Dr. Constable was awarded this prestigious fellowship for his incredible contribution in the conservation of marine ecosystem. He has designed an optimal management system for krill fisheries and safeguard endangered baleen whales. He plan to create sophisticated “ecosystem-based management” for these rapidly-growing fisheries in the Southern Ocean, and work with Antarctic scientists and authorities to implement them.
His plan not only focuses on krill but also safeguard the populations of endangered baleen whales, penguins and seabirds who feed primarily on these shrimp-like animals. The Pew Fellowship contains a total amount of $150,000 in support of critical marine environment conservation initiatives around the world.
Dr. Ellen Pikitch, executive director of Pew Institute for Ocean Science, said that the fellowship is mainly based on Antarctica which is a home to incredible biodiversity, with birds and mammals that are found nowhere else on Earth. He also added that this Fellowship will help the fishery management plan for this region.
Commenting on that Dr. Constable said that his computer-based models for the krill fishery will incorporate ever-changing ecosystem characteristics, and as those characteristics change over time, so can the management plans. According to Constable there is an urgent need of an effective and inclusive management strategy to achieve conservation objectives.
Dr. Pikitch, an expert in ecosystem-based management, opined this is a pioneering project that will further safeguard a unique marine ecosystem sorely in need of protection. The Pew Fellowship supports initiative projects led by mid-career, emerging leaders in ocean conservation and designed to develop and implement solutions to critical challenges in the marine realm.
