July 17, 2006

A professor in the UNBC Anthropology program is one of only 15university professors across Canada this year to receive a prestigiousFulbright fellowship, which facilitates exchanges between faculty inCanada and the United States. Caroline Butler is the first UNBCprofessor to receive a Fulbright award and she will study the effectsof fishery policies on fishing enterprises and coastal communities.

Dr. Butler will compare both the approaches and the impacts offisheries policies on the west and east coasts of North America tobetter understand overall compliance, fishery participation andinvestment, and community stability. The field research made possibleby the Canada-US Fulbright Program will focus on the restructuring ofthe groundfish (cod, halibut, flounder, etc) fisheries of New England.Currently based in Prince Rupert, Dr. Butler will conduct the Americanportion of her research in affiliation with the MassachussettsInstitute of Technology Sea Grant’s Centre for Marine Social Sciencesin Boston from January to May, 2007.  

“The New England case study will complement my research in northernBC,” says Dr. Butler, whose husband is a commercial fisherman in PrinceRupert.  “The fisheries in both regions are experiencingsignificant transformation, and it is important to understand theimpacts on fishing communities.  There are both similarities anddifferences in the management approaches, which makes the comparisonhelpful for the development of equitable and sustainable fisheriespolicies. The research will focus on the perspectives of fishingfamilies about recent regulation and management changes.”  Dr.Butler is an Adjunct Professor who has taught a number of Anthropologycourses for UNBC since Summer 2004.

“Caroline Butler’s research on resource and fisheries management isboth timely and important,” said Michael K. Hawes, Executive Directorof the Foundation for Educational Exchange. “Professor Butler is anoutstanding young scholar, and I am certain she will contribute inimportant ways to the development of natural resource policy in Canadaand in the United States.”

Recognized as one of the world’s foremosteducational exchange programs, the Fulbright program is active in morethan 150 countries worldwide. The Canada-US Fulbright program buildsmutual understanding and promotes a deeper knowledge of Canada-USrelations by supporting research on contemporary public policy issuesrelevant to Canada, the United States, and the relationship between thetwo countries. UNBC has hosted two American Fulbrighters since theCanada-US Fulbright Program’s inception in 1991.

Contact:
Caroline Butler, Adjunct Professor of Anthropology, UNBC - 250.624.3061
Rob van Adrichem, Director of Media and Public Relations, UNBC - 250.960.5622