From transportation to food production, our dependence on the global ocean is longstanding and obvious—as is, especially in recent decades, the environmental impact of our interactions with it. But in trying to create a “blue economy” alongside a sustainable ocean, there are other important issues raised, says fisheries management researcher Megan Bailey.
“For me, I’m interested in equity,” says Dr. Bailey. “How much fish comes out of the ocean is a hugely important part of fisheries management. But how does taking fish out of the ocean benefit people, and who does it benefit?”
She calls this a question of “blue justice,” and it drives her work, whether it’s attending global governance meetings or working directly with local fishermen. “It’s taking national and globally-recognized governance frameworks for marine resources—specifically fish—and trying to understand what that means for equitable outcomes in how resources are used.”
That means looking at who’s at the decision-making table, and how those decisions flow through the supply chain from the people on the ground working in fisheries to those eating seafood around the globe. Dr. Bailey says her research space is a fluid one—no pun intended—existing between global and local and deeply interdisciplinary in its engagements with other researchers.
“It affords me a wonderful collaborative space, and it’s great to work with all kinds of inspiring people.”
Read the full article in Dal Magazine ...
Learn more about Megan's OFI research project, Ecosystem Indicators for a Changing Ocean ...
