Day 1 - Big Blue:Keynote Speaker
John Pappalardo has spent his entire career working to protect the traditions of Cape Cod’s oldest industry and to create new opportunities for the next generation of fishermen. He has been the CEO of the Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance since 2010. Before that, he served for a decade as the organization’s policy director.
At the heart of Pappalardo’s work is the pursuit of new solutions to managing our marine environment. One enduring goal is to bring local fishermen’s knowledge and experience to bear on policymaking.
Whether he is engaged in fisheries management policy work or scientific projects, community education or local economic development, Pappalardo is particularly interested in the power of public-private partnerships. He sees these as key to improving the quality of public policy decisions and to the creation of more flexible fisheries policies— policies that make good sense in the communities they are meant to protect. Championing a more holistic, modern approach to fisheries, through ecosystem-based fisheries management, has become increasingly important as climate change significantly alters the ocean ecosystem.
A native New Englander, Pappalardo came to Cape Cod after completing a B.A. at Seton Hall University. While working as a commercial clammer, he became interested in the plight of the region’s small boat fishing industry and determined to advocate for its future.
Along with participating on several local, regional and national boards, Pappalardo is one of the original members of the Cape Cod Blue Economy Foundation.
Profile photo by Julia Cumes.
