Meet Our Science Team: Candace, Jess, and Keaton!

Meet Our Science Team: Candace, Jess, and Keaton!

From left to right: Candace Picco, Jessica Edwards, and Keaton McCallum

At Ha’oom, our Science Team is all about helping the five Nations care for their fisheries in a way that reflects both Nuu-chah-nulth Knowledge and the best available science. We work closely with the Nations’ fisheries departments to understand what’s happening in the hahuułi, design research and monitoring that meet their priorities, and ensure the information we gather genuinely supports their management decisions.

This work is about long-term stewardship; we are passionate about building capacity in Nuu-chah-nulth youth, strengthening partnerships with universities and researchers, and making sure science is something that grows and lives within the Nations.

Now, let’s introduce the team!

Candace Picco, MsC - Biologist III

Candace has a B.Sc. in Biology from the University of British Columbia, a M.Sc. in Marine Biology from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and a professional diploma in Geographical Information Systems from the British Columbia Institute of Technology. She worked for marine conservation non-profits conducting sustainable fisheries assessments for 10 years in Vancouver, then moved to Tofino to work with Nuu-chah-nulth Nations. After four years as the Central Region Biologist for the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council (NTC) in 2016, Candace moved to working exclusively with T’aaq-wiihak (now Ha’oom Fisheries Society) and the Five Nations. As the Ha’oom Biologist based in n̓ačiqs (Tofino), Candace works to implement the Nations’ constitutional fishing rights in the WCVI. This includes stock assessment, monitoring, biological and management for all the Nations’ priority species, including, to date, salmon, groundfish, prawns, crab, sea urchin, and sea cucumber. The Ha’oom Fisheries Society staff work closely with Fisheries and Oceans Canada on biological assessments and implementation and management of the fisheries.

Jessica Edwards, MSc - Biologist II

Jess Edwards is a biologist with Ha’oom Fisheries Society, where she supports the five Nations’ rights-based fisheries through research, monitoring, and Nation-driven marine stewardship. She first joined the T’aaq-wiihak/Ha’oom team in 2017 as a fisheries monitor and now works across a range of programs focused on nearshore ecosystems, sustainable harvest practices, and Nation-led fisheries management.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Victoria and a master’s degree in biology from Simon Fraser University. Her graduate research, completed in collaboration with T’aaq-wiihak Fisheries (now Ha’oom Fisheries Society), examined the ecology and post-harvest recovery of Caʔinwa (gooseneck barnacle), to support decision-making for the Nations’ commercial fishery.

Jess is passionate about supporting Indigenous-led stewardship of marine and freshwater ecosystems. Her work focuses on Nation-driven salmon rebuilding, using novel tools to better monitor rocky reef fish, and on integrating traditional ecological knowledge and Western science to strengthen co-management.

Jess lives in Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ territory and spends her free time hiking local trails, running, and knitting.

Keaton McCallum - Biologist I

Keaton has been an invaluable member of the Ha’oom team for the past three years. He holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Victoria, with a specialization in Fisheries and Coastal Biogeography. Prior to joining Ha’oom, Keaton gained extensive hands-on experience as a fisheries technician with the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council in Clayoquot Sound, where he worked closely with the Tofino Salmon Enhancement Society and within all the local river systems.

At Ha’oom, Keaton plays a key role in bringing science projects to life in the field - spending countless hours of his time on the water aboard the Ha’oom Provider, snorkelling rivers, and counting salmon to support monitoring and research efforts. If you see the Provider out on the water, be sure to send him a wave.

Keaton currently resides in n̓ačiqs within the ƛaʔuukʷiʔatḥ hahuułi. Outside of work, he enjoys surfing and fishing along the coast. 

What the science team does

Current Projects

  1. Electronic Monitoring Using Artificial Intelligence

    • Partners: TeamFish Monitoring, Ecotrust Canada, OnDeckAI

    • Funding Resources: Canada’s Ocean Supercluster and Pacific Salmon Strategy Initiative

  2. Juvenile Suuhaa Marine Survival

    • Partners: University of Victoria, Pacific Salmon Foundation

    • Funding Sources: British Columbia Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund and Mitacs

  3. Suuhaa Rebuilding: Pairing Nuu-chah-nulth Knowledge and Western Science

    • Partners: University of Victoria and Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada

    • Funding Sources: Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and Mitacs

  4. Micro-łiłmakƛi (prawn) Survey

    • Funding Sources: Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada

  5. Genetics

    • Partners: Vancouver Island University, Pacific Salmon Foundation, the First Nations Fisheries Council, and DFO

  6. Habitat-Based Benchmarks for WCVI Coho Salmon

    • Partners: Simon Fraser University

    • Funding Sources: Clayoquot Bisphere Trust and Mitacs

Mentorship & youth Engagement

The Science Team also runs mentorship programs for youth from all five Nations, giving hands-on experience in:

  • Measuring salmon, gill biopsies, fin clips, and clinical signs

  • Operating downriggers

  • Boat safety

  • Salmon anatomy

  • Data entry

This program connects youth to their ha-huułi, teaches fisheries management skills, and creates pathways to careers in land stewardship and resource management.

If you want to learn more about the Science Team and their work, watch the Science Knowledge Sharing Celebration YouTube video on our website here: Ha’oom: Science Knowledge Sharing Celebration.

Klecko Klecko,

Ha’oom Fisheries Society