Olso, Norway, 23 October 2019 - Today, the Global Ghost Gear Initiative (GGGI) launched the Joanna (Jo) Toole Internship to support women in ocean conservation.

The internship will give an aspiring ocean conservationist the opportunity to work with the GGGI and its host and partner organisations on projects to protect the ocean, its inhabitants, and ocean communities from the effects of abandoned, lost and discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) – also known as ghost gear.

Named in memory of one of the co-founders of the GGGI who was tragically killed in the March ‘19 Ethiopian Airlines crash, the Joanna Toole Internship has been created in collaboration with Ocean Conservancy, Ocean Care, the Center for Coastal Studies and the Joanna Toole Foundation.

Ingrid Giskes, Director of the GGGI, said: “It is an honour to be launching this internship in Joanna’s memory. It is just one of the ways we can ensure Joanna’s dedication to tackling ghost gear and protecting the ocean becomes her legacy.”

Sigrid Lueber, President of OceanCare, added: “Animal welfare has always been very important to Joanna. We are very happy that we can support the fieldwork component of the internship through a month of fieldwork where the intern can actually learn about animal rescue or engage with collecting ghost nets.”

For the inaugural internship, the GGGI is looking for a female professional studying marine science, biology, political or social science, or any related/relevant topic with a keen interest in ghost gear and in pursuing a career in ocean conservation.

The intern will work with the GGGI on a wide range of projects, from seafood industry engagement and fisheries solutions projects, to animal disentanglements and supporting research. The field component will be based at the Center for Coastal Studies in Provincetown, Massachusetts; the office-based component will be hosted by Ocean Conservancy at its Washington, D.C. office.

In March 2019, Joanna Toole, one of the principal architects and driving forces behind the establishment of the GGGI, was tragically killed in the Ethiopian Airlines crash as she was on her way to further engage the international community to address ghost gear and its environmental impacts.

The GGGI, in close consultation with Joanna’s family, friends and the members of the GGGI, has proposed to establish the Joanna Toole Internship in recognition of Joanna’s leading role in addressing ghost gear and in celebration of her legacy and dedication to her work.

Joanna’s father, Adrian Toole, said: "My daughter Joanna dedicated her all too short life to animal welfare, lastly working on ocean issues, and the Joanna Toole Foundation is pleased to be associated with GGGI members in this internship award, hopefully the first of many. As a woman and an animal-lover Joanna sometimes struggled to be taken seriously by some of the organisations that she needed to influence and I'm sure that this internship with the Center for Coastal Studies and Ocean Conservancy will equip a woman seeking to follow in Joanna's footsteps with vital work experience, whilst actively contributing to GGGI's mission."

The Joanna Toole Internship will be hosted by Ocean Conservancy to support GGGI’s work as well as that of participating GGGI partner organizations that have come forward; and will be formally awarded through the Joanna Toole Foundation (to be established) together with the GGGI.

To apply and be considered for the Joanna (Jo) Toole Internship, interested candidates must submit a resume and cover letter to [email protected] and note position title: Joanna Toole Intern #19-23 in the subject line.