Alessia is a MSc student in the Department of Geography, University of Victoria. Her fieldwork focuses on Maritime Protected Areas (MPA) in Sogod Bay off the southern end of Leyte Island in the eastern Philippines. She is investigating background research and management activity needed to implement a MPA network which could benefit local small-scale fisheries by protecting stocks of commercial species. Alessia plans on being in the Sogod Bay area from April through August 2015.

She has BSc in Wildlife Biology from McGill University and studied Marine Biology during an exchange programme at the University of Queensland. Alessia’s background as a scuba diver instructor and a marine biologist, both in paid and volunteer positions, at times being directly involved in monitoring studies in MPAs gives her understanding of the aspects she is assessing.

Links:
Kockel Final Report (pdf)
Alessia Kockel, MSc 2018, University of Victoria
Thesis : “Designing marine protected areas that are ecologically
representative and socially equitable“.