For my internship, I will be working for the fisheries division of the World Wildlife Fund Oceans team to develop a report that looks into participatory processes and governance mechanisms worldwide that successfully help fisheries achieve the Marine Stewardship Council Certificate. The MSC Certificate is the gold standard for sustainable seafood, and this type of label can open new markets for fisheries that can earn the label through better management practices. The report I’m working on aims to aid the WWF Peru team in their consultancy with the Peruvian government on the next steps toward sustainable fisheries and gaining the MSC label on their seafood exports. My job is to gather examples of governments worldwide that have successfully implemented the MSC standard into their fisheries, and the management processes they used to engage with stakeholders. The Peru team will then use these examples to work with the government to develop a more sustainable fishery that will benefit their country both socially and economically. The main goal of this report is to show the Peruvian government the benefits of investing in their fisheries and seeking out sustainable labels like the Marine Stewardship Council Certificate. 

Once this report is done in July, I will be moving to another project with the communications team within the ocean department to work on engagement with Fisheries in Progress and the stories we can share to engage with WWF supporters. 

While remote work is not ideal, I have had the chance to soak up all Northern California has to offer once I’m done with work for the day. It is hard to complain about a remote internship when I can climb a mountain in Pinnacles National Park and surf at Carmel Beach while still making my meetings with WWF happen. The CBE fellowship has been a great way for me to pursue my dream organization remotely, and opening the door for opportunities I may not have had.