Nicole M Watson, PhD

I am a Fishery Biologist at the Lake Superior Biological Station. My research focuses on Lake Superior native species, with a particular interest in coregonines; zooplankton community structure and dietary selectivity of planktivores; and the integration of high-tech gear in fisheries surveys to expand our sampling capabilities and increase our knowledge of the Lake Superior ecosystem. I am the Principal Investigator (PI) for multiple projects spanning the prey fish community of Lake Superior, live capture techniques and long-term survival of coregonines, to assessing the zooplankton community in the nearshore and offshore regions. 

Prior to joining the Lake Superior Biological Station, I was a Fish Biologist in the Eastern Interior region of Alaska focused on Arctic Grayling and a Fisheries Analyst in the North Pacific region. My past research has focused on fish behavior including inter- and intra-species interactions, particularly in young Arctic Grayling with Brook and Brown trout; otolith chemistry to determine natal streams of Rainbow trout in the Lake Michigan watershed; fish population dynamics, and aquatic ecosystems.