People

I lead an international and interdisciplinary marine conservation team called Project Seahorse. We are committed to conservation and sustainable use of the world’s coastal marine ecosystems. To that end, we engage in connected research and management at scales ranging from community initiatives to international accords. Collaborating with stakeholders and partners, our team of biologists and development specialists uses seahorses to focus our efforts in finding marine conservation solutions.

Project Seahorse is considered the foremost authority in the world on 300 species of fish in the family Syngnathidae (seahorses, pipefish, seadragons, pipehorses). In support of their conservation and of marine conservation in general, we engage in a large suite of activities: conduct biological and social research, establish marine protected areas, manage subsistence fisheries, empower local communities, restructure international trade, promote integrated policy, and advance environmental education. We study and analyse and publish in all these areas.

All of our team members are linked by a pragmatic idealism and a commitment to application of knowledge. We are currently active in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Mexico, Philippines, Portugal, UK, and the USA. We maintain collaborations in many other countries.

Our notable conservation contributions include the development of 32 community-managed marine reserves (no-fishing zones) in the central Philippines, which we now study. We also used our technical knowledge to catalyse agreement on a new international policy tool to regulate exports of marine fishes, and are now trying to assess its impacts.