Photo by Lucas Oliver Oswald, Palmyra Atoll.
Selected Papers and Projects
Shark Finning at Cocos Island: Managing Illegal Fishing in the Offshore Waters of Costa Rica |
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Cocos Island has been protected in some form since 1984, yet its famous shark populations are in decline. In this paper, I explore some of the major challenges facing large marine protected areas.
Traditional Values in a Modern Setting: Palau’s Enduring Marine Conservation Ethic |
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I review traditional Palauan marine management systems and assess to what extent Palauans have a culture of marine conservation. I assess two hypotheses: (1) The erosion of the traditional system of governance has led to increased exploitation and degradation of marine resources, and (2) The booming ecotourism industry is responsible for the resurgence of Palau’s marine conservation ethic.
Socioeconomic Impacts of Catch Shares on the West Coast Groundfish Fishery |
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Catch shares are lauded as the end to the Tragedy of the Commons, but what is their impact on fishing communities? This is a proposal for a community-based research project to answer that question.
CITES and Biodiversity Conservation |
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This short report was written for an international environmental law class. I identify an economic conflict of interest in the Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES), using the case study of the Atlantic bluefin tuna, and recommend a more science-based approach to listing species.
Marine Pollution: Biases and Solutions in International Policy |
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In this short report, I address biases in international marine pollution policy. This paper was a reaction to a reading in Principles in International Environmental Law by Philippe Sands and Jacqueline Peel.