Ayana Elizabeth Johnson's Public Profile

About Me

Ayana recently completed her marine biology PhD at Scripps Institution of Oceanography with a dissertation, entitled “Fish, Fishing, Diving and the Management of Coral Reefs.” Her research, conducted on the Caribbean islands of Curaçao and Bonaire, took a holistic approach to understanding how to sustainably manage coral reefs by incorporating ecology, economics, and sociology. In 2008, she researched trap fishing and found a way to reduce fish trap bycatch by 80% using escape gaps. In 2009, she examined gill net fishing, and all signs pointed to it being unsustainable. In 2009 and 2010, she conducted socioeconomic interviews with 400 of Curaçao and Bonaire’s fishermen and professional SCUBA divers to understand their views on marine resource health and management options. Her work aims to produce a gear-based approach to sustainable fisheries management that incorporates stakeholder views and can serve as a blueprint for any coral reef location in need of straightforward fisheries management strategies.

Currently, Ayana is a Knauss Sea Grant Fellow with a joint appointment in NOAA’s Office of Policy, and the office of the Assistant Administrator of the National Marine Fisheries Service. She focuses on projects related to the National Ocean Policy, the National Shellfish Initiative, and the recreational fishing.

She is from Brooklyn, NY, is the co-chair emeritus of the Artisanal Fisheries Research Network at Scripps, serves on the executive board of the Washington, D.C.’s Women’s Aquatic Network, has a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science and Public Policy from Harvard University, and is a jazz singer.

Educational Credentials

Ph.D. in marine biology from Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UCSD.  2011.  Advisor: Dr. Jeremy Jackson. Dissertation: Fish, Fishing, Diving, and the Management of Coral Reefs.

B.A. in environmental science and public policy from Harvard University.  2002.

I Knew I was a Conservationist When....

I learned that the coral reefs of the Florida Keys, where I learned to swim and identify sea creatures, were but a shadow of their former glory.

My Contributions