Laurenne’s career blends rigorous academic training with a drive to reshape how we think about marine conservation for modern challenges. Most recently, she completed a Liber Ero Postdoctoral Fellowship at Carleton University, conducting research that focused on improving our understanding of fisheries management successes and setbacks in Canada. In a country where only 28% of commercial fish stocks were at sustainable levels in 2022, Laurenne’s work was especially timely. By combining statistical modelling with knowledge held by both fishers and fisheries managers —she was looking to uncover the types of relationships and incentives that lead to surprisingly positive outcomes in fisheries management. This approach—also known as a ‘positive deviance analysis’ enabled Laurenne and her team to compare positive and negative outliers—that is, fish populations that are healthier versus less healthy than expected. They found that fisheries for positive outliers had better oversight of onboard fishing practices and more collaborative relationships between industry members and government managers. For all positive outliers, there was a strong emphasis on science-based management decisions and, in many cases, strong incentives for industry collaboration provided by sustainable seafood programs.
Before joining Carleton, Laurenne earned her interdisciplinary PhD from Dalhousie University, where she assessed how non-governmental organizations and seafood companies influence international fisheries management negotiations. Her academic background also includes an MSc in Zoology from the University of British Columbia and a BSc in Marine and Freshwater Biology from the University of Guelph. Her professional experience includes a seven-year tenure as a research analyst for the Ocean Wise sustainable seafood recommendation program, where she gained first-hand insights into the challenges and potential benefits incurred by sustainable seafood programs.
Today, Laurenne continues to focus on work that helps us learn from looking at surprising successes in fisheries management and marine conservation. She hopes this type of work will help shift the conservation conversation toward models that go beyond traditional, top-down approaches that look at average outcomes. She advocates for learning what key social and political conditions can lead to partnerships built on trust and respect for local knowledge, setting the stage for a new era of community-driven, adaptable marine conservation. Laurenne’s efforts, alongside colleagues, emphasize the value of community-centered, sustainable management that incorporates cooperative governance and adaptable practices. Drawing on her background in fisheries science, environmental policy, and resource governance, she brings fresh insights into how diverse actors can collaborate to drive meaningful, effective conservation outcomes.
