Oceana | Protecting the World's Oceans

Ocean Advocate, Policy

Based in: Washington, DC, USA

Growing up in coastal New England you can’t help but form a connection to the ocean. Whether it was spending time at the beach, fishing for stripers and blues, or going out on the boat with friends the water dictates the rhythm of life.

At an early age I began to appreciate the challenges facing our oceans from pollution to overfishing. The collapse of the bay scallop fishery along with the collapse of the Grand Banks fishery brought home the far reaching socio-economic impacts of bad policy. In some ways I was fortunate my family didn’t depend on these things for a livelihood, but you couldn’t help but feel our lives were lacking with their absence.

Years later a few years at law school taught me that our entire government structure relies on critical citizen engagement. Right now our oceans are telling us a lot about our future, and climate change, overfishing, and habitat destruction paint a bleak picture. As citizens it is our responsibility to speak out and fight for the things we value. Our oceans need a voice and it is our job to give them that voice.