Melissa Cronin
As seen in:
Medium,
Business Insider,
Fisheries Magazine,
HuffPost,
Nature,
USA Today,
Wiley Online Library,
The Verge,
WIRED Magazine,
Motherboard
and
PhD marine conservation ecologist + writer. I study fishing, conservation, + people | Director @fieldfutures | Currently @SmithFellows @DukeU | @NatGeo Explorer
Articles by Melissa Cronin
Evidence for a fisher‐designed solution to manta and devil ray bycatch in tuna fisheries
INTRODUCTION Manta and devil rays (mobulids) are an iconic group of slow-growing, filter-feeding rays (Couturier et al., 2012). Found globally in tropical and subtropical waters, the ten described mobulid species range widely in size, from Munk's devil ray (Mobula munkiana) (up to 1.1 m disc width) to the oceanic manta ray (Mobula birostris) (up to 7.1 m disc width) (Couturier et al., 2012; Stewart et al., 2018).
Beyond reporting: proactive strategies for safer scientific fieldwork
Fieldwork is crucial for science but poses heightened risks of gender-based harassment and assault. Current practices prioritize post-incident reporting, despite the demonstrated potential of preventive approaches. We recommend proactive practices, training strategies, and systemic policy changes to build safe and inclusive fieldwork settings from the outset.
A Whaleship Full of Cannibals (Who Happen to Be My Family)
Dreading awkward conversations with extended family over the Thanksgiving table? You’ve got nothing on this writer! Melissa Cronin’s tale of carnivorous family lore is one of our all-time favorite reads. (BTW If you have your own family story—awkward or otherwise—that demands to be told, don’t forget you have just 10 days left to enter the 2023 Narratively Memoir Prize.) My mother clutches the drumstick in her hand, growling like a dog.
Nurturing Relationships With Your Self-Storage Customers to Maximize Their Value to the Business
The value of a self-storage tenant may be much more than you can initially take to the bank. In general, the most desirable customers are those who pay their rent on time, purchase retail merchandise, enroll in your insurance or protection plan, respect your property, follow the rules, are understanding about rent increases, and stay for years and years. They’re also vigilant about goings-on at the property and friendly with staff and other tenants.
UVM's Book Nook Enters a New Chapter
click to enlarge Oliver Parini Jacques-Paul Marton joined the staff of the University of Vermont in 2007 as a custodian — a word the dictionary defines as "one that guards and protects or maintains." Marton, 66, has lived up to that definition on many levels: As the founder and steward of UVM's Book Nook since 2010, he cares for, protects and maintains a Little Free Library that has made a big mark on campus.
New Year's Eve Is Back in a Big Way in Burlington and St. Johnsbury
click to enlarge Courtesy Of Luke Awtry Photography When the clock strikes midnight this December 31, many Vermonters are likely to be out on the town instead of cozy on the couch. After two years of virtual and hybrid gatherings, two of the state's signature New Year's Eve celebrations, in Burlington and St. Johnsbury, return to form.
New Center for Cartoon Studies Graphic Guide Explains Vermont's Democracy - Past, Present and Future
click to enlarge Courtesy Many people dislike the hate speech and so-called "othering" that litter social media. The rampant rage and friction playing out like a boxing match on the national news are enough to bruise our confidence and make us wonder, Will my vote make a difference in the upcoming midterm elections? Turn off the television and radio. Turn off all social media notifications. Give your brain a break from the hostility and pick up a comic book. Yep, a comic book.
Policy and transparency gaps for oceanic shark and rays in high seas tuna fisheries
• , , , , , & ( ). Banning is not enough: The complexities of oceanic shark management by tuna regional fisheries management organizations . Global Ecology and Conservation, , – . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2015.05.003 • , , , & ( ). The role of CITES in the conservation of marine fishes subject to international trade . Fish and Fisheries, ( ), – . https://doi.org/10.1111/faf.12035 • , , & ( ).
Bucket List Golf: PXG, Jack Nicklaus, & Hawaiian Vistas Make For A Perfect Round At Manele Golf Course
For golfers who prefer to travel light (or those who'd rather use their luggage allowance for extra shoes), the Four Seasons Resort Lanai on Hawaii has a new offer sure to delight. Starting July 1, guests can avail themselves of complimentary Titleist or PXG clubs while playing the Signature Jack Nicklaus 18-hole course, Manele Golf Course.
The Saudi Factor: What LIV Golf Means For The LPGA
Money talks, and in recent weeks the influx of LIV Golf's cash has risen to a roar in the world of golf. With major PGA Tour players like Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson defecting - and receiving suspensions as a result - those in the ranks of women's golf are quietly wondering if the LPGA might be next target. Article continues below advertisement LIV Golf launched its first event in London on Thursday after months of drama and speculation about who would partake.
Danielle Kang Takes Pause For Tumor Treatment
Health comes first - even and especially for champions. LPGA star Danielle Kang announced Wednesday that she would be stepping back from the tour indefinitely to deal with health issues stemming from her spinal tumor.
Sweet 16! Anna Davis Wows In LPGA Debut
Call it beginner's luck. At just 16 years old, Anna Davis showed she's ready for LPGA primetime as she wowed the crowd during her tour debut at the Palos Verdes Championship on Thursday. Despite the pressure of expectation, Davis held strong, netting out with an even par of 71 to close the day. Article continues below advertisement "I think it was pretty much like every other tournament I would say," she said after the momentous debut.
Byredo Brings The Green To Your Makeup Case With Bold New Mascara
Bring a touch of the green to your makeup case with this bold new mascara from Byredo. Article continues below advertisement The European luxury giant probably didn't mean to fashion the Astronomical Mascara's tube after a verdant blade of grass. But for the golf-obsessed, we couldn't help but see the resemblance.
“Marketing and Beyond” with Melissa Cronin from Greener Concepts Inc.
Melissa Cronin Founder & Creative Producer at Greener Concepts Inc. Website Address: www.greener-concepts.com Each week on “Marketing and Beyond,” our host talks to media experts across the country. This week our host speaks with Melissa Cronin from Greener Concepts Inc.. To learn more, check out www.greener-concepts.com What is your company Elevator pitch when talking about your company?
Anti-racist interventions to transform ecology, evolution and conservation biology departments - Nature Ecology & Evolution
Abstract Racial and ethnic discrimination persist in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields, including ecology, evolution and conservation biology (EECB) and related disciplines. Marginalization and oppression as a result of institutional and structural racism continue to create barriers to inclusion for Black people, Indigenous people and people of colour (BIPOC), and remnants of historic racist policies and pseudoscientific theories continue to plague these fields.
All Hands on Deck for Threatened Manta and Devil Rays - International Seafood Sustainability Foundation
By: Melissa Cronin Date: February 25, 2021 Mobula rays (manta and devil rays) are some of the ocean’s slowest-growing and most vulnerable species, and are facing global pressure from multiple threats, including bycatch in fisheries.
Crime-Fighting Moose Leads Cops Right To Pot Grower’s Plants
Who says dogs are the only animals that can fight crime? One moose, found wandering near a parking lot in Burlington, Vermont, led police on a chase that dumped them out right by a pot grower's shed. Officers had been called to lead the animal away from an antique store, where they tried to guide it away from houses. The moose had other ideas, and wandered through the suburbs instead, eventually ending up at the shed, which held 30 marijuana plants.
Using a drone to spy on devil rays from above
You’d be surprised how difficult it is to find devil rays with the naked eye—even when they gather in the hundreds and thousands. But with a drone, that mission becomes a whole lot easier. While we were in Baja California Sur, Mexico, this past field season working on our project to understand the population genetics of manta and devil rays, we couldn’t resist bringing a drone along to capture some aerial footage of these spectacular animals.
A Proven Vaccine for Pedestrian Safety
A World Where Cars Don’t Rule Fast footfalls approaching from behind me made me turn my head to see the jogger. I screeched and jumped into the road, pulling my husband along with me. Since COVID-19 came coughing into our lives, I’ve been terrified whenever I’m out for a walk. What happens if someone sneezes as they pass by? My hyper-vigilance isn’t new. I’ve been a worried walker since death came for me in July of 2003.
A Social-Ecological Odyssey in Fisheries and Wildlife Management
Column: Transitions Andrew K. Carlson Corresponding Author E-mail address: andrewkc@princeton.edu https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6681-0853 Princeton University, Princeton Environmental Institute, M30 Guyot Hall, Princeton, NJ, 08544 Search for more papers by this author
Investigating Collaborative Solutions to Protect Threatened Manta Rays
By: Melissa Cronin Date: March 10, 2020 The world’s largest ray is also one of its most vulnerable. Manta rays, and their close cousins the devil rays, are incredible animals. They have large brains and complex social behaviors. They are also gentle giants that glide through tropical waters and attract SCUBA divers from across the world. As fascinating and valuable as mobulid rays (manta and devil rays) are, they also are vulnerable.
The Rat Hunters of New York
On a chilly Friday night in early spring of 2013, four men and three women meet in a dimly-lit alley next to Manhattan’s City Hall Park. They are dressed against the unseasonable thirty-degree chill, in puffy jackets and protective working gloves with worn-down fingertips. With them are four small dogs on nylon leashes. Richard Reynolds, a bald, husky business analyst from New Jersey, stands at their center, a head taller than anybody else, in an outfit made up of varying shades of khaki.
Wild Horses Roam Free In Spain For First Time In 2,000 Years
Four dozen Retuerta horses, an endangered ancient breed, are the first of their kind to roam Spain in two millenia. The animals, which were released over the past two years as part of a collaboration of organizations called Rewilding Europe, are leading a reverse of domestication that dates back to the Roman ages.
Giving Tuesday chance to donate to local nonprofits
This is the season of thanks and giving. For many of us, November has become a month filled with intentional gratitude with family and friends, asking one another to declare daily thankfulness. This new American gratitude tradition is one of my personal favorites. My favorite new tradition, however, is Giving Tuesday, the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving. It has become a global event where individuals raise funds for or donate to nonprofits.
Scientists & fisheries observers team up
Training the front lines: working with fisheries to reduce manta and devil ray bycatch Fisheries bycatch is one of the greatest threats facing manta and devil rays, otherwise known as mobulid rays. To address these threats a team of fishers, fisheries observers, conservation non-profits and academic scientist have come together into an innovative working relationship with the common goal of assessing and reducing the impact of tuna seine bycatch on these charismatic species.
Searching for devil tails in the Sea of Cortez
Photo © Sergey Uryadnikov | Shutterstock A tiny piece of a devil ray’s tail contains a whole world of information. From just a few centimetres, we can unlock the species’ evolutionary history, the structure and approximate size of its different populations, and something about its chances for persistence in a world of constant threat. But in order to reveal all that information, we have to find those tails first.
Don’t Sell Your Graduation Tickets
By Melissa Cronin As graduation approaches, we seniors are feeling a lot of emotions. We’re feeling excited to start a new chapter (with or without a job). We’re feeling liberated at the thought of no homework, no deadlines, and no stumbling out of Bobst as the sun rises, bleary eyed and confused about why the morning is attacking your exhausted, baggy eyeballs. We’re also feeling nervous about adulthood, joblessness, and that horrible, horrible place: the REAL WORLD.
I survived the Santa Monica Farmers Market crash. Car attacks can happen at any moment.
Melissa Cronin, Opinion contributor Published 6:00 a.m. ET July 19, 2019 My body still stiffens, and I Iook for escape routes in public places. Vehicles will always be weapons, but we can and should make open spaces safer. It’s hard to think of carnage having an anniversary, but it does. Think of 9/11, approaching its 18th, and D-Day having recently “commemorated” its 75th. My own carnage anniversary was Tuesday, July 16.
2019 Switzer Fellows
University of California, Berkeley MURP, Master of City and Regional Planning University of Massachusetts Amherst PhD, Environmental Conservation Claremont Graduate University MS, Systematic and Evolutionary Botany University of New Hampshire PhD, Earth Science/ Natural Resources and Earth System Science Yale University JD, Environmental Law: Water Rights, Regulation, Property Rights, Environmental Protection Harvard University MPP, MBA, Public Policy and Business Administration Harvard...
Two World Class Losers: Ted Nugent And Kid Rock
Aging rock star Ted Nugent has come to the defense of fellow rocker Kid Rock, who was recently panned for killing a cougar. WARNING: Graphic Content Below Nugent posted photos of Kid Rock's kill in early January - and then upped the ante with his own big-game hunting photos. One appears to show a young Nugent posing over the carcass of an African lion, a species the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently suggested should be listed as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act.
NYT Investigation Reveals U.S. Agriculture Dept.’s Meat Experimentation Nightmare
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is conducting a disturbing series of experiments on farm animals, an investigation by The New York Times has revealed. A compound of taxpayer-funded laboratories and pastures in Nebraska called the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center is testing the limits of industrial meat, using harrowing methods to re-engineer livestock that are larger and more productive, according to the report, published Sunday.
She Rides For “Blackfish”: NASCAR Driver Leilani Munter And Her 200 Mph Billboard
Racecar driver Leilani Munter, the rare combination of female NASCAR superstar AND dedicated animal rights activist, is revving up for Talladega Superspeedway, by debuting her brand-new "Blackfish" inspired car this May. The driver, who has been an outspoken opponent of cetaceans in captivity, is not new to driving cars for a cause -- in 2012, she took to the track in a car inspired by the Oscar-winning documentary "The Cove," a film that exposed the brutal dolphin slaughter in Taiji, Japan.
MMA Fighter Carries Baby Dolphin To Safety
An Irish Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter showed his soft side when he found a baby dolphin stranded on the shore of County Clare in Ireland. Cathal Pendred, currently a contestant on The Ultimate Fighter competition, picked up the dolphin and deftly carried her into the swell -- a stunning show of empathy from someone who fights for a living: I just spent an hour in the sea at Doonbeg trying to save a baby dolphin.
Whale Shatters World Record With Marathon Swim
Behold: There's a new long-distance champion of the world. A gray whale has broken the record for mammal migration, swimming a jaw-dropping 13,988 miles - equivalent to swimming halfway around the world. The round-trip marathon from Russia to Mexico and back took 172 days. What's more, the whale never once stopped to feed.
Conservationists Will Fight Georgia Aquarium In Court Over 18 Wild-Caught Beluga Whales
Animal advocates took a big step forward in their battle against the Georgia Aquarium last week when a federal district court ruled to allow them to intervene on the side of the government in an upcoming court battle. The ruling will allow the groups to inform and argue their case during the hearing of a lawsuit about the 18 belugas.
Smart Move: Disney Drops Faroe Islands Whaling Site From Cruise Route
Disney Cruise Line announced a last-minute itinerary change to one of its cruise routes, making a noted detour around the Faroe Islands, where hundreds of whales are killed in drive hunts each summer. The move has been applauded by whale activists, who say Disney is leading the way in making responsible decisions like avoiding areas where whaling is practiced.
Horrific Video Shows What Really Happens At America’s Chicken Farms
Horrific footage taken at two poultry suppliers for the company Koch Foods earlier this year shows alleged animal abuse of chickens. The footage, filmed by undercover activists with the group Mercy for Animals, shows workers throwing birds, slamming them into crates and birds suffering from open wounds. It also shows a supplier truck that turned over on the highway, crushing and killing countless chickens.
Lolita Has Now Been Held In America’s Tiniest Whale Tank For 44 Years
Orca Netowrk Captured at the age of 4, Lolita was sold to the Seaquarium for $6,000. She is still floating in her pool, which is 35 feet across and 20 feet deep -- equivalent to her length. Learn more about Lolita's plight -- and how to help her -- by clicking here.
Drone Footage Reveals The Loneliest Orca’s Tiny Tank
For 44 years, an orca named Lolita has been swimming around a small pool at the Miami Seaquarium - most of that time spent without the company of another whale. At just 35 feet across, the tank is the smallest of its kind in North America, and has often been the target of animal activists who call for her retirement to a sanctuary in a sea pen. Now, Lolita's tank is under scrutiny again, thanks to Paul James, an animal activist who flew a drone over the park this week.
Eighth Grader Convinces Entire School To Skip SeaWorld
The annual "winterim" trip to San Diego taken by the seventh and eighth graders at Alexander Dawson School in Lafayette, Colo., will be missing one element this year. The students will no longer be visiting SeaWorld, thanks to the efforts of one intrepid eighth grader named Phoebe Goldstein. Goldstein, a longtime opponent of whale and dolphin captivity, had heard of other schools nearby that took field trips to the marine park.
7 Boneheaded Things Sarah Palin Has Done To Animals
Like their prey, some wolf populations have experienced declining numbers in Alaska in recent years. In Denali National Park and Preserve, a 6 million-acre swath of wilderness in the state's interior, a 2014 count found just 51 wolves in 13 packs, the lowest number since wildlife biologists began counting them 30 years ago. 5.
The Rat Hunters of New York
Two decades after NYC sought to relocate its infamous tunnel-dwelling denizens, a years-long investigation reveals a few hardy souls still toiling and thriving beneath the city. The mouth of the tunnel is wide and dark, swallowing the light and all that breathes. Rubble is scattered along the train tracks, bordered by retaining walls covered in numerous layers of graffiti. This is where it all started.
This Dog Ring Bearer Agrees, Sitting Still For Wedding Photos Is A Big Challenge
No offense to the bride and groom -- but Jethro the ring bearer may have stolen the show during this wedding party's photo session.
11 Delightful Baby Elephants Figuring Out What Their Trunks Are
Everyone has to start somewhere, and elephants are no exception. And learning to use a trunk -- an incredibly complex appendage with over 150,000 separate bundles of muscle fibers -- is certainly no easy task. Here are 11 elephant calves learning to control those muscles and master the art of trunk wagging. 1. Learning to pick up grass...
What Is SeaWorld Trying To Hide By Painting Their Orcas Black?
There are lots of tricks of the trade that SeaWorld trainers and veterinarians use to ensure the relative health of their animals, from administering regular doses of Valium to teeth cleanings to prevent infection where their teeth have worn away from gnawing on the concrete bars in their tanks. One of the lesser known of these tricks involves sunscreen -- and not just any sunscreen.
5 Hedgehogs Reacting Adorably To Getting Tickled
Source It's worth noting that hedgehogs are illegal in some states, because they are nonnative species and can escape and reproduce quickly, pushing out native species. Check this list to see if they are illegal in your state -- if so, you can just appreciate them by watching these GIFs.
One Photographer's Surreal Journey Into Capturing A Poisonous Portrait
Once he's captured their likeness, Ansarov returns them to the ocean. He only takes about 15 minutes for a shoot, too. The motivation for the project, which is called "Zooids," came from his own children. Ansarov saw his kids approach them on the beach, curious about the unusual animals. "Of course as parents we don't ever want our children to get stung, but I also don't want them to grow up with fear," he said. "So I decided to learn more about them first and then to examine them through my lens.
5 Things Teenage Hunter Kendall Jones Should Do Instead Of Killing Rare Animals
Earlier this week, the internet exploded over the photos of 19-year-old college student, cheerleader and hunter Kendall Jones, who posted photos of herself standing over the carcasses of rare animals she'd shot in Zimbabwe. Among her kills were a zebra, a lion, a springbok and an elephant.
What It's Like To Repeatedly Risk Your Life To Save A Shark
A diver who risks hands - and perhaps more - to save sharks is taking dedication to helping animals to another level. Diving off the coast of Florida, Randy Jordan and his crew take shark rescues into their own hands - quite literally. Jordan, who is captain and owner of Emerald Charters in Jupiter, told The Dodo that it's not uncommon to see sharks with hooks in their mouths (in the video below, Jordan is the diver who moves the shark so the other diver can remove the hook).
Is This Wild Dolphin Doing Belly Flops For Fun?
The behavior may seem like a strange sight - but as it turns out, this isn't such a rare occurrence. Naomi Rose, a marine mammal scientist with the Animal Welfare Institute, told The Dodo that this behavior isn't unusual at all. "Pacific white-sides are very acrobatic," she said in an email.
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with Melissa
Contact Melissa, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack