Alyssa Owen is a fisheries biologist with extensive experience in planning and coordinating restoration projects and monitoring salmonid populations. She holds a degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and has three years of field and project management experience in diverse aquatic ecosystems before joining the FISHBIO team in 2024. Alyssa’s fieldwork includes conducting restoration research in rugged and remote locations, authoring technical reports, and implementing data analysis methodologies using tools such as ArcGIS Pro, Minitab, and JMP Pro.
At FISHBIO, Alyssa has worked on multiple projects studying the life history of Oncorhynchus mykiss and monitoring populations using methods such as PIT tags to track fish migration and survival. She has also conducted environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling and analysis to support invasive species monitoring and the detection of special-status fish species for regulatory compliance and permitting efforts. She has been involved in the Tuolumne and Stanislaus River monitoring programs, encompassing activities such as rotary screw trap monitoring, snorkel and seining surveys, and water quality monitoring. Prior to joining FISHBIO, Alyssa served as a Project Manager with the Eel River Watershed Improvement Group, leading in-stream restoration efforts aimed at protecting native salmon and steelhead populations. In her role with the Humboldt County Resource Conservation District, she managed large-scale wetland restoration projects, coordinated with contractors, and handled grant proposal writing and mapping to support applications.