Humboldt State University, B.Sc. Fisheries Biology, marine emphasis; Biology, marine emphasis
I grew up in Edgewood, NM, and still managed to become enthralled by the ocean. I graduated from Humboldt State University with a Bachelor’s in marine biology and marine fisheries biology and a minor in scientific scuba diving. During that time, I had the opportunity to complete a marine research internship in Mossel Bay, South Africa, studying the white shark population in the bay. My senior project examined the feeding ecology of lingcod, cabezon, and kelp greenling from Del Norte County, California.
The working title of my thesis is “Modeling fishing gear to address ‘more than minimal and not temporary’ fishing effects to essential fish habitat”. The Magnuson Stevens Fisheries Conservation and Management Act mandates that fisheries management councils (Figure 1) minimize to the extent practicable adverse fishing effects to essential fish habitat (EFH). Councils must act if the effects are “more than minimal and not temporary”. The first part of my thesis compares how each of the eight councils in the country interpret and implement EFH fishing effects regulations. The second part of my thesis is modifying the existing Fishing Effects model (Figure 2) used by the North Pacific council to estimate habitat effects from fishing. I am building a framework to make the model three dimensional. Using a three-dimensional fishing effects model allows us to simulate gear modifications and estimate how much the modification would decrease habitat disturbance (Figure 3). A 3D model would also be able to simulate all three options available to mitigate fishing effects – area closures, harvest reductions, and gear modifications. The two-dimensional model is only effective at simulating area closures and harvest reductions. These simulations would allow for the evaluation of management trade-offs before policy action.
Funding for this work was provided by the Pollock Conservation Cooperative via the Alaska Education Tax Credit Program.
Collaborators: Craig Rose, Scott Smeltz, Suresh Sethi
Related Theses: Susie Zagorski, Brianna King
Publications:
Nimick A.M., and Harris B.P. 2016. Essential Fish Habitat Regulation in the United States: Lessons for High Latitudes. The Yearbook of Polar Law Vol. 8.
Kaiser M.J., Hilborn R., Jennings S., Amaroso R., Andersen M., Balliet K., Barratt E., Bergstad O.A., Bishop S., Bostrom J.L., Boyd C., Bruce E.A., Burden M., Carey C., Clermont J., Collie J.S., Delahunty A., Dixon J., Eayrs S., Edwards N., Fujita R., Gauvin J., Gleason M., Harris B.P., He P., Hiddink J.G., Hughes K.M., Inostroza M., Kenny A., Kritzer J., Kuntzsch V., Lasta M., Lopez I., Loveridge C., Lynch D., Masters J., Mazor T., McConnaughey R.A., Moenne M., Neat F., Nimick A.M., Olsen A., Parker D., Parma A., Penney C., Pierce D., Pitcher R., Pol M., Richardson E., Rijnsdorp A.D., Rilatt S., Rodmell D.P., Rose C., Sethi S.A., Short K., Suuronen P., Taylor E., Wallace S., Webb L., Wickham E., Wilding S.R., Wilson A., Winger P., & Sutherland W.J. 2015. Prioritisation of knowledge needs to achieve best practices for bottom-trawling in relation to seabed habitats. Fish and Fisheries. doi: 10.1111/faf.12134
