Yimnang Golbuu, Ph.D.

Research

Yimnang Golbuu is CEO of the Palau International Coral Reef Center and vice president of the International Society for Reef Studies.

Golbuu’s Pew fellowship project explored the conditions of Palau’s marine protected areas, using oceanographic models to investigate the distribution of corals and fish and to study how they move among the existing protected areas. Golbuu also conducted ecological surveys to observe which coral and fish species were residing within or outside those protected areas. He used this information to identify more sites in need of protection to ensure adequate conservation of Palau’s marine biodiversity.

Golbuu compiled this research for use in stakeholder workshops, which resulted in the creation of a design for Palau’s Protected Areas Network that maximizes biodiversity and connectivity, supporting ecosystem resilience to local (e.g., increasing demand for fish from a growing tourism industry) and global disturbances. By sharing the results throughout Micronesia, the process could potentially extend to other islands.

To learn more about Golbuu, see https://www.icriforum.org/about-icri/members-networks/republic-palau.