.E. Jenkins. 1999. Pierre Fortin (1823-1888) et la première description scientifique du chevalier cuivré, Moxostoma hubbsi. Canadian Field-Naturalist 113 :345-358.