Fellowships for seven fisheries grad students highlights community support
Credit: Madeline Davis
The first cohort of the Sustainable Fisheries Graduate Program at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa has been selected and includes 14 students, seven of which are supported through fellowships from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Hawai‘i Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR) and a Hawai’i-based philanthropic organization.
“It is really encouraging to see the significant support for this new program from the community and the state and federal agencies we partner with,” said Jeff Drazen, Sustainable Fisheries program graduate chair and oceanography professor in UH Mānoa School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology. “Welcoming the first cohort of students is an exciting milestone and having this level of community collaboration will really advance our goal of ensuring sustainable fisheries for people throughout the Pacific.”
Students address fisheries near and far
The incoming students receiving fellowships are Kai Holdaway, Alexander Jemal, Ashley Meara, Kahakuhailoa Poepoe, Mackenzie Thielmann, Andrea Vega, and Jake Zikan. Of the seven students, six will pursue master’s degrees and one will pursue a doctoral degree; two are from Hawai‘i and five are from the U.S. continent.
Students and their UH advisors will work collaboratively with the sponsoring agencies and Hawai‘i communities on their graduate research projects.
Supported by one of the two Division of Aquatic Resources Fellowships, Thielmann’s research will focus on finding “nursery” areas where young fish grow along O‘ahu’s coastlines to help protect future fish populations. By analyzing a large state dataset, Thielmann will identify where juvenile fish are most common and see if these “hotspots” match up with where legal-sized adult fish live. This project will use advanced science to ensure that culturally important reef fish remain abundant for local families and fishers. Further, this will help DAR create better fishing rules and habitat protections.
One of the four fellowships supported by the NOAA Pacific Island Fisheries Science Center in Honolulu, awarded to Holdaway, will support building a computer model that predicts where the Hawai‘i longline fishing fleet might shift to as ocean conditions and fishing laws change. By analyzing vessel data and interviewing fishers, Holdaway wants to understand how factors like earnings, weather, and mapping tools influence a captain’s decisions. Ultimately, this work seeks to balance catching target fish with avoiding protected species to ensure a healthier marine ecosystem.
One fellowship supporting co-produced research of Hawai‘i fisheries was awarded to Poepoe by a philanthropic organization to protect ‘ama‘ama (mullet) populations in Hawai‘i by combining traditional indigenous knowledge with modern science. By interviewing community experts and conducting field studies, Poepoe will track fish spawning cycles using the Hawaiian lunar calendar and skilled observation called kilo. This will help determine if current fishing laws align with actual fish behavior. The project seeks to update outdated policies with place-based management, ensuring these traditional food sources remain abundant for future generations.
“DAR is very excited to welcome this new cohort of fisheries students as they help advance our understanding of Hawaiʻi’s fisheries and contribute to stronger, more adaptive management in the face of ongoing and emerging challenges,” said Brian Nielson, DAR administrator.
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