Jeff Palm with California Ocean Science Trust

Through the EPM program, I partnered with California Ocean Science Trust (OST) to advance a project investigating flexible management solutions for fisheries in response to climate change. This included a multitude of tasks, notably summarizing current Pacific groundfish management plans, conducting a literature review on the 2003 Pacific Groundfish Buyback program and Mesoamerican Reef Insurance program, and researching comparable case studies encompassing flexible fisheries management in practice. This work has supported faculty at UC Davis as they analyze flexible management strategies for federally managed fisheries. Additionally, I conducted stakeholder engagement for my research, which included conversations with individuals at the California Fish and Game Commission and Pacific Fishery Management Council. This work provided key foundational knowledge and guidance as the project transitions into the next phase, which will likely include a focus group, among other initiatives, to ensure scientific research is guided by stakeholder interests and the findings inform future policy decisions.

Natural resources such as fisheries are highly valuable to communities as a source of food, economic stability, cultural significance, and ecosystem health. With a proactive approach to amending fisheries management practices, communities will be better equipped for climate disasters and fishery stocks will be more resilient to climate impacts. I firmly believe in the power of science-based solutions to provide co-benefits for society and our oceans. Through this partnership with OST, I have been able to contribute to a project that may better protect our oceans and prepare communities, and I look forward to continuing this work as I complete my master’s degree and pursue a career in marine resource management.