Josh Wiersma

Josh Wiersma has a diverse work experience in the fisheries industry. Josh began their career as a Fishery Economist at the Massachusetts Fishermen's Partnership in 2007. From 2009 to 2010, they worked as a Sector Policy Analyst at the Northeast Seafood Coalition, where they focused on sector operations and membership agreements.

In 2010, Wiersma became a Sector Manager for the XI and XII Northeast Fishery Sectors, where they played a key role in the transition to a catch share management system. Josh managed the allocation and leasing of fishing quotas among members and sectors.

From 2012 to 2015, Wiersma served as the Executive Director and co-founder of NH Community Seafood, a program that provided locally-sourced seafood to consumers and restaurants. Josh implemented a community-supported fishery model, ensuring fair compensation for fishermen.

In 2015, Wiersma joined the Environmental Defense Fund as the Manager of Northeast Fisheries. Josh worked on sustainable fisheries management and policy, collaborating with industry stakeholders, NOAA, and the New England Fisheries Management Council. Josh also focused on the development and testing of an 'electronic monitoring' project to improve fish catch accounting.

In 2018, Wiersma held two positions concurrently. Josh served as the VP of Business Development and Science at Integrated Monitoring, Inc., and also worked as an Independent Consultant. The specific details and responsibilities of these roles are not provided.

Josh Wiersma has a strong educational background in natural resource economics and environmental management. Josh earned a Bachelor's degree in environmental management and policy from the University of Maine in 2002. Following this, they pursued a Master's degree in natural resource economics at the University of New Hampshire. Continuing their educational journey, Josh Wiersma completed their Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Natural Resource Economics at the University of Rhode Island in 2010.