Two University of Maryland Eastern Shore students recently joined marine scientists and fisheries managers in a global gathering to discuss fish stocks in the Mediterranean basin and beyond.
Lydia Clark and Cheyenne Murdaugh, both Marine Estuarine Environmental Science (MEES) majors seeking master’s degrees, are also fellows in the NOAA Living Marine Resources Cooperative Science Center (LMRCSC). UMES Associate Professor and NOAA LMRCSC Distinguished Research Scientist Dr. David Die has previously held positions with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.
Die received an invitation and funding to attend and be an instructor at a three-day event, Jan. 27-29, 2026, in Alexandria, Egypt, hosted by the FAO Common Oceans project, the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean and organized by The Ocean Foundation.
Funding provided by the Ocean Foundation enabled Die, Clark and Murdaugh’s attendance.
“Early in my career as a graduate student I had the chance to attend a FAO technical workshop and the experience shaped my career. I wanted our LMRCSC students to have the same opportunity I had,” Die said.
The event trained scientists and managers separately to implement best practices for managing fish stocks and enhancing regional cooperation.
Murdaugh attended training courses with scientists, where she was able to meet and network with an international pool of working researchers and academics. She also learned how to use openMSE—software that helps build operating models and conduct management strategies evaluation in fisheries.
Both Clark and Murdaugh’s research revolves around stock assessment in support of fishery management, which is crucial to ensuring a healthy supply of domestic seafood and keeping coastal economies thriving.
“I now have more information regarding the fisheries industry and the people that keep it functioning,” Murdaugh said. “Going to Egypt opened my mind to the possibility of being a marine scientist anywhere in the world.”
