Project Management & Coordination
Canada's first marine protected areas network (Great Bear Sea, Canada)
Off the coast of British Columbia (BC), the Great Bear Sea is among the most productive cold water marine environments on the planet and has tremendous cultural significance to the people who live here. Many First Nations, the Government of Canada, and the Province of BC are working together to develop a network of marine protected areas (MPA) in this region, known as the Northern Shelf Bioregion Marine Protected Area Network (NSB MPAN). Creating this MPA network, the first one in Canada, will help to ensure that future generations can benefit from the beauty and bounty of the Great Bear Sea.
From 2021 to 2023, I worked with representatives of the conservation sector to help support the advancement of the MPA network planning process. My work was multi-faceted and involved project coordination, research support, liaison between NGOs and MPA network partners, and public outreach.
Off the coast of British Columbia (BC), the Great Bear Sea is among the most productive cold water marine environments on the planet and has tremendous cultural significance to the people who live here. Many First Nations, the Government of Canada, and the Province of BC are working together to develop a network of marine protected areas (MPA) in this region, known as the Northern Shelf Bioregion Marine Protected Area Network (NSB MPAN). Creating this MPA network, the first one in Canada, will help to ensure that future generations can benefit from the beauty and bounty of the Great Bear Sea.
From 2021 to 2023, I worked with representatives of the conservation sector to help support the advancement of the MPA network planning process. My work was multi-faceted and involved project coordination, research support, liaison between NGOs and MPA network partners, and public outreach.
Monitoring locally managed marine areas (Greenforce: Fiji)
Greenforce Fiji trains overseas volunteers to monitor tabu areas (locally managed marine protected areas) of the Kubulau district of Bua Province, in south west Vanua Levu,Fiji. The data collected from bi-annual surveys of each site is used to assist the Fijian Locally Managed Marine Areas (FLMMA) programme and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) in promoting and supporting well managed marine protected areas.
Greenforce use the marine monitoring techniques established by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Fiji Country Program to monitor reef resources inside traditional Fijian fishing grounds (qoliqoli). Belt transects are used to conduct underwater visual census (UVC) monitoring using S.C.U.B.A. to assess the effects of protected areas on reef fish and invertebrate population recovery. Point intercept transects are used to estimate benthic cover.
As the Chief Scientist and PADI Scuba Instructor of Greenforce Fiji, I taught volunteers to dive, and developed and led the volunteer training programme designed to teach them how to identify and survey a high diversity of marine coral, fish, algae and invertebrates.
During my stay in Fiji, I initiated catch per unit effort (CPUE) surveys at the local village of Navatu in the Kubulau district in association with the University of South Pacific, WCS, and FLMMA. These surveys were conducted after large night fishing trips, whereby volunteers recorded catch data such as number of fish per household, species and size of invertebrates and fish caught, fishing duration, and fishing equipment used.
In addition to surveys, I organised various community fundraisers, beach clean-ups, and educational community activities. To learn more about FLMMA, please visit www.lmmanetwork.org.
Greenforce use the marine monitoring techniques established by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Fiji Country Program to monitor reef resources inside traditional Fijian fishing grounds (qoliqoli). Belt transects are used to conduct underwater visual census (UVC) monitoring using S.C.U.B.A. to assess the effects of protected areas on reef fish and invertebrate population recovery. Point intercept transects are used to estimate benthic cover.
As the Chief Scientist and PADI Scuba Instructor of Greenforce Fiji, I taught volunteers to dive, and developed and led the volunteer training programme designed to teach them how to identify and survey a high diversity of marine coral, fish, algae and invertebrates.
During my stay in Fiji, I initiated catch per unit effort (CPUE) surveys at the local village of Navatu in the Kubulau district in association with the University of South Pacific, WCS, and FLMMA. These surveys were conducted after large night fishing trips, whereby volunteers recorded catch data such as number of fish per household, species and size of invertebrates and fish caught, fishing duration, and fishing equipment used.
In addition to surveys, I organised various community fundraisers, beach clean-ups, and educational community activities. To learn more about FLMMA, please visit www.lmmanetwork.org.
Coral reef assessments (Coral Cay Conservation: Philippines)
Coral Cay Conservation (CCC) is an internationally renowned and accredited conservation specialist in community-based coral reef and rain forest conservation. CCC successfully pioneered a ‘citizen science’ approach by using international volunteers to assist in the collection of scientific data and support education programs in order to provide the resources needed to protect coral reefs and tropical rain forests in the developing world.
From January to May 2012, I worked as CCC's Science Officer in the Southern Leyte Coral Reef Conservation Project in the Philippines. Since 2002, this highly successful project has assisted in establishing several marine reserves within Sogod Bay, and has trained numerous sanctuary wardens, university students and government employees through scholarship programs. CCC has made significant contributions in raising local awareness about the importance of coral reefs. As the Science Officer, I trained project volunteers to identify and survey a high diversity of coral, fish, invertebrate and algal species for the Science Development Program. I was also responsible for organizing and overseeing day to day operations of baseline, Marine Protected Area and Reef Check surveys.
During my stay, Southern Leyte experienced a massive outbreak of Crown-of-thorn starfish. In collaboration with the provincial government, CCC staff and volunteers participated in massive extractions of these coral eating pests through manual underwater extractions. By responding to the problem promptly, we have a good chance of preventing further damage and ensuring the future survival of Sogod Bay’s coral reefs.
I learned a great deal from working with Coral Cay Conservation and feel privileged to have contributed towards preserving some of the least disturbed and least researched coral reef habitats in the Philippines. To learn more about Coral Cay Conservation, please visit their site at www.coralcay.org.
From January to May 2012, I worked as CCC's Science Officer in the Southern Leyte Coral Reef Conservation Project in the Philippines. Since 2002, this highly successful project has assisted in establishing several marine reserves within Sogod Bay, and has trained numerous sanctuary wardens, university students and government employees through scholarship programs. CCC has made significant contributions in raising local awareness about the importance of coral reefs. As the Science Officer, I trained project volunteers to identify and survey a high diversity of coral, fish, invertebrate and algal species for the Science Development Program. I was also responsible for organizing and overseeing day to day operations of baseline, Marine Protected Area and Reef Check surveys.
During my stay, Southern Leyte experienced a massive outbreak of Crown-of-thorn starfish. In collaboration with the provincial government, CCC staff and volunteers participated in massive extractions of these coral eating pests through manual underwater extractions. By responding to the problem promptly, we have a good chance of preventing further damage and ensuring the future survival of Sogod Bay’s coral reefs.
I learned a great deal from working with Coral Cay Conservation and feel privileged to have contributed towards preserving some of the least disturbed and least researched coral reef habitats in the Philippines. To learn more about Coral Cay Conservation, please visit their site at www.coralcay.org.
Biosphere's Freshwater Fish Observation Network Project (Canada)
The Freshwater Fish Observation Network (FFEN) was an Ecowatch Network project developed by the Biosphere of Environment Canada. The objective of the Ecowatch program was to encourage citizens and communities to take responsibility for the environment by developing structured environmental projects and exchanging data and solutions obtained in the projects with each other, as well as with the scientific community.
The FFEN project was a long-term study designed to monitor the health of freshwater fish in the Saint Lawrence River and its tributaries. Students from various high schools, colleges, and universities were involved in collecting the data for this project at different locations along the shores of the St. Lawrence River. Their objective was to catch freshwater fish using a seine net and observe specimens for external parasites (black spots, yellow grub and leeches) and external anomalies (blindness, fin erosion, scoliosis and lordosis). Each school was responsible for submitting a scientific report on the data collected. The information collected became part of the FFEN’s database which was used to monitor the health of the freshwater fish population in the St. Lawrence River.
As the FFEN project coordinator in 2006, I was responsible for leading students participating in the FFEN project by ensuring that the fishing technique and data collected maintained a high scientific standard. I was also responsible for collecting and dissecting specimens with severe or rare anomalies for more in-depth biopsies at the University of Montreal. Other responsibilities included organising field excursions, collecting crayfish data, and preparing and maintaining sampling equipment.
Unfortunately, the FFEN project ended in May 2006 due to budget cuts at Environment Canada. For more information on the Biosphere, please visit their website at www.ec.gc.ca/biosphere.
The FFEN project was a long-term study designed to monitor the health of freshwater fish in the Saint Lawrence River and its tributaries. Students from various high schools, colleges, and universities were involved in collecting the data for this project at different locations along the shores of the St. Lawrence River. Their objective was to catch freshwater fish using a seine net and observe specimens for external parasites (black spots, yellow grub and leeches) and external anomalies (blindness, fin erosion, scoliosis and lordosis). Each school was responsible for submitting a scientific report on the data collected. The information collected became part of the FFEN’s database which was used to monitor the health of the freshwater fish population in the St. Lawrence River.
As the FFEN project coordinator in 2006, I was responsible for leading students participating in the FFEN project by ensuring that the fishing technique and data collected maintained a high scientific standard. I was also responsible for collecting and dissecting specimens with severe or rare anomalies for more in-depth biopsies at the University of Montreal. Other responsibilities included organising field excursions, collecting crayfish data, and preparing and maintaining sampling equipment.
Unfortunately, the FFEN project ended in May 2006 due to budget cuts at Environment Canada. For more information on the Biosphere, please visit their website at www.ec.gc.ca/biosphere.
