The ability to rub shoulders with the world-class researchers on the Nicholas School’s faculty is one reason Eric valued his two years at Duke. But he also discovered that the student body itself is an incredible knowledge base. With varying educational, professional and geographic backgrounds, each student brings his or her own history to the table. “I’m honored and excited to have them as colleagues for the rest of my life,” he says. “Any issue I need to know about, I have a friend who has experience with it, whether it’s from their master’s project, their prior work, or what they're doing now.”

Summer 2007 update:

“What’s not to love about summer in Cape Cod?” asks Eric, “except for maybe the traffic.” After two years with the Cape Cod Commercial Hook Fishermen’s Association (CCCHFA) Eric is optimistic about progress being made in fisheries management in the Northeast and says that things are changing and looking up for the region. Since he arrived two years ago, Eric manages a local sector, similar to a cooperative, of fixed-gear and hook-and-line fishermen in their daily fishing activities, advocating for and representing them to policymakers. 

The region, he says, is famous for being the “poster child” for poor fisheries management. This is due in large part to a lack of community and regional infrastructure, i.e., poor or delayed monitoring and reporting of fish counts that results in overfishing. In the past, fishermen were hesitant to take heed of quotas unless they saw hard evidence to back up the need. Now, with Eric’s help fishermen are better informed of fisheries science and they voluntarily accept TAC (total allowable catch) limits, taking only as many fish out of the ocean as is recommended so as not to overfish a species.

Eric says the positive effects he is starting to see are very empowering. CCCHFA received an Environmental Heroes Award, administered through NOAA, in 2006. It was the only association in the industry to receive the award. “This was huge,” Eric says emphatically.

He loves his job. He’s out with fishermen in the morning and by afternoon he’s on the phone with policymakers, implementing his Nicholas School training. “The job is never boring, there is always a new fire to put out,” he says.

“The world of fisheries really is small,” he adds, “so it is comforting to know and see others like me who are changing the face of the industry.” Of the nine full-time staffers in his office, three are Nicholas School alumni, and at least three to five of his colleagues he routinely calls upon outside the office also are former Nicholas School students. 

Hindsight:

Eric stresses the value of networking.  To prospective students he suggests taking advantage of as much as possible that the school offers and “get to know as many people as you can, faculty and students, and make connections.”

Eric Brazer recently began a full time job with the Chatham Gillnet Association, working in conjunction with the Cape Cod Commercial Hook Fishermen’s Association (CCCHFA). In truth, he's been working with fishermen all his life. His father was (and still is) a commercial lobsterman in Ogunquit, Maine, and also used to harpoon bluefin tuna. Eric spent his childhood working on his dad’s boat.

Although he loved the work, Eric decided against a career in fishing, citing the financial uncertainties as one reason. Working for the Association is his way of furthering his interest in fisheries, he says: “My ideal job is to work with fishermen. This is what I want to do.”

The CCCHFA works to develop sustainable fisheries in order to revitalize the region’s ailing fishing communities. One of its founding principles is that the hard-gained expertise of fishermen should not be neglected when fishing policies are created. The Association hired Eric to help gill net fishermen on Cape Cod start a sector, similar to a co-op. By offering Eric's assistance to the gillnetters, the Association hopes to strengthen the ability of traditional, community-based fisheries to influence management decisions about New England fisheries. “It’s a great office and a great opportunity to do something positive in fish management in New England,” Eric says.

Eric was introduced to the organization when he interned there in summer 2004, helping researchers gather data on cod populations on nearby Georges Bank. It is probably no coincidence that the association’s executive director and one other staff member are Duke MEM graduates; another Nicholas School networking success story!

Eric learned about the Nicholas School when he was an undergraduate at Brown University and spent an intensive summer taking classes at the Marine Lab in Beaufort. He liked the packaging of science and policy together, so he applied to the MEM program after receiving his B.A. in environmental studies. With a Coastal Environmental Management concentration, Eric was able to return to the Marine Lab for a full year of study. One of the highlights of his time there was working with renowned researcher Barbara Block on her tuna tagging project. He was also involved in the Coastal Society, helping to organize the Neuse River Sprint Triathlon and an educational booth at Morehead City’s Seafood Festival where the group sold sustainably caught local shrimp and educated the public on making more-informed choices concerning their seafood purchases.

The ability to rub shoulders with the world-class researchers on the Nicholas School’s faculty is one reason Eric valued his two years at Duke. But he also discovered that the student body itself is an incredible knowledge base. With varying educational, professional and geographic backgrounds, each student brings his or her own history to the table. “I’m honored and excited to have them as colleagues for the rest of my life,” he says. “Any issue I need to know about, I have a friend who has experience with it, whether it’s from their master’s project, their prior work, or what they're doing now.”

Top notch faculty, a lively and dedicated student body, and the Nicholas School’s “fantastic” career services office made Eric's time at Duke “the best two years of my life.” Duke left him fully qualified to take on the work he's doing now, says Eric. “I’m having a great time and making a difference. That's the goal of the whole Duke experience.”

To view the video, choose from the formats listed after each caption:

1. Eric Brazer tells how his interest in coastal management stems from his experiences growing up in Maine working alongside his father, a commercial fisherman.
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2. Eric aspires to return to his roots in commerical fishing, working cooperatively with the fishermen and managers to create better management practices.
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3. Eric explains the "bottom up" approach of fisheries management.
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4. Eric explains the policy work he did through his internship with the Cape Cod Hook Fisherman's Association.
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5. Eric tells how he structured his masters project with an end result in mind of policy recommendations for best managing practices of the relatively new NC Bluefin Tuna fisheries.
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6. Eric compares life in Beaufort, NC to his coastal hometown in Maine.
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7. He says there are plenty of community and student activities to participate in and explains his involvement with the Beaufort Seafood Festival and the student group FOREM.
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8. Eric says the network of contacts and resources he has made may be the single most important thing he takes away from the Nicholas School.
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