Matias Caillaux (MESM 2013) graduated with a BS in Fishing Engineering from the Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina in Lima, Peru, in 2008. In 2011 he presented his dissertation thesis, “Changes in the Mean Trophic Level of Peruvian Marine Fish Landings from 1950 to 2008.”

Before attending Bren, Matias co-founded Kalkal, a local seafood trading company based in Lima, which is still operating today. He also worked at a Peruvian surveyor company as part of the enforcement program for the Peruvian Anchoveta Fishery, and has experience in certification, inspection, labeling, and traceability systems for marine products.

At Bren, Matias focused his studies in fisheries management with a multidisciplinary approach, which included economics, governance systems, marine policy, marine ecology, and fisheries science. His group project thesis was titled “Assessing management strategies for the artisanal sector Peruvian anchoveta fishery,” and examined the biologic, economic, and social implications of different management options.

He currently works as a Fisheries Specialist for The Nature Conservancy’s Humboldt Current Project, which aims to put practices in place that will lead to the sustainable harvest of fishing resources and effective conservation of marine habitats in Peru and Chile through collaboration with stakeholders.

Matias is interested in promoting the sustainable management of marine resources with emphasis in small-scale fisheries, the promotion of community-based management, and the implementation of market based strategies that promote good fishing practices. He aims to collaborate in the sustainable development of coastal communities in developing countries, especially within Latin America.