Robert Jones is the Global Lead for Aquaculture and oversees all aspects of The Nature Conservancy’s new Aquaculture Program. The program consists of active projects in seven countries designed to demonstrate the environmental, social, and economic benefits aquaculture provides for people and nature.

Prior to joining The Nature Conservancy in February 2016, Robert served as the Program Coordinator for the NOAA Fisheries Office of Aquaculture. In that position, Robert worked to develop the Agency’s new Marine Aquaculture Strategic Plan that will help guide the agency’s aquaculture activities. Previously, Robert served as Knauss Fellow with the U.S. Department of State where he served as point of contact on aquaculture and represented the United States at international fisheries negotiations in the North Pacific Ocean. Earlier, Robert served in diverse roles for NOAA Fisheries, including as an economic analyst for the Gulf Shrimp Fishery and as a Commercial Fisheries Observer in the Mid-Atlantic.