We are deeply saddened to announce that BC CAHS Board member, Alan Martin, passed away last week.

Al brought deep knowledge, intelligence and dedication to to his many roles in fish and wildlife management in British Columbia. After 30 years’ experience in the BC Public Service in a variety of Ministries, he retired, as Executive Director, Fish Wildlife and Ecosystems, with the British Columbia Ministry of Environment in January, 2010. Prior to retirement, he provided leadership to improve and develop science-based environmental stewardship programs; implemented policy planning and legislative processes to meet provincial resource management objectives, particularly related to fisheries and wildlife management. Post-retirement, Al continued to work tirelessly to find solutions to issues of fish and wildlife management in the Province.

He was formerly a government representative on the Board of Directors for the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation and the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC. He was the BC Wildlife Federation Representative on the Hunting and Angling Advisory Committee to the federal Ministers of Environment and Fisheries and Oceans and the Provincial Round Table on the Environment and the Economy and Board of Directors for the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation.

Al recognized many years ago that BC needed more capacity, cooperation and collaboration to improve knowledge of aquatic animal health to support improved decision-making, thus his involvement in the genesis of BC CAHS. Al’s contributions to BC CAHS began in 2003 with BC CAHS’s inception and he served as a board member for the past five years.

His guidance, direction and strategic thinking is renowned and admired. Although a man of few words, each word was meaningful.