Field Work Provides Different Perspectives on Conservation

Sonia Wilfred is an Environmental Officer at EMC. Sonia has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology (specializing in Zoology) from the University of Guyana and is passionate about animals of all shapes, colours, and sizes, from small insects and birds to large mammals.

I am part of the Marine Team at EMC. I contribute to research on our marine ecosystems which is used to estimate the health of that marine population.

Our work requires travel to different parts of the country, which I enjoy. As part of my work, I am fortunate to meet and interact with Guyanese fisherfolk and hear of their many adventures at sea while learning about their livelihoods.

I am often intrigued by the peculiar names the fisherfolk give various fish, which makes learning about them an interesting task. The ones that stood out to me are ‘plata plata’ for netley and ‘old wife’ for annafoke. I also learned the hard way to practice caution when handling all marine life, whether large or small. This is especially true regarding the bangamary, which have repeatedly proven to me that they are truly ‘the fish which bites twice.’

I value my work here at EMC because it helps me better understand our marine ecosystems, the people connected to them, and how crucial it is to protect them.

Sonia conducting fieldwork with the marine team

Environmental Management Consultants Inc. (EMC), as an environmental service provider and promoter of green growth, works to support efforts aimed at the protection and sustainable management of Guyana’s environment.