NOAA Ernest F. Hollings Scholarship
National Marine Fisheries Service- Pacific Islands Region
2011-2012
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Junior year of my undergraduate degree, I was awarded the Ernest F. Hollings Scholarship to conduct research for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in Honolulu, Hawaii. I worked alongside a social scientist, Dr. Christopher Hawkins, and was tasked with assessing the status of social science research needs across the Pacific Islands Region within the National Marine Fisheries Service.
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I conducted a literature review of available social science research on major fisheries within the region. I organized the information by fishery, such as bottom-fish, coral reef, crustaceans, longline, troll, squid, recreational, charter, etc. I discovered that we know a significant amount about these fishing activities within the Hawaiian archipelago, but surprisingly little in the less populous locations of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and American Samoa. The literature review set the stage for establishing research goals and priorities.
The next step was to determine where we go from here. I wanted to know what social science research needs were the most important to tackle. And do various stakeholders believe this information is useful in fisheries management?
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To answer these questions, I dedicated my Honors College undergraduate research to the subject. I conducted a gap analysis, which involved interviewing over 60 managers, scientists, and fishers about social science research needs in the Pacific Islands Region and discovered four primary research priorities:
1) Fisher perspectives, behaviors, and motivations
2) Baseline participation and catch data in recreational fisheries
3) Culture, customs, and values
4) Economics
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The literature review was published within NOAA and currently serves as a reference for managers and policymakers. Results from interviews and the gap analysis were presented and defended for my Oregon State University honors college thesis.
Both can be accessed below:
