A memorial to Professor Louis Bernatchez (1960–2023).

Professor Louis Bernatchez, a renowned molecular ecologist, passed away on September 28, 2023, at the age of 63. He made significant contributions to the field of genomics applied to the conservation and management of aquatic resources. Born in 1960 in Québec, Canada, Bernatchez developed a deep connection with the natural world through hunting and fishing in his formative years. He earned his BSc and MSc degrees from Université Laval and completed his PhD on population genetic structure and large-scale phylogeography. Throughout his career, he published over 500 papers and worked with over 100 collaborators, focusing on phylogeography, functional genomics, and population genomics. He also played a key role in the success of the journals Molecular Ecology and Molecular Ecology Resources. Despite his untimely departure, his colleagues and the scientific community will continue to honor his legacy and carry on his work. [Extracted from the article]