Sílvia Gómez Mestres

I have more than 20 years of experience in studies of coastal communities and fisheries in Europe, with contributions in Latin America and the Arctic. I led the SeaPoplesLab research group and I'm co-leader of the Anthropology of Seas and Oceans working group at the Catalan Association of Social Anthropology. I'm a member of the Anthropology of Sea(s) Network at the European Association of Social Anthropology and chair invited member of WGBESEO and WGSOCIAL of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). I'm a contributing member of the Marine Working Group on Food Systems at Alimentta. Think Tank for Food Transition. I participate regularly in working groups at the STECF, Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries, (EU Commission) at the Joint Research Council (JRC).

My research has focused on Marine Protected Areas, socio-ecological transformations, cultural ecosystem services, small-scale fishing rights, marine governance systems, socio-economic dimensions of fisheries, sustainable seafood systems, values, and maritime cultural heritage. I'm currently working on the valuation of ecosystem services and the assessment of the impact of maritime activities on human populations and the environment to provide ethical principles for policy decisions. I'm involved in projects to empower coastal communities to develop transformative changes towards innovative, just, and equitable ocean solutions to environmental challenges. Specially devoted to research on environmental human rights and to environmental defenders in the domain of the seas and oceans. In my research, I apply a transdisciplinary approach, collaborating with marine biologists, geographers, economists, psychologists, and environmental lawyers.