Heather Lahr (2010)
Fellowship Year: 2010
Academic Background: University of California - Santa Barbara - MESM 2011- (Coastal Marine Resources Management)
Heather Lahr is currently a Masters student at the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management where she is researching the environmental sustainability and economic viability of offshore shrimp aquaculture in Aquapod Net Pens. The project aims to couple spatial planning with bio-economic analyses to inform policy decisions regarding the integration of Aquapods into local fisheries in Mexico. Her belief in sustainable aquaculture began in Zambia while working for the United States Peace Corps as a Rural Aquaculture Extension Agent. While in Zambia she learned the importance of aquaculture as a food source for developing nations and since then has aspired to make these practices more environmentally friendly. For the past three years she has been co-directing the Santa Barbara Sustainable Seafood Program, a restaurant certification program that aims to increase the availability of local and sustainable products through direct consultation with chefs, fishermen and distributors. This summer she will continue to explore the complicated world of seafood distribution while working at Oceana as a Seafood Fraud Intern. In the future she plans to continue her work in sustainable seafood by creating traceability mechanisms to further streamline the distribution process.
Expertise: Coastal & Marine Issues, Sustainable Ag / Food Policy