Hi! My name is Melissa Vezard and I am a Master’s student at UCSB’s Bren School of Environmental Science Management where I am specializing in Coastal Marine Resources Management and Conservation Planning. Growing up near the coast, I had a connection to the ocean and recognized the importance of the ocean for coastal communities. This sparked my interest to explore ways to protect marine environments while understanding the social and cultural significance.
For my master’s capstone project, I’ve had the opportunity to work with fellow Bren students on a project exploring the intersection between Marine Protected Areas, ocean access, and subsistence fishers in California. My focus of the project has been understanding the social implications of pollutants on marine species harvested by subsistence fishers.
If you visited one of the piers off the coast of California, you may have seen fishers lined up all along the pier catching fish with their poles. Many of these fishers are there to
fish because it is tradition or has cultural significance to them. Others fish to provide food for
their families and communities. We determined the top species targeted by these subsistence fishers and mapped out the areas where they may be most impacted by pollution. This information can be used to suggest areas of priority for conservation efforts and pollution mitigation. It is very important to pinpoint where we can reduce pollution to protect species that fishers rely on to ensure the continued livelihood for California subsistence fishers.
This project has been an incredible learning experience. I’ve gained skills on how to manage data and determine how the data can be used to tell a story. This project has also allowed me to further gain insight on how critical it is for social aspects to be taken into account when making ocean management and conservation decisions. As we continue our analysis I am interested in diving deeper into understanding the social importance of the project’s outcomes.
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