Media Release

For Immediate Release

February 26, 2008

SMU Prof Elected President of IIFET

Dr. Tony Charles, a professor of management science and environmental studies, has been elected President of the International Institute for Fisheries Economics and Trade.

"IIFET is truly a global organization, so it is a special honour to be elected by people from around the world to take on the top leadership role with such a respected international group,” says Dr. Charles.

“During my time as IIFET President, I am hoping to attract to the organization new members coming from a wide range of research, management, industry and nongovernmental groups - not only those in the field of fisheries economics, but others with related interests,” he says. “I am looking at IIFET as an international forum for discussion and networking on a broad range of issues relating to natural resources and particularly to how people and oceans connect together.”

He indicates that his appointment as President is yet another example of how faculty at Saint Mary's are involved in the world outside the university - whether in our local communities, or on a national scale, or in this case, operating globally.

“When a faculty member has a position such as this, it is not only that individual who is known by their organization, but their home institution as well - so this sort of thing gets the Saint Mary's name out around the world,” he says.

Dr. Charles is a Pew Fellow in Marine Conservation.

He specializes in the interdisciplinary analysis of fisheries, aquaculture and coastal issues, with a focus on themes of sustainability and resilience, integrated indicator frameworks, community-based resource management, and ocean policy.

Dr. Charles is the author of a wide range of publications, including the Blackwell Science book Sustainable Fishery Systems, the NRC Press book Canadian Marine Fisheries in a Changing and Uncertain World, the GPI Atlantic report Nova Scotia GPI Fisheries and Marine Environment Accounts, and a new Handbook on Community-based Fisheries Management (to be available through the Coastal CURA website, www.coastalcura.ca).

He is the founding Director, past Chair, and current Board Member of Canada’s Ocean Management Research Network.

He serves as an advisor to several fisheries organizations in Atlantic Canada, and internationally he has worked on fishery, aquaculture and coastal management projects in Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as working on FAO and OECD research studies and expert panels.

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For More Information:

Paul Fitzgerald
Public Affairs Officer
Saint Mary's University, Public Affairs
(902) 420.5514
E-mail: paul.fitzgerald@smu.ca
www.smu.ca