Hundreds of millions of people depend on the oceans for their livelihoods and more than 3 billion rely on them for a protein source. However, the world’s oceans are so vast that they are prone to abuses like overfishing, illegal fishing and human trafficking on a global scale. Savitz shows how a new tool, using big data and cloud computing, can create transparency to address the threats to our oceans and those who depend on them. Jacqueline Savitz is Oceana’s Chief Policy Officer, North America. Her background and training in marine biology and environmental toxicology combined with more than two decades of policy advocacy experience provides Oceana with a combination of sound science, strategic environmental vision and successful leadership. In addition to overseeing all campaigns for U.S. Oceans, Jackie leads Oceana’s involvement in Global Fishing Watch, a partnership of Oceana, SkyTruth and Google that has made the tracks of the global commercial fishing fleet available to everyone in the world with an internet connection, in near real time, for free. Global Fishing Watch sheds light on commercial fishing behavior worldwide. Jackie earned her master’s degree in environmental science with an emphasis in toxicology from the University of Maryland, Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, where her work focused on the effects of contaminants on aquatic life.
