NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service West Coast Region Sustainable Fisheries Division Sustainable Fisheries Internship

Host: The NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), West Coast Region Sustainable Fisheries Division is dedicated to protecting and preserving our nation's living marine resources through scientific research, fisheries management, enforcement, and habitat conservation. The Sustainable Fisheries Division’s Highly Migratory Species Program works to develop, implement, and evaluate policies and regulations for managing sustainable fisheries for eastern Pacific Ocean species such as Pacific tunas, swordfish, sharks, and billfish. Because highly migratory species are found throughout the Pacific Ocean and cross jurisdictional boundaries, this program engages stakeholders and governmental groups in the management of these species at both domestic and international levels.

Location:Long Beach

Internship Dates: June 6 - August 19, 2016; start and end dates flexible with regard to student’s academic commitments.

Stipend: $4,000.00

Time Commitment: The internship is a full time, 11-week commitment. Over the 11 weeks, the intern may take up to five days off for personal reasons, vacation or illness. If participation is less than 100%, the stipend will be pro-rated.

Position Description and Responsibilities: The Highly Migratory Species Program of the West Coast Region works with NOAA NMFS (Fisheries) staff from the Pacific Islands Regional Office, the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, and the Southwest Fisheries Science Center to interpret scientific findings on the status of highly migratory species stocks (including tunas, sharks and billfish) and influence decision-makers’ adoption of appropriate management measures based on status determinations. The stock status of species, especially when determined to be overfished or subject to overfishing, serves as a foundation for deciding future federal fishery conservation and management actions. Due to the transboundary nature of highly migratory species stocks, these federal decisions must also take a broader international context into account. NOAA Fisheries staff also work to fulfill the agency’s obligations to annually report the status of all federally-managed stocks to Congress and to communicate the latest information on the sustainability of U.S. seafood to the public at-large.
One (1) internship is offered during the summer of 2016 to work with NOAA Fisheries staff to interpret policies and develop protocols for determining and reporting the status of highly migratory species stocks of the Pacific Ocean. The intern will be expected to oversee the day-to-day execution of the project including collecting data on the status of stocks, evaluating the data for quality assurance, and managing and presenting the data collected in a clear and meaningful way. The intern will work with Highly Migratory Species Program staff on an as-needed basis to effectively determine research needs, gather information, and plan project milestones. Duties include meeting with project partners, facilitating ongoing communication on the status of the project, interpreting scientific results and relevant laws and policies, and soliciting and incorporating feedback.
The intern will be responsible for creating a database for managing status records for highly migratory species of the Pacific in support of NOAA Fisheries’ Species Information System and assisting Highly Migratory Species Program staff in the development of protocols for status determinations. The intern will be expected to organize and deliver this information to staff across various NOAA Fisheries offices. A presentation and summary report is expected at the completion of the internship. Additional duties could include: interviews of NOAA Fisheries staff and/or stakeholders, providing input to NOAA Fisheries Species Information System or FishWatch, communicating stock status issues to NOAA Fisheries leadership, and promoting responsible fisheries management in support of a sustainable U.S. seafood supply.

Preferred Experience and Capabilities: This internship will require excellent verbal, written, and organizational skills. Intern must have the ability to take initiative and work independently on a project, and yet participate in a team-oriented process to develop work products. Experience with data management (MS Office) is desired. Previous experience either translating scientific processes and results in support of policy decisions and/or working on fisheries management and conservation issues is a plus.

Skills Gained: The intern will gain perspective on the confluence of science, management, and policy issues related to sustainable fisheries in both a domestic and international context. Specifically, the intern will acquire experience in project management while working in collaboration with professional fishery scientists and managers. The intern will be able to contribute to the development of scientifically sound protocols for determining and communicating the status of highly migratory species stocks in the Pacific Ocean to fishery management decision-makers, Congress, and the public.

Eligibility/Requirements: The internship is intended for upperclassmen (juniors/seniors) and graduate students seeking STEM or STEM related degrees. A valid driver’s license is required. Intern must be 18 years or older. Applicants must be able to work independently and interact in a professional manner with the project partners, the public, researchers, and other NOAA Fisheries staff. Interns must be able to keep excellent notes and organize various streams of information into a coordinated action plan.

A Federal background investigation, to include fingerprints and character references, is required. Applicants are also subject to additional eligibility and requirements that can be found here.

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