Working in the lobster fishery of Prince Edward Island (P.E. I.), one of eastern Canada’s maritime provinces, off New Brunswick and Nova Scotia in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Marlene Chapman was quick to notice there was something missing in the literature when she began her masters studies on how climate change is affecting it.
“I can access the scientific thinking, and I can actually access a lot of the government thinking too,” said Chapman.
“The fishermen’s opinion is not something that gets documented so much. So I just felt like, if I was going to add anything to the conversation, I could maybe fill in the gap by bringing the fisherman’s voice forward.”
Chapman moved back to P.E.I. five years ago after spending years working in downtown Calgary, and took up lobster fishing out of Murray Harbour with her husband. She retained an interest in academics, and signed up for a master’s degree in Island Studies at UPEI.