Advisors & Contributors

Science Advisors

Dr. Judith Weis, Rutgers University, NJ- Scientific Advisor and Research Protocols

Josh McInnes – Science Advisor

Josh is research coordinator at Marine Life Studies in Monterey Bay California. He specializes in toothed cetacean ecology. He is also a marine sciences instructor at the Bamfield Marine Science Centre on the west

coast of Vancouver Island.

David Campbell – Marine Species\Web Development Expert

David Campbell founded the MarineBio Conservation Society in 1998 and is a graduate of Texas A&M (’93) and a licensed Professional Consulting Environmental Geoscientist. David grew up reading and watching Jacques-Yves Cousteau and National Geographic’s books/films while traveling to more than 21 countries before he was age 14. He has been studying animals and our planet as long as he can remember.

David handles many of the day-to-day operations of MarineBio, working as the Director and Program Manager working with the various editors, writers, developers, photographers and interns/volunteers. David hopes to earn an MS/PhD in Marine Conservation Biology in the near future. David Campbell advises Ocean Sanctuaries on marine species identification.

Dovi Kacev – Scientific Protocol Development

Dovi Kacev grew up traveling between San Diego and South Africa, where animals and the ocean quickly became his passions. Sharks, in particular, have always captivated Dovi. He says he has “been known to bore many people with endless banter about sharks around the world”. He is a doctoral candidate with SDSU/UC Davis and his current research focus involves using molecular techniques to analyze Mako and Thresher shark (Isurus oxyrinchus and Alopias vulpinus) populations in the Southern California Bight. Dovi hopes to incorporate his findings in future fishery management plans to ensure viable, pelagic shark populations. Dovi Kacev recently joined Ocean Sanctuaries as our Scientific Protocol Development lead.

Ed Parnell – Yukon Marine Life Survey Advisor

Ed Parnell is an Associate Researcher at the Scripps Institute of Oceanography. Ed’s research interest include coastal shelf ecology, interactions of physical and biological processes on coastal shelf ecosystems, anthropogenic disturbance of coastal shelf ecosystems, and Marine Protected Areas. Ed Parenell recently joined Ocean Sanctuaries as our Yukon Marine Life Survey Advisor, continuing the work he began 2000 on the HMCS Yukon including an Ecological Assessment of the HMCS Yukon Artificial Reef off San Diego, CA (USA) published in 2005.

Contributors

Jason Holmberg – Wildbook Architect

Jason Holmberg joined WildMe.org in 2002 has logged thousands of hours of development time on Wildbook for Whale Sharks. As Wild Me’s Information Architect, he has designed and implemented new tools to support digital pattern recognition for Whale Sharks. These tools allow categorization and management of large amounts of species data. In addition, individual animals can be identified from multiple photos take by different photographers and verified by researchers, over time and locations.

Jason and his team members have devoted numerous hours to Ocean Sanctuaries configuration and customization of Wildbook for the Sevengill Shark Identification Project. Jason’s generous support of Ocean Sanctuaries Citizen Science (CS) projects has allowed us to expand our CS data collection from the sevengill sharks to the Yukon Marine Life Survey project, launching later this year.

Ocean Sanctuaries Volunteers and Assistants (who have our undying gratitude!):

— Herb Gruenhagen/Reef.org Volunteer/Reef Fish ID Instructor (assists periodically with obscure marine species ID)

— And, many thanks also to our South Africa Outreach Coordinator:

Esther Jacobs Overbeeke, Founder of the Keep Fin Alive campaign in South Africa: https://www.keepfinalive.com/about