Who we are
The MCC at the SSC Leaders Meeting in Abu Dhabi, October 2019.
From left, Rima Jabado, Jean Harris, Beth Polidoro, Jon Paul Rodriguez - Chair of the SSC, Gianna Minton, Amanda Vincent, Aaron Lobo, Kent Carpenter - Manager IUCN Marine Biodiversity Unit and MCC Special Advisor, Joe Lee and Matthew Gollock.
Photo by Rod Mast.
Chair
Prof. Amanda Vincent
X @AmandaVincent1
Amanda is a Professor at the Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries at the University of British Columbia, Canada. She also leads a marine conservation team called Project Seahorse (www.projectseahorse.org), that blends research with management and policy action. Their work includes ecological and social research, marine protected areas, fisheries and trade management, and development of integrated policy. Although primarily focused on Asia, Project Seahorse is active around the world, using the charisma of seahorses to advance broad marine conservation solutions. One big focus must be on ending annihilation fishing, where any and all forms of life are taken indiscriminately. Along with other international roles, Amanda is Chair of the IUCN global committee that links ventures for conservation of marine species.
Members
Ehab Eid
Ehab is a leading marine expert in Jordan and West Asia region. Expertise includes terrestrial and marine biodiversity conservation and research, IUCN Red Listing, Green Protected Areas, zoology, multilateral environmental conventions (CITES, CBD, UNFCCC and UNCCD), protected areas management and environmental safeguards. A regional trainer and an author of various strategies, action plans, bylaws, policies, report, peer-reviewed articles and books. In addition to serving on the IUCN SSC Marine Conservation Committee and being a member of multiple IUCN Specialist Groups and Networks, Ehab is the Regional Vice-Chair - IUCN SSC West Asia 2021-2025.
Dr Matthew GollOck
X @ZSLMarine
Matthew Gollock is the Marine and Freshwater Programme Manager at ZSL, and has over 20 years’ experience researching and conserving aquatic species. He is interested in migratory species - particularly elasmobranchs and anguillid eels – and the management and policy mechanisms required to conserve their unique life histories. He is the Chair of the Anguillid Eel Specialist Group.
Dr Jean Harris
X @AngraPequena
Jean Harris directs WILDOCEANS, the marine programme of the WILDTRUST, a non-governmental public interest organisation based in South Africa. Prior to this she led the scientific services team of Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, the conservation agency which manages the protected areas and biodiversity in the eastern province of South Africa. Jean has served on the Scientific Authority that advises the South African Minister of Environment on biodiversity matters, as well as the Marine Science for Management Programme Committee of the Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA). Her current initiatives include the Ocean Stewards Programme which aims to build offshore marine science capacity and inspire a new generation of ocean advocates. She is a core team member for three offshore projects funded through the African Coelacanth Ecosystem Programme (ACEP), that are conducting research in support of marine protected area expansion. Jean is also the skipper of RY Angra Pequena, the 72 ft research and training vessel.
Dr Rima W. Jabado
X @GulfElasmo
Rima is a conservationist and fisheries scientist with experience spanning the northwest Indian Ocean and more recently West Africa. Her research has focused on investigating shark and ray fisheries and trade and combines field work with outreach and advocacy to mobilize and provide conservation and policy solutions at the government and community levels. Rima is also the Indian Ocean Regional Vice-Chair of the IUCN Shark Specialist Group and sits on the Advisory Committee for the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) Sharks MoU as a representative of the Asia region.
Dr Joe Lee
Joe is an ecosystem ecologist specialising the role of animals and anthropogenic influences in the processes sustaining coastal wetlands. His PhD thesis was on the conservation and management of the Mai Po Marshes, an internationally important Ramsar in Hong Kong. He has since worked in various wetland systems of the world, particularly the mangrove forests in Southeast Asia and Australia. Joe is currently a Professor and the Director of the Simon F S Li Marine Science Laboratory of The Chinese University of Hong Kong. He was the founding co-chair and current chair of the IUCN Mangrove Specialist Group.
Dr Aaron Savio Lobo
Aaron is a marine conservation practitioner interested in the sea was ironically driven by his love for seafood. His work has largely focused on understanding the costs of seafood production on vulnerable marine species and livelihoods and finding ways to make the seafood system more sustainable through policy and practice. His work involves designing, supporting and implementing projects which include understanding the impacts of tropical trawl fisheries, managing marine protected areas and setting up fisheries monitoring programmes in South Asia and West Africa. He has worked for GIZ (Indo-German Biodiversity Programme) and is also a member of the IUCN SSC Sea snake specialist group.
Dr Gianna Minton
Gianna Minton started her career in the field of education, but became so inspired by Oman’s marine environment during her 8 years there, that she started a new career in marine mammal research and conservation. Gianna has a PhD focusing on the unique non-migratory humpback whales of the Arabian Sea, and has conducted field-based cetacean research in Oman, Malaysia and Gabon. A member of the IUCN Cetacean Specialist Group, she has also worked on turtle and fisheries monitoring, and is now based in the Netherlands, working on cetacean conservation with WWF, the IWC and the IUCN.
DR MEI LIN NEO
Mei Lin is a Senior Research Fellow at the Tropical Marine Science Institute, National University of Singapore and Social Media Manager at Mothers in Science. Mei Lin was a recipient of the World Future Foundation Ph.D. Prize in 2014, the L’Oréal For Women in Science National Fellowship in 2015, and the NUS Outstanding Young Alumni Award in 2017. She was selected as the only Singaporean TED Fellow for the Class of 2017, and gave her TED talk in Vancouver, Canada in April of 2017.
Coralie Palmer
Coralie is the Marine Conservation Coordinator at the Global Center for Species Survival (Indianapolis Zoo, Indiana, USA). Coralie brings over 20 years of experience working in the field of conservation biology. She has a strong focus on working collaboratively and inclusively with a broad range of stakeholders and communities, extensive experience facilitating research, outreach and policy development and a commitment to equity and environmental justice. Coralie’s research has focused on mangrove, seagrass and coral reef ecosystems, with field work for the Environmental Justice Foundation in Vietnam and Bangladesh. Originally from the UK, Coralie has lived in India, Egypt, Australia and the USA. Coralie has served as a Director for the Indiana Wildlife Federation and currently serves as President of the Indiana Native Plant Society.
Dr Beth Polidoro
Dr. Beth Polidoro is an Associate Professor of Marine Conservation and Environmental Chemistry at Arizona State University (ASU). She has more than 15 years experience with IUCN, primarily working on Red List Assessments for marine species. She currently leads the ASU-IUCN Red List Partnership commitments, as well as helps to coordinate IUCN Red List Assessments for a number of marine groups, including bony fishes and reef-building corals.
Banner photo of white spotted hermit crab, Danajon Bank, Philippines by Kyle Gillespie/Project Seahorse