Fresh Perspectives From Our 2026 Summer Interns

This summer, our Pacific Islands Regional Office interns partnered with local communities, businesses, and researchers to address critical marine fisheries questions. Their work spanned nearshore gamefish monitoring, loko i'a (Hawaiian fishpond) research, Hawaiian monk seal conservation, and aquaculture permitting.

Check out their key highlights below and dive into their full questions and answers to discover what surprised them most, their biggest takeaways, and where their careers are headed next.

Rachel Anderson

School: University of Hawai'i at Mānoa

Major(s): Marine Biology

Internship: University of Hawai'i Marine Option Program

Project: Protected Species Monitoring and Sustainable Aquaculture

Biggest Takeaway:

"Aquaculture is the future of sustainable food production, but it must co-exist safely with protected marine life."

Read Rachel's full Q&A

Dash Dicksion

School: University of Washington

Major(s): Aquatic and Fishery Sciences

Internship: NOAA Ernest F. Hollings Scholarship

Project: Nearshore Gamefish Tagging and Recreational Fisheries Engagement

Biggest Takeaway:

"Working with the tagging data 10 years later is a full-circle experience for me, giving me a unique opportunity to take on the project from multiple perspectives: that of a fisheries professional and that of a long-term volunteer."

Read Dash's full Q&A

Kaiya-Amani John

School: University of Hawai'i at Mānoa

Major(s): Marine Biology; Plant Production and Management

Internship: University of Hawai'i Marine Option Program

Project: Protected Species Monitoring and Sustainable Aquaculture

Biggest Takeaway:

"Something that might not seem that important could be someone's whole career and could keep an entire operation running smoothly."

Read Kaiya's full Q&A

Lily Olmo

School: Oregon State University

Major(s): Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences (Ph.D. Student)

Internship: NOAA Living Marine Resources Cooperative Science Center Doctoral Fellow

Project: Loko I'a (Hawaiian Fishpond) Nursery Habitat and Larval Fish Monitoring

Biggest Takeaway:

"Working alongside community partners has shown me what it truly looks like to combine local knowledge and expertise with Western scientific methods ... and the importance of developing ideas with communities that depend on marine resources."

Read Lily's full Q&A

Jamie Ranes

School: Stevens Institute of Technology

Major(s): Engineering Management

Internship: NOAA College-Supported Internship Program

Project: Hawaiʻi Aquaculture Permitting Guide and Outreach Assessment

Biggest Takeaway:

"By working on the aquaculture permitting project, I was able to create an outreach product that makes the permitting process simpler and more condensed [for future applicants]."

Read Jamie's full Q&A