John McMillan Joins The BRF

The Babine River Foundation is proud to welcome John McMillan and The Conservation Angler (TCA)—a science-driven nonprofit dedicated to recovering wild steelhead and salmon across the Pacific Rim—as scientific consultant to our Angler Science Project. This collaboration has been underway since January 2025, and we’re excited to now share the news publicly.

McMillan is a lifelong angler and one of North America’s most respected fishery scientists, with more than 25 years dedicated to understanding and protecting wild salmon and steelhead. He has published over 30 peer-reviewed papers and technical reports and currently serves as President of The Conservation Angler (TCA)— More than two decades ago, TCA helped launch one of the world’s longest-running angler science programs in Kamchatka, Russia—still active today—and their success in turning angler observations into decision-ready science makes them an ideal partner for the Babine River Foundation’s Angler Science Project.

McMillan’s previous work includes roles with the U.S. Forest Service, NOAA, the Hoh Tribe, Wild Salmon Center, and Trout Unlimited, where he led the Wild Steelhead Initiative. Following the removal of it's Dam, John was integral in developing an angler science program on Washington’s Elwha River. In his role with BRF, he will draw on that experience to guide study design, volunteer sampling protocols, and data interpretation, advancing efforts to better understand and protect the Babine’s legendary wild steelhead. In his role with BRF, he will draw on that experience to guide study design, volunteer sampling protocols, and data interpretation, advancing efforts to better understand and protect the Babine’s legendary wild steelhead.

John’s connection to Canadian steelhead runs deep. His middle name, Roderick, is a tribute to Roderick Haig-Brown, whose writing and conservation ethic shaped John’s life from an early age. He and his father co-authored May the Rivers Never Sleep as a homage to Haig-Brown’s legacy. John has been fishing for British Columbia steelhead since he was 11 years old; he landed his first steelhead on a dead-drifted dry fly on Vancouver Island in 1984, at the age of 13.

John’s expertise in blending angler knowledge with rigorous science will help guide the Babine River Foundation’s efforts to better understand and protect the Babine’s legendary wild steelhead.

As we expand our data-based advocacy for steelhead, we are also committed to working more directly with local and provincial fisheries managers. Our shared goal is to ensure that decisions affecting the Skeena watershed are grounded in science, giving wild steelhead the best chance at a healthy future. John’s insight and experience will be instrumental in building this bridge between science, advocacy, and management.

John brings the rare and invaluable perspective of someone who has been an on-the-ground witness to the mass decline of legendary anadromous populations across the Pacific Northwest. His direct experience with systems in crisis gives us a powerful lens for understanding what’s at stake—and how to avoid repeating those mistakes in the Skeena.

Beyond his published research and conservation leadership, John has spent over 2,000 kilometers snorkeling rivers, observing salmon and steelhead in their native habitat, and translating science into insights that inspire anglers, conservationists, and policymakers alike. His passion for wild rivers and fish is evident both in his scholarship and his storytelling.

We are thrilled to have John’s guidance as we grow the Angler Science Project and strengthen our advocacy for the future of Skeena wild steelhead.

Join us in welcoming John McMillan to the Babine River Foundation. His involvement is a powerful step forward in ensuring that Skeena steelhead remain a living legacy for generations to come.