Dr. Dayne Buddo, Director of Global Ocean Policy
As the Director of Global Ocean Policy, Dr Dayne Buddo leads Georgia Aquarium’s involvement in state, national and global policies for ocean conservation. This involves identification of policy needs and strengthening the interface between GAI’s Science Program to champion, advise and improve these policies. These mission-based interventions support our Research, Conservation and Education programs. Georgia Aquarium is an IUCN Center for Species Survival and a UN Decade Collaborative Center for Ocean-Climate Solutions.
Prior to joining Georgia Aquarium, Dr Buddo was the Director of the Bay Academy – Bay Ecotarium, San Francisco CA, USA. Before moving to the United States, he served as a tenured faculty member at the University of the West Indies (Jamaica) in marine sciences for a decade, with responsibility for marine research and teaching at the Discovery Bay Marine Lab. Dr Buddo was also CEO and Research Director for the Alligator Head Foundation and Marine Lab focusing on marine protected areas. He was also the Marine Conservation Adviser for the TBA21-Academy, an Art Foundation in Europe centered on ocean conservation and climate change.
Dayne has published several papers on marine invasive species, shark conservation and fisheries management in the Atlantic region, including the co-authored book on Lionfish Management in the Caribbean, Global Assessment of Sharks (Nature) and the IUCN RedList for Atlantic Shorefishes. He is also one of the Lead Authors of the Americas Assessment for the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. Dayne has been a consultant for CARICOM, Government of Japan, the World Bank, International Maritime Organization, the Nature Conservancy, among others, and has conducted work in over 30 countries. He has worked closely with the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD), International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), Global Environment Facility (GEF), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) among other agencies.
Dayne currently sits on the Board of Advisers for The Ocean Foundation (USA), Board of Directors for NAUI Green Diver Initiative (WAV Alliance) (USA), International Ocean Film Festival (USA), Black in Marine Science (USA), Fisheries Development Management Fund (Jamaica), National Conservation Trust Fund Grant Committee (Jamaica), UNESCO Caribbean Coordinator for Early Career Ocean Professionals (Ocean Decade Program – ECOP) and continues to support several delegations to major United Nations Conferences on climate change and ocean conservation.
Dayne is a certified PADI Master Instructor, Advanced Rebreather Diver, an Emergency First Response® (First Aid/CPR/AED) Instructor, as well as a Hyperbaric (Recompression) Chamber Safety Director. He has conducted over 8,000 scientific dives mainly assessing marine habitats, lionfish research and control as well as habitat restoration.
