About
Isigi Kadagi (Nelly) is a fisheries scientist, educator and conservation leader who works at the intersection of policy and science. She has diverse experience working with fishing sectors (commercial, artisanal and recreational) and other stakeholders along the Kenya coast and the Indian Ocean region.
Her work has primarily focused on understanding sources of fisheries conflicts and improving the quality of fisheries data collection, analysis, and reporting, particularly on large pelagic fish species such as billfish. Nelly completed her Doctoral degree at the University of Florida, where her dissertation evaluated the socio-ecological implications of recreational and artisanal fisheries on billfish in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region. Nelly’s pioneer work on billfish also includes the deployment of the first-ever Pop-up Satellite Tags (PSAT) on marlin of the East Coast of Africa. She has also worked for UN/FAO-IOTC as a consultant on a project to improve data collection from sport fisheries in Kenya, Seychelles, La Reunion, and Mauritius.
Nelly is a recipient of several local, regional and international awards and fellowships. Besides her leading role in advancing pelagic research, Nelly continues to work on initiatives that strengthen capacity building, especially for early-career scientists in her home country Kenya and regionally.
Expertise
Large pelagic fisherie (billfish) resaerch, Sea turtle research, Fisheries Conflicts, Governance and Policy , Africa Blue Economy, Conservation Leadership, Capacity building for Early Career Scientists, Science Communication; Fundraising and Grant writing, Public Speaking
Select Publications
Pepperell, J., Griffiths, S., & Kadagi, N. (2017). Acquisition of catch-and-effort and size data from sport fisheries in the Western Indian Ocean. Report prepared for the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission. IOTC-2017-SC20-INF04 100pp
Kadagi, N. I., Harris, T., & Conway, N. (2011). East Africa billfish Conservation and Research: Marlin, Sailfish and Swordfish Mark-Recapture field studies. IOTC-2011-WPB09-10.pdf; Harris T, Harris C, Kadagi N.I. (2013). Developments in the East African Billfish Conservation and Research programme. IOTC-2013-WPB-19.
Kadagi N.I., Wambiji, N., & Swisher, M.E. (2019). A Silent War on Fish: Evaluating Potential For Conflict between Recreational and Artisanal Billfish Fisheries (Under Review).
Kadagi N.I., Wambiji, N., & Belhabib, D. (2019). A Race for Fish: Charactizing Competitive Interactions in Recreational and Artisanal Fisheries (Under review).
Kadagi N.I., Wambiji, N., & Belhabib, D. (2019): Developing Marine Recreational Fisheries in the Western Indian Ocean: A review of Challenges and Opportunities (Under review).
Pepperell, J., Griffiths, S., & Kadagi, N. (2017). Acquisition of catch-and-effort and size data from sport fisheries in the Western Indian Ocean. Report prepared for the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission. IOTC-2017-SC20-INF04 100pp
Kadagi, N. I., Harris, T., & Conway, N. (2011). East Africa billfish Conservation and Research: Marlin, Sailfish and Swordfish Mark-Recapture field studies. IOTC-2011-WPB09-10.pdf;
Harris T, Harris C, Kadagi N.I. (2013). Developments in the East African Billfish Conservation and Research programme. IOTC-2013-WPB-19.
News
Awards/Fellowships
2019 Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA)– MASMA grant
2018 Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA) Travel Grant;
2018 WWF -Education for Nature Alumni Travel Grant;
2016-2018 Schlumberger Foundation Faculty for the Future PhD Fellowship;
2016 -2018 International Women Fishing Association (IWFA) Research Grant/ Presidential Challenge Charitable Foundation;
2017 University of Florida Alec Courtellis Award for Outstanding Student;
2017 Association of American University Women in Science (AAUW) Fellowship;
2016 – 2017: UN-FAO/ Indian Ocean Tuna Commission Regional Consultancy work;
2015-2016 WWF -Education for Nature Ph.D. Fellowship;
2013 Conservation Leadership Program Travel grant;
2012 Marlin satellite tags sponsorship from International Game Fish Association;
2011 6th World Recreational Fisheries Travel Award;
2011 Future Conservation Award by Conservation Leadership Program
Affiliations
MCAF Funded Project
Evaluating the impacts of artisanal, recreational and commercial fisheries on billfish in Somalia, Kenya and Tanzania
Project Summary: Billfish species are among apex predators that are increasingly becoming vulnerable due to human-induced activities such as fishing. Yet, the impacts of different types of fisheries at local, national and transboundary scale remain poorly studied. Data on the factors that drive their exploitation and implications for management are limited.
This proposed work aims to aims to bridge the information and management gaps through stakeholder collaborations, gather important information from Somalia, Kenya and Tanzania, given the transboundary nature of billfish and their direct target in artisanal and recreational fisheries, and creating awareness about the importance of sustainable use and management. A crucial aspect of this project involves training and working with early career scientists from Somalia, Kenya and Tanzania in order to develop data collection tools and expand the grassroot collaboration with fishers, national fisheries institutions, and other stakeholders.