French Conservationist Claire Nouvian Awarded 2012 Pew Fellowship in Marine Conservation

Project to Support Transparency with Subsidies in French Fisheries

Claire Nouvian, president and founder of Bloom Association in France, has been awarded a 2012 Pew Fellowship in Marine Conservation. Ms. Nouvian's project will seek to achieve long-term economic and ecological sustainability of French fisheries by ensuring that public expenditures comply with the objectives of European Union and international law. 

“With the support of the Pew Marine Fellowship, I will be able to initiate a much-needed project in France to improve the understanding of how public financial assistance can present challenges to sound and sustainable management of marine resources,” said Ms. Nouvian. “I hope that it will lead to improved government policies and the preservation of biologically diverse marine ecosystems.”

The Pew Fellows Program in Marine Conservation is a prestigious program that gives recipients US$150,000 for a three-year scientific research or conservation project designed to address critical challenges facing our oceans. Ms. Nouvian will use her fellowship to collect and analyze data on government fisheries subsidies in France, and to formulate recommendations for policy reforms in the fishing sector.

Subsidies to the fishing sector have been identified as major impediments to the sustainable management of marine resources and the preservation of healthy marine ecosystems. Research has demonstrated that roughly 60 percent of global fisheries subsidies increase fishing activity and contribute to problems with overfishing. Ms. Nouvian's project will address the need for independent research in France on fisheries governance. 

“Ms. Nouvian's work is aimed at exploring the relationship between government funding of fisheries in France and unsustainable fishing,” said Joshua S. Reichert, managing director of the Pew Environment Group. “As a result of her research, policy makers will be able to make better decisions to eliminate economic distortions that jeopardize the health and long-term productivity of the resource.”

Ms. Nouvian received her B.A. in history from the Sorbonne University in France. She is the president and founder of the non-profit organization Bloom, based in Paris and Hong Kong. Previously, Ms. Nouvian worked in journalism and TV production, publishing The Deep and curating the eponymous exhibition at the Natural History Museum in Paris. Today, the exhibition and book have reached more than 287 million people. Additionally, Nouvian is involved with education through art and science projects engaging school pupils and through lectures at several universities.

The Pew Fellows Program in Marine Conservation has awarded 125 fellowships to individuals from 32 countries. The Pew Marine Fellowships fund science and other projects that address critical challenges in the conservation of the oceans. Through a rigorous nomination and review process, a committee of marine specialists from around the world selects Pew Marine Fellows based on the strengths of their proposed projects, including their potential to protect ocean environments. Unique and timely projects led by outstanding professionals in their fields are chosen annually, targeting individuals who are mid-career. The program is managed by the Pew Environment Group, based in Washington, D.C.

More information about each of the 2012 Pew Marine Fellows, including photographs and a video about the recipients, is available at www.pewmarinefellows.org.