New Frontiers in Fisheries Management and Ecology: Broadening Partnerships to Serve the Underserved Communities

Many federal and state natural resources agencies have had a long-term commitment to utilize partnerships to implement their program missions, build capacity at the academic institutions, and to increase its engagement with underserved communities. Underserved groups have had limited relationships, or benefited very little from agency programs commensurate with local U.S. Census population service area demographics. In addition, these groups have not been fully represented within current employment ranks of some of the largest federal natural resources agencies (e.g. USDA, U.S. Forest Service, etc.), commensurate with each group's representation in the civilian labor force. A highly experienced group of skilled and diverse professionals (graduate and Ph.D.) with degree credentials in fisheries, forestry, and related natural sciences, are increasingly becoming imperative for these agencies, that are dually tasked with serving our environment and public, to remain viable and publically supported as our national demographics continue to change. Thus, innovative and collaborative approaches must be geared towards increasing the engagement of the local demographic communities found within the agencies’ and program partner’s communities, including the attraction of talented new professionals from socially disadvantaged and low income populations/underserved communities and underrepresented groups into fisheries, forestry and closely related natural science fields.