For immediate release
Contact: Scott Baker at 910-962-2492 or msbaker@ncsu.edu.
Brian Chansky is the new South Atlantic Reef Fish Extension and Communication Fellow. He will work with the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council and Sea Grant programs in the Southeast.
Chansky previously served as a marine conservation intern with Reef Environmental Education Foundation and as program co-lead for the NOAA Ocean Guardian Youth Ambassador Program. He graduated from the University of Delaware this past May with a major in marine science and a minor in organizational and community leadership.
“We are excited to have Brian come onboard,” says Scott Baker, fisheries specialist with North Carolina Sea Grant. “Brian has a passion for collaborative teamwork and communicating marine science to others. He is passionate about pursuing this line of work as a career, and I know this fellowship will prepare him for the road ahead.”
The South Atlantic Reef Fish Extension and Communication Fellowship is a collaborative effort of Sea Grant programs in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. Chansky will be a liaison among fishers, scientists, and managers on issues of reef fish management.
Funding for the fellowship is part of a multi-region, multi-state reef fish extension and outreach effort.
“The Sea Grant Reef Fish Fellowship has been incredibly valuable to the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, from the Best Fishing Practices Initiative to the Council’s Citizen Science Program to our general outreach initiatives,” says Christina Wiegand, social scientist at South Atlantic Fishery Management Council. “Not only has the partnership allowed us to expand our outreach capacity, but it has brought in new perspectives, allowing us to continually update our outreach efforts in new and exciting ways.”
Chansky will work on projects that advance stakeholder understanding of reef fish issues and management, including advances in research related to red snapper, greater amberjack, and other managed reef fish species.
“The information this fellowship focuses on is extremely relevant and important for the snapper-grouper complex,” says Chansky, “It’s an incredible opportunity to encourage anglers to have better fishing practices and engage more in the management process. I’m really looking forward to building upon my outreach and education skills, while working to improve connections and relationships on such a significant project in the region.”
