Lessons Learned from Community-Based Fisheries Management in El Manglito
Working at the nexus of coastal management and community sustainability, Nicole Corpuz fills a valuable role in connecting fisheries science to on the ground application. Nicole has unique skills for engaging communities in fisheries management and restoration projects by initiating honest conversations, listening to priorities and incorporating TEK into science-based approaches. Come learn how Nicole built her career in fisheries management after graduating from the Bren MESM program and her unique approaches to community based management.
— Jessica Couture, Bren School PhD Candidate
AN H. WILLIAM KUNI BREN FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM SPEAKER
Abstract
Through her Bren Group Project, The Restoration of the Catarina Scallop in the Ensenada de La Paz, Nicole Corpuz (MESM ‘14) has developed and maintained a strong relationship with the dive fishing community of El Manglito, located in La Paz, Baja California Sur (BCS), Mexico. In this talk she will describe some of her challenges and successes in her journey to become a lead fisheries manager in BCS. Today she collaborates with community members to restore historic fishing banks in the Ensenada de La Paz, centering the importance of developing strong relationships with the community and integrating Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) with fishery restoration projects. Nicole will also go over how her own NGO, Amigos Marinos, was born out of the relationships she developed and her and her colleague’s additional drive for community sustainability projects. From collecting wetsuits and hosting wetsuit repair workshops for the fishing community through Amigos Marinos, organizing fisheries management and restoration projects with NOS Noroeste Sustentable, and training fishermen to use the Poseidon Application with The Nature Conservancy, Nicole’s work is diverse and dynamic, demanding flexibility and creativity.
Bio
Nicole Corpuz (MESM ‘14) graduated from UCLA with a degree in geography and GIS, and has been involved in community-based fisheries management in barrio El Manglito, La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico since 2013. With roots in small farming communities in Central California, Nicole brings a unique perspective to fisheries management. Combining rigorous science, spatial planning, and community collaboration, Nicole fosters 2-way conversations to approach issues facing the sustainability of artisanal fisheries and coastal communities.