Mike, Rayelle and Nick at Shelter Pass
Site Manager Mike Lacourse is a coastal guy through and through.
He was born in Cumberland and lived there until he was 13, when his two brothers, three sisters and parents moved to Port McNeill.
“After high school graduation, I worked at the Port McNeill fuel dock where a chance conversation about fish farming led me to the Aquaculture Technician course then offered by Campbell River’s North Island College,” he remembers. Mike’s aquaculture career began at Ibec, both on-site and in the hatchery. As mergers changed the face of the industry, Mike worked for a variety of companies, including Anchor Seafarms, until Panfish and Marine Harvest joined forces.
Mike continued learning and worked his way up to Site Manager, a position he’s now held for 12 years, starting at Raynor and now at Doyle. Mike’s been at Doyle since 2004 and without hesitation, he says that working outside is the best thing about his job. He also particularly enjoyed the opportunity to attend Aqua Nor in 2001 and see other aquaculture operations firsthand last year with Floyd Cole and Jeff King.
Off-shift Mike enjoying boating with his wife and sons and daughters on Comox Lake. “On my days off during the summer, we’re out there for at least one or two days”.
The Cumberland-based family is completed by the Lacourse Yellow Lab, their German Shephard cross and cat Ding-ding. Mike appreciates the chance to deer and moose hunt whenever the opportunity presents itself.
By Gina Forsyth