Welcome James Tsou-Wong!

Hi FishWise readers! I’m James and I am happy to announce that I have recently joined the FishWise team as a Project Manager in the Traceability Division. My focus is working with our partners and conservation organizations to find innovative and cross-sectoral approaches to address human rights and labor issues in the seafood industry.

I grew up in Maryland and Beijing, China, and my love for the oceans first grew from both frequent trips to the Baltimore aquarium and my volunteer activities against the consumption of shark fin soup in China. My experience in China also gave me firsthand experience with a new and growing market for seafood and the opportunities and challenges it brings.

I earned my B.A. in general science where I specialized in ecology from Pennsylvania State University, and my M.A. from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in international environmental policy. I became involved in fisheries during college when I worked on wetlands in the Rift Valley region of Kenya and while earning my master’s degree where I guided discussions and research on marine protected areas at the Food and Aquaculture Organization of the United Nations (http://www.fao.org/home/en/). Prior to joining the FishWise team I also led field research on Taiwanese and Chinese tuna longlining fleets and their activities in the Indian ocean. This research assisted coastal nations in Eastern Africa to formulate a policy regarding the fishing activities of China and Taiwan.

Working all over the world on marine issues demonstrated the many challenges and the people who rely on them face, and the many opportunities that exist to address those challenges. I am excited to join this team where I can bring my practical and theoretical experience in fisheries to help achieve FishWise’s mission supporting sustainability through environmentally and socially responsible business practices.