Marine Mammal Biologist

Joined LGL in 2006

Degrees & Diplomas

Research Interests

• Marine mammal energetics and physiology
• Marine mammal-fisheries interactions (trophic dynamics)
• Alternative methods for monitoring populations, and measuring resource use of free-ranging animals
• Ecosystem modeling, meta-analysis approaches, and indicators of ecosystem change
• Integrated and sustainable management of renewable coastal resources
• Marine invertebrate biology and ecology

Capsule Resume

Andrea has over 12 years of experience working in marine sciences, with expertise in marine mammal energetics and marine mammal-fisheries interactions. Her graduate research used a multiple regression framework for predicting the energy requirements of marine mammals, under variable conditions (physiological and ecological), that would be otherwise unattainable. The empirical models, with associated measures of uncertainty, provide a powerful and cost-effective tool for parameterizing ecosystem management models and can be used to help address ecological questions and issues pertaining to conservation and resource management. Her practical experience includes work on a variety of multidisciplinary research projects focusing on the foraging ecology of marine mammals in the North Pacific ecosystem, including field and captive studies of prey quality and diet composition of Steller sea lions. She has also worked on several cetacean, fish, and invertebrate research projects in Alaska and British Columbia. Andrea has experience in management, supervision, and project coordination with government, non-profit organizations, private industry, and universities. During graduate school, she served as the Research Coordinator of Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre where she managed and facilitated all research at the marine station.

Since joining LGL, Andrea has been primarily involved with marine mammal monitoring and mitigation programs during seismic surveys in the US and Canadian Arctic, including the Chukchi and Beaufort seas. She has conducted aerial and vessel-based marine mammal surveys, and has prepared reports contributing to incidental harassment authorization applications required for seismic oil and gas exploration (Arctic), and assisted with environmental assessments for academic seismic activities (Indian Ocean).