Johnna Brooks Receives National Fisheries Fellowship

For immediate release

Contact: Katie Mosher, kmosher@ncsu.edu

Johnna Brooks of North Carolina State University has received a joint fellowship from NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service and Sea Grant.

“Through the NMFS-Sea Grant Fellowship Program, this year’s class of talented fellows will advance their scientific and technical skills while informing current sustainable fisheries and environmental management challenges,” said Jonathan Pennock, director of the National Sea Grant College Program.

Since 1999, the NMFS-Sea Grant Joint Fellowship program has trained the next generation of specialized experts in fisheries management. The program addresses the critical need for future fisheries scientists by supporting students pursuing doctoral degrees in related fields.

Brooks is one of new seven fellows in population and ecosystem dynamics, a field vital to high quality fishery stock assessments. She will work with the Southeast Fisheries Science Center, looking at the development of a seasonal size-structured, tag-integrated, stock-assessment model of estuarine fish.

“My goal is to improve stock assessment methods because as the daughter of a commercial fisherman, I understand how assessment results impact management decisions and fishing communities,” Brooks explains.

NC State applied ecologists Jeffrey A. Buckel and Jie Cao will provide guidance as faculty advisors, and Kyle Shertzer, the center’s stock assessment team leader, will serve as the NOAA mentor for Brooks.

In addition to NC State, this year’s fellows attend universities in Alaska, California, Florida, Michigan, Massachusetts, New York, and Washington.

more about the NMFS-Sea Grant Fellowship

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