My pronouns are she/her
My interests lie at the intersection of science and policy, working to translate the natural and social sciences into conservation management mechanisms that will benefit the environment and the people who depend on it.
Overfishing and its negative implications on shark populations are exacerbated by illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing practices - a conflated term and compilation of complex global threats that vary, not only by definition and meaning but also across time, space, and fisheries, representing diverse drivers, impacts, and management requirements. Yet, despite these complexities, top-down management tends to homogenize the cause(s), issue(s), and response(s) associated with IUU fishing across spatiotemporal scales. As a result, small-scale fisheries, which are particularly susceptible to these fishing practices, become exceptionally vulnerable to its implications. A lack of understanding regarding the variable nature of illegal, unreported, and unregulated small-scale fishing practices across time and space often results in management that ignores human dynamics and social complexities, impeding the effective implementation of shark conservation mechanisms. Therefore, research is needed on a discrete, species-specific, spatiotemporal scale to ensure policy relevancy due to the diversity of small-scale fisheries and the increased vulnerability of shark populations. My research will aim to use an interdisciplinary approach that includes and enables the equitable incorporation of community stakeholders to reduce illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing practices and encourage the adoption of effective shark conservation mechanisms in small-scale fisheries.
