Our team
Our team
Our international team includes Research Advisor Ruth Kamrowski, who holds an MSc in Marine Ecology and Environmental Management and is currently studying for her PhD at James Cook University in Australia. Taione Delai acts as South Pacific Projects Community Liaison Officer and Research Assistant. Taione is our specialist in target fishery species ID and holds the PADI Divemaster rating. South Pacific Projects provides sponsorship for Fijian University students and targeted marine species ID training for key community members.
South Pacific Projects works directly with local staff and researchers from Fiji’s Department of Fisheries the Fiji Locally Managed Marine Area Network (FLMMA) and The University of the South Pacific (USP) . This enables us to benefit from their valuable local taxonomic, biological and traditional knowledge.
Research Assistant: Zeina Saad
Originally from Lebanon, Zeina grew up in Northern California before graduating from The University of Arizona. Zeina raised nearly £5,000 for WDCS International in 2011 by completing a 3,019 mile fundraising bike ridewith SPP Director, Howard Foster. She worked in Roatan on Honduras, teaching various PADI dive courses and subsequently went diving in California, Hawaii, Mexico, Honduras, Turks and Caicos, Thailand, Curacao, France, Portugal, Spain and Lebanon. But in her opinion, nothing beats the beautiful marine world she experienced in Fijian waters.
Research Assistant & Community Liaison: Taioni Vakamoce Delai
Taioni grew up in Daku village on Moturiki Island. He was the Head of the Moturiki Environmental Committee for several years, giving him experience of creating and managing marine protected areas, as well as helping villagers with sustainable management practices and resource protection. He was trained by the Fisheries Department to become a qualified Fish Warden, for which his duties included recognising and confronting poachers.
Taioni is a vital member of our team and is highly valued for his skill and insight into village protocol. He was the first graduate of our Marine Science Scholarships programme and has been with us since the beginning. Tai will be working with the GVI Fiji marine conservation expedition team in 2012.
Research Advisor: Ruth Kamrowski
Ruth grew up in South Wales in the UK and holds a MSc in Marine Ecology & Environmental Management (with Distinction) and was awarded a full scholarship to attend James Cook University in Townsville, Australia to undertake her PhD research. Ruth’s recent research has involved tagging Flatback turtles (Natator depressus) on remote islands off the east coast of Australia.
Ruth spent time in Fiji as a Research Assistant with South Pacific Projects prior to her PhD and has a comprehensive understanding of the Marine Resource Inventory Survey (MIR) methods that we employ during site selection for new community-managed Marine Protected Areas
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Managing Director: Howard Foster
Howard established SPP in 2008 as his interests in the marine environment developed after several years as a SCUBA diver. He has worked in more than twenty countries and has extensive experience of community engagement with regards to sustainable eco-tourism and Marine Protected Areas. Howard was proud that SPP could be part of a collaborative process in 2011 that resulted in a new community-managed Marine Protected Area at Moon Reef in Dawasamu District. He organised a 3,019 mile fundraising bike ride through five countries to raise money for WDCS International and the Dawasamu Environment Movement in the summer of 2011.
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