Anastasia Smith

Lancaster University

Email: a.smith55@lancaster.ac.uk

Anastasia is a PEW-funded PhD student at Lancaster University’s LEC REEFS under the supervision of Prof Christina Hicks, Prof Nick Graham and Dr Antonio Allegretti. Her research explores the effectiveness of devolved governance of coral reef fisheries in Kenya, focusing on community-based management strategies. Anastasia obtained an MSc in Marine Ecosystem Management from the University of St Andrews, where her dissertation examined the growth rate of microfouling communities on fishing ropes to age ghost gear. She is passionate about integrating ecological and social dimensions to support sustainable and equitable marine policy. She brings extensive field and lab skills, including scientific diving, intertidal surveys, chromatography, diatom identification and statistical analysis in R.

Research Interests

Anastasia’s research focuses on the effectiveness of devolved governance approaches in managing coral reef fisheries in Kenya. Her work aims to bridge the gap between ecological conservation and social equity by exploring how community-based management can lead to more sustainable and resilient fisheries. In her PhD project, she investigates both the social and ecological outcomes of devolved governance systems, seeking to provide insights that can inform policy at local and national levels.

  1. Characterise contemporary tropical fisheries governance, situating it in its historical context.
  2. Evaluate the institutional fit of contemporary fisheries policy in Kenya.
  3. Determine the social success of devolved governance structures.
  4. Determine the ecological success of devolved governance structures.
  5. Identify lessons learned for effective co-management.

Her interdisciplinary approach integrates ecological monitoring with social science methodologies, such as interviews and participatory mapping, to provide a holistic view of how governance impacts both the environment and local communities. Ultimately, Anastasia aims to contribute to marine policy and create effective marine protected areas by working closely with stakeholders, including local fishers, policymakers, and conservation organisations.

Ghost Fishing | Think Ocean

Selected Publications