April 22, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:
Dr. Nicole Naar is an Aquaculture Specialist at Washington Sea Grant. She earned her doctoral degree in anthropology from the University of California-Davis, where she conducted fieldwork in Mexico and Tanzania. Currently her work focuses on conducting outreach for sustainable aquaculture and helping coastal communities respond to social and environmental challenges.
Blending Marine and Social Sciences
Growing up in Florida, Naar always had an interest in marine biology. In high school, she also developed an interest in social science. At the time, it seemed difficult to find a link between the two career paths. Luckily, on a student trip to Mexico, her eyes were opened to the possibility of combining anthropology, sustainability, and marine biology in a coastal setting.
One of Naar’s visits to Mexico focused on a small coastal town where many job seekers came from other areas of the country to work and fish. Fisheries were rumored to be overexploited due to the growing number of immigrant workers. To address these concerns and perceptions, Naar began to gather data on resource use, regulation compliance, and other factors. Ultimately, her work demonstrated that in terms of fishing practices, there was no difference between locals and non-locals.
“Fisheries are directly connected to the social science issues many people care about, such as job creation, local food systems, and environmental sustainability,” said Naar. “Social science research provides data that empowers communities to make informed decisions about sustainable wild-capture and aquaculture.”