Mariska Obedzinski, Coho Monitoring Coordinator with UCCE Sonoma/SEAGrant was awarded a Staff Appreciation & Recognition Plan Award (STAR Plan Incentive Awards) from UC San Diego Scripps Institution of Oceanography under a program sponsored by University of California Office of the President.
Mariska demonstrated exceptional leadership resulting in the integration of the Sea Grant Extension Program as a partner in a statewide Coastal Monitoring program for endangered salmon. The goal of this project is to gather data that will identify the status and trends of anadromous coho, steelhead, and Chinook populations in the Russian River Watershed.
This work is part of a larger effort by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) and NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to identify and improve our understanding of population drivers affecting coastal salmonid populations in California. Mariska independently collaborated with colleagues in DFW and the Sonoma County Water Agency to create a monitoring partnership and proposal to secure funding to support monitoring activities over the 2-year project period.
In addition to this new activity, Mariska plays a central role in ongoing coordination and personnel management of multiple research projects supported by NOAA, the Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Army Corps of Engineers, and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to monitor the recovery of endangered coho salmon in the Russian River.
Mariska is clearly deserving of this award. Congratulations Mariska!
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