Johnson Mshana Grayson
Marine Scientist
Tanga Tanzania,Tanzania
Summary
Project coordinator and passionate conservationist with ten years’ experience in complex marine and freshwater co-fisheries management. Fisheries biologist whose work is distinguished by its interdisciplinary, participatory and problem-centered focus, as well as by direct intervention in the policy process. Demonstrate success in community based conservation project planning and implementation, overseeing and coordinating the execution of research for delivering of informed science decision for fisheries management and community development. Passionate and focusing on empowering coastal communities especially woman and youth to make critical and informed decisions around fisheries management and helping people finding ways to supplement income and food sources.
Overview
11
11
years of professional experience
12
12
years of post-secondary education
Work History
Project Coordinator
Wildlife Conservation Society
Tanga, Tanzania
12.2020 - Current
2020 – Present
Project Coordinator for Wildlife Conservation Society Project on northern Tanzania – Kenya Trans-Boundary Conservation Area
Responsible for overseeing the Trans-Boundary Conservation Area (TBCA) work of Wildlife Conservation Society in the northern Tanzania coastal region (from Tanga Coelacanth Marine Park to the Kenyan border).
Key Responsibilities
• Serving as the point person for coordination with government and non-government partners and leading regional and national meetings on the TBCA work
• Developing management plans with marine parks and reserves, including providing strategic framework assistance, review of literature, data analysis, writing, and coordination of training meetings
• Development of fisheries management plans for three BMUs and Collaborative Fisheries Management Plans in the shared fishing grounds in the 7 most northern villages of Tanzania
• Supporting communities in a process to develop locally managed fisheries-closures
• Lead team of researchers in various research missions focusing on reef fish monitoring, fisheries pattern mapping and ecological survey in the community fished reefs and parks
• Support to and supervision of consultants working on the project (including fisheries value chain addition, control and surveillance for MPAs, and building of key infrastructure)Providing regular activity reports and communicating with partners
• Ensuring that WCS activities are being coordinated and harmonized with partners activities
Key Achievements
• Successfully developed a collaborative management plan for the priority fisheries in the shared fishing ground of the 7 BMUs
• Successfully developed fisheries management Action and Monitoring plans for three BMUs
• Successfully brought together three communities to work in achieving common project activities
• Organized meetings or training and events with communities and partners, including development of meeting or training materials
• Coordinated dissemination and communication of project activities including maps for the community fisheries patterns
• Communicated progress report throughout project lifecycle with regular briefings with the country and regional program directors and partners
• Trained and mentored WCS staff and interns to drive performance of the project and ensuring commitment to best practice
• Designed Excel spreadsheets to coordinate project team activities and unify data collection and storage.
Lecturer in Marine and Freshwater Fisheries
Sokoine University Of Agriculture, Sua
Morogoro Tanzania, Tanzania
09.2010 - 12.2020
Served as primary subject lecturer, coordinating undergraduate and postgraduate programmes and lead a number of research mission for nine years. Focused on lecture planning, preparation and research as well as motivating students to acquire entrepreneur skills relevant to their course content. Key achievements includes development and supervision of more than 10 grant projects within Tanzania and in the Western Indian Ocean region. Served a key personnel and leader in the development of Tanzania EEZ research agenda and Tuna Fishery Strategic Management Plan
Education
Ph.D. - Marine Sciences
University of Dar Es Salaam
Dar Es Salaam Tanzania 09.2011 - 11.2016
Master of Science - Marine Biology
University of Dar Es Salaam
Dar Es Salaam Tanzania 07.2007 - 11.2010
Bachelor of Science - Aquatic Environmental Science And Conservation
University of Dar Es Salaam
Dar Es Salaam Tanzania 10.2003 - 11.2006
Skills
Excellent ability on Project planning and management Strong in verbal and written communication Attention to details Able to work with diverse team of people Strong organizational skills Excellent capacity on team management
undefinedSelected Projects as PI
1. 2019 – 2022 WIOMSA-MASMA Research Program- 2019-2022: Enabling sustainable exploitation of coastal tuna species (kawakawa and skipjack tuna) in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region. Role: National focal point (Tanzania) responsible for project management, report writing and training of enumerators on data collection.
2. 2019 - 2022 Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH) Tanzania- 2019-2021: Application of Selective Breeding Technique toward Improving Productivity of Farmed Wami Tilapia in Tanzania Coastal Zones. Role: team leader, researcher.
3. 2017 – 2019 SWIOFish/Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries: Assessment of artisanal tuna fishery in Tanzania Mainland. Role: Co-PI
4. 2016 - 2017 Mohammed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund, UAE- 2016-2017: Involving Local Communities in the Conservation Lake Jipe Tilapia in Lake Jipe Ecosystem Tanzania. Role: team leader.
5. 2016 - 2017 Rufford Fund for Nature Conservation, UK: Community Participation in the Conservation of Critically Endangered Jipe Tilapia Oreochromis jipe in Lake Jipe Tanzania. Role: team leader, conservation expert.
6. 2015 Blacksmith Institute, USA: Assessment of Heavy Metals Pollution in Nyumba ya Mungu Dam and its Catchment Areas in Tanzania. Role: Team leader.
7. 2014 – 2015 Rufford Fund for Nature Conservation UK: Conservation of Critically Endangered Jipe tilapia Oreochromis jipe and its Habitat through Education and Improved Alternative Livelihood Activities in Lake Jipe Tanzania, Role: Team leader
8. 2014 Blacksmith Institute, USA: Assessment of Heavy Metals Pollution in Lake Rukwa and its Catchment Areas in Lake Rukwa Tanzania. Role: Team leader
9. 2013 Blacksmith Institute, USA: Assessment of Heavy Metal Pollution in Octopuses (Octopus. cyanea- Gray 1849) in the Coastal Waters of Tanzania. Role: team leader.
10. 2012 Mohammed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund U.A.E: Education and Community Participation in the Conservation of Pangani tilapia Oreochromis pangani in Nyumba ya Mungu Dam, Pangani River Basin in Tanzania. Role: team leader
11. 2012-2013 Rufford Small Grant for Nature Conservation UK: Conservation Awareness Campaign in the Protection of Critically Endangered Jipe tilapia (Oreochromis jipe) and its Habitat Ecosystem in Lake Jipe Tanzania. Role: team leader
Selected Publication
1. Johnson M.G, Y.D. Mgaya and Y.W. Shaghude (2021), Analysis of the genetic stock structure and phylogenetic relationship of narrow-barred Spanish mackerel Scomberomorus commerson (Lacépède, 1800) along the northern Tanzanian coastal waters using mitochondrial DNA, Regional Studies in Marine Science, 46 (2021)
2. Johnson M.G (2015), Mercury and Lead Contamination in Three Fish Species and Sediments from Lake Rukwa and Catchment Areas in Tanzania’, Journal of Health and Pollution, 8: 7-18.
3. Johnson M.G and Sekadende B (2014), Assessment of Heavy Metal Pollution in Octopus cyanea in the Coastal Waters of Tanzania’, Journal of Health and Pollution, 4 (6): 7 – 14.
4. Johnson M.D and A.R Tamatamah (2013), ‘Length Frequence Distribution, Mortality Rate and Reproductive Biology of Kawakawa (Euthynnus affinis-Cantor, 1849) in the Coastal Waters of Tanzania’, Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences, 16 (21): 1270-1278.
Timeline
Project Coordinator
Wildlife Conservation Society
12.2020 - Current
Ph.D. - Marine Sciences
University of Dar Es Salaam
09.2011 - 11.2016
Lecturer in Marine and Freshwater Fisheries
Sokoine University Of Agriculture, Sua
09.2010 - 12.2020
Master of Science - Marine Biology
University of Dar Es Salaam
07.2007 - 11.2010
Bachelor of Science - Aquatic Environmental Science And Conservation
University of Dar Es Salaam
10.2003 - 11.2006
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