Liz Mitchell
Liz has worked for a variety of marine mammal and commercial fisheries observer programs since 1983- she has experience working in the North Pacific, Eastern Tropical Pacific (including Hawaii), New Zealand, South America, and the South Atlantic (Antarctica). Liz became involved in the APO in 1996 and has played an integral role with the organization since then.Whether dredge operations, seismic research, commercial or recreational fisheries, all are associated with extracting marine resources. As these resources become increasingly depleted, independent monitoring (observer programs) will grow and continue to play more and more important roles in management. Liz believes that observers will face increasing pressures from contractors and commercial industries that may compromise their duties. Likewise federal and state agencies require close examination of their monitoring programs.
Educating the public about the scientific protocols and the data/specimens observers collect is vital to gauge the effectiveness and accuracy of monitoring programs. Liz hopes to help the APO continue to build support for observers and work toward fostering a system that provides for national standards of truly independent monitoring and analysis of their impacts on the marine environment.
Contact Liz at emitch@efn.org