Sarah Smith

Sarah is an environmental social scientist and marine and coastal policy expert with a passion for fisheries, fishing communities, and marine conservation. She has been in love with the ocean since before she can remember and has focused her career on promoting the sustainability of ocean ecosystems and resources. She is deeply committed to the idea that the sustainable use of the Earth’s resources is possible, and is best accomplished by incorporating stakeholders in just and equitable processes.

As a member of Council Fire’s Oceans & Natural Resources team, Sarah has extensive experience in non-profit, academic, and government sectors developing social science research and policy related to fisheries and marine conservation. She has been engaged in numerous projects related to fisheries globally and in New England. She has also worked on topics ranging from offshore wind energy to marine spatial planning to co-management of marine protected areas in the Caribbean. Through these projects, she has partnered with scientists, fisheries managers, fishermen, state and federal government officials, and numerous other stakeholders. Sarah holds a Ph.D. in Marine Affairs from the University of Rhode Island and an MA in Environmental Policy from Tufts University.