Arnaud Mosnier

Biologist

Marine mammal biology and conservation

Current research and/or projects

Holder of a master in management of wildlife and its habitat (UQAR) and of a doctorat in biology, Arnaud Mosnier first studied habitat selection of several terrestrial mammals (caribou, black bear, moose). His expertise in movement analysis methods and its application to a marine species (the beluga) eventually led him to work with Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

Biologist in the Marine Mammal Biology and Conservation team since 2009, his works include the use of spatial analyses to determine the preferred habitats of species under Fisheries and Oceans’ jurisdiction (whales, seals, sea turtles) and the development of population dynamics models (beluga, harp sea, walrusl). He also participates to fieldwork efforts (aerial and at-sea surveys, marking, tagging) related to seals, walruses and cetaceans ecology.

Education and awards

M.Sc. Management of wildlife and its habitats (2002)
Université du Québec à Rimouski (Rimouski)

Ph.D. Biology (2007)
Université du Québec à Rimouski (Rimouski)

Key publications

Mosnier, A., Gosselin, J.-F., Lawson, J.W., Plourde, S., and Lesage, V. 2019. Predicting seasonal occurrence of leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) in eastern Canadian waters from turtle and sunfish (Mola mola) sighting data and habitat characteristics. Can. J. Zool. v97 no.5 pp. 464-478

Gosselin, J.-F., Hammill, M.O., and Mosnier, A. 2017. Indices of abundance for beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) in James Bay and eastern Hudson Bay in summer 2015. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Res. Doc. 2017/067. iv + 25 p.

Hammill, M.O., Mosnier, A., Gosselin, J.-F., Matthews, C.J.D., Marcoux, M., and Ferguson, S.H. 2017. Management Approaches, Abundance Indices and Total Allowable Harvest levels of Belugas in Hudson Bay. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Res. Doc. 2017/062. iv + 43 p.

Mosnier, A., Hammill, M.O., Turgeon, S., and Postma,  L. 2017. Updated analysis of genetic mixing among beluga stocks in the Nunavik marine region and Belcher Islands area: information for population models and harvest allocation. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Res. Doc. 2017/016. v + 15 p. 

Savenkoff C., Gagné J.A., Gilbert M., Castonguay M., Chabot D., Chassé J., Comtois S., Dutil J-D., Galbraith P., Gosselin J.-F., Grégoire F., Larocque R., Larouche P., Lavoie D., Lebeuf M., Lesage V., Maps F., McQuinn I., Mosnier A., Nozères C., Ouellet P., Plourde S., Sainte-Marie B., Savard L., Scarratt M., Starr M. 2017. Le concept d’approche écosystémique appliqué à l’estuaire maritime du Saint-Laurent (Canada). Environmental Reviews, 2017, 25(1): 26-96, https://doi.org/10.1139/er-2015-0083

Doniol-Valcroze, T., Mosnier,A., Hammill, M.O. 2016. Testing estimators of walrus abundance: insightsfrom simulations of haul-out behaviour. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Res. Doc. 2016/040. v+18p.

Hammill, M.O., Doniol-Valcroze,T.,Mosnier,A. and Gosselin, J.-F.2016. Modelling walrus population dynamics: A direction for future assessments. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Res. Doc. 2016/050. v + 47p.

Hammill, M.O., Young, R.A.,  and Mosnier, A. 2016. Evaluating impacts of a flexible quota system on walrus harvesting. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Res. Doc. 2016/112. iv + 17 p.

Hammill, M.O., A. Mosnier, J-F Gosselin, J.W. Higdon, D.B. Stewart, T. Doniol-Valcroze, S.H Ferguson and J.B. Dunn. 2016. Estimating abundance and total allowable removals for walrus in the Hudson Bay-Davis Strait and south and east Hudson Bay stocks during September 2014. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Res. Doc. 2016/036. v + 37 p.

Hammill, M.O., Stenson, G.B. and Mosnier, A. 2016.Science Advice on Theoretical Harvest Reduction Scenarios and Sustainable Catches of NWA harp seals? DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Res. Doc. 2016/055. v + 32 p.  

McQuinn, I.H., Gosselin, J.-F., Bourassa, M.-N., Mosnier, A., St-Pierre, J.-F., Plourde, S., Lesage, V., Raymond, A. 2016. The spatial association of blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus) with krill patches (Thysanoessaspp. and Meganyctiphanes norvegica) in the estuary and northwestern Gulf of St. Lawrence. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Res. Doc. 2016/104. iv + 19 p. 

Mosnier, A., Larocque, R., Lebeuf, M., Gosselin, J.-F., Dubé, S., Lapointe, V., Lesage, V., Lefaivre, D., Senneville, S., Chion, C. 2016. Définition et caractérisation de l'habitat du béluga (Delphinapterus leucas) de l'estuaire du Saint-Laurent selon une approche écosystémique. Secr. can. de consult. sci. du MPO. Doc. de rech. 2016/nnn. vi + 93 p.

Hammill M.O., G. B. Stenson, T. Doniol-Valcroze, A. Mosnier. 2015. Conservation of northwest Atlantic harp seals: Past success, future uncertainty? Biological Conservation 192: 181-191

Mosnier A., T. Doniol-Valcroze, J.-F. Gosselin, V. Lesage, L.N. Measures, M.O. Hammill. 2015. Insights into processes of population decline using an integrated population model: The case of the St. Lawrence Estuary beluga (Delphinapterus leucas). Ecological Modelling 314: 15-31.

Bajzak C.E., W. Bernhardt, A. Mosnier, M.O. Hammill, I. Stirling. 2013. Habitat use by harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) in a seasonally ice-covered region, the western Hudson Bay 2013. Polar Biology 36(4): 477-491.
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00300-012-1274-4

Mosnier, A., T. Doniol-Valcroze, J.-F. Gosselin, V. Lesage, L. Measures, M.O. Hammill. 2014. An age structured Bayesian population model for St. Lawrence Estuary beluga (Delphinapterus leucas). DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Res. Doc. 2013/127. 39 p.
http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/csas-sccs/publications/resdocs-docrech/2013/2013_127-eng.pdf

Gosselin, J.-F., M.O. Hammill, A. Mosnier. 2014. Summer abundance indices of St. Lawrence Estuary beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) from a photographic survey in 2009 and 28 line transect surveys from 2001 to 2009. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Res. Doc. 2014/021. 51 p.
http://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2014/mpo-dfo/Fs70-5-2014-021-eng.pdf

Lesage, V., I.H. McQuinn, D. Carrier, J.-F.Gosselin, A. Mosnier. 2014. Exposure of the beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) to marine traffic under various scenarios of transit route diversion in the St. Lawrence Estuary. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Res. Doc. 2013/125. 28 p.
http://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2014/mpo-dfo/Fs70-5-2013-125-eng.pdf

Lesage V., L. Measures, A. Mosnier, S. Lair, R. Michaud, P. Béland. 2013. Mortality patterns in St. Lawrence Estuary beluga (Delphinapterus leucas), inferred from the carcass recovery data, 1983-2012. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec., Res. Doc. 2013/118, 23 p.
http://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2014/mpo-dfo/Fs70-5-2013-118-eng.pdf

Hammill M.O., G.B. Stenson, T. Doniol-Valcroze, A. Mosnier. 2012 Estimating carrying capacity and population trends of Northwest Atlantic harp seals, 1952-2012. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec., Res. Doc. 2012/148. 34 p.
http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/Csas-sccs/publications/resdocs-docrech/2012/2012_148-eng.pdf

Hammill, M.O., G.B. Stenson, T. Doniol-Valcroze, A. Mosnier, 2011. Northwest Atlantic harp seals population trends, 1952-2012. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec., Res. Doc. 2011/099. 31 p.
http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/Library/344889.pdf

Mosnier, A., V. Lesage, J-F. Gosselin, S. Lemieux Lefebvre, M.O. Hammill et T. Doniol-Valcroze. 2009. Information pertinente à la documentation de l'utilisation de l'habitat par le béluga du St-Laurent (Delphinapterus leucas) et à la quantification de la qualité de l'habitat. Secr. can. de consult. sci. du MPO. Doc.de Rech. 2009/098. iv + 35 p.
http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/Library/339783.pdf