Fisheries Observer

As a fisheries sustainability observer in the Alaskan Bering Sea, I spent 2 months off- and a-shore learning about the ecological, regulatory, and management
environment of the last intact wild salmon fishery of the world. This included workshops on biological characteristics, life stages, and trophic links between local species ranging from plankton to brown bears, as well as applied concepts of conservation biology. Moreover, I learned about the governance, regulation, and legislation pertaining to the Bristol Bay fishery and which fisheries management and technological practices are most efficient in creating an ecologically and economically long-term sustainable fishery. I deployed aboard various salmon transport boats that ply the southeast Bring Seam, sampling each fisherman’s catch and certify the fisherman treated the salmon pursuant to quality standards.