Spotlight: Shelly-Ann Cox
Research that supports Blue Economies
Shelly-Ann Cox is an Ocean Professional, Fisheries Management Specialist, Oceanpreneur, Science Communicator, Deputy Chairperson of the Fisheries Advisory Committee in Barbados and mother of a 2-year old aqua-toddler. She recently launched a boutique consultancy firm called Blue Shell Productions which specializes in blue economy consulting, event planning and management and science communication. This firm is built on over 10 years of experience in the Caribbean in developing sustainable development solutions and interventions that are relevant and adapted to the specific circumstances of the region. She also have significant experience in navigating the complex inter-institutional relationships at the science-policy interface in the Caribbean.
Shelly-Ann has worked on a number of island-related projects, including projects funded by the Global Environment Fund, such as: Climate Change Adaptation in the Eastern Caribbean (CC4FISH); Developing Organizational Capacity for Ecosystem Stewardship and Livelihoods in Caribbean Small-Scale Fisheries (StewardFish); the CLME+ Hub project in the Caribbean and North Brazil Shelf related to effective ecosystem management and, Sargassum seaweed adaptation (SargAdapt) projects in the Caribbean.
Shelly-Ann Cox at Berwyn Shipwreck, Carlisle Bay, Barbados /Photo credit: Renata Goodridge
In her current role as Deputy Chairperson of the Fisheries Advisory Committee in Barbados, Shelly-Ann engages with stakeholders in the fishing industry including BARNUFO, large fish processors, representatives of various government agencies including the Fisheries Division and the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and the Blue Economy. Most recently she has been supporting BARNUFO with the implementation of Project DigiFish. This project aims to promote the use of Digital technologies and innovative data analytical methods to support the application of the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries (EAF) in Barbados. This project will pilot the installation of 30 Pelagic Data Systems (PDS) vessel tracking devices on small vessels in Barbados. It is expected that the pilot will also demonstrate how vessel tracking systems can be used to make informed decisions about how fisheries can be best managed to balance diverse societal objectives and improve livelihoods.
October 1st, 2021
