For over two decades, Tina Whitman has been conducting forage fish spawning survey work with Friends of the San Juans, and recently she has been promoted to science director.

“The project that started it all — and continues today — is our forage fish spawning survey work, which has taken me to more than 26 different islands across the San Juans. Forage fish, specifically surf smelt and Pacific sand lance, spawn near the high tide line on beaches. They are vital to the marine food web, directly supporting seabirds, salmon, and whales—the species that connect us all to this special place,” Whitman said.

The survey, she explained, took her by small boat, car and foot to hundreds of beaches throughout the county.

“It introduced me, in the best possible way, to the incredible diversity of our marine shorelines and the critical role they play in local and regional ecosystems. Along the way, I met many of the people we partner with on protection and restoration efforts, as well as students from schools on seven islands. This project connected me to the place, the people, and my purpose,” Whitman explained. As senior science director, she will gather the data needed to improve our understanding of the marine environment and support its protection — both for people and for nature.

This fun-filled research project has led to real results; Friends has more than doubled the number of known Pacific sand lance spawning beaches and documented even more new surf smelt spawning sites. Because of this work, according to Whitman, 12 miles of shoreline have improved regulatory protection and thousands of feet of spawning habitat have been restored.

Whitman is particularly proud of their shoreline research and restoration efforts. “We spent years filling key knowledge gaps about eelgrass meadows, kelp beds, and forage fish spawning beaches, as well as studying the elevations where eggs incubate.

“Prior to these baseline studies, critical decisions were being made without even the most basic data. We make all of our findings publicly available and use them to inform protection efforts,” she explained.

Friends have also studied shoreline stressors such as docks and armoring (bulkheads) and applied new science to inform and guide priority actions all in collaboration with private, public and tribal landowners.

“Using our shoreline research results as a guide, Friends has implemented more than twenty priority beach, coastal wetland, and subtidal restoration projects since 2010. And this year, we’ll surpass one mile of beach habitat restored in support of marine food webs, seabirds, salmon, and ultimately, Southern Resident killer whales.”

She is also proud of the changes to analysis projects that she led. “We looked at countywide trends for shoreline armoring over a ten-year period and at eelgrass health over a 20-year period. It’s been amazing to be in this role for long enough to be involved in both phases of these long-term studies which provide significant data to inform local and regional protection policies as well as on-the-ground restoration actions.”

Working with the next generation of conservation leaders including high school, university and graduate-level interns has also been incredible, she said. “They each brought their own energy and enthusiasm that is infectious and reassuring. These young scientists and changemakers are an essential part of our shared future and they are up to the task!”

Receiving the Salish Sea Science Prize was also an honor and a highlight! 2022 Salish Sea Science Prize for Whitman.

Eva Schulte, Friends of the San Juans executive director, congratulated Whitman, saying, “It is rare to find someone who has committed much of their life’s work to one organizational mission. Our Senior Science Director Tina Whitman has embodied what it means to be an informed scientist and courageous protector for 23 years. Our team is majority women, and we are guided by Tina’s smarts, discipline, and inquiry as she leads our scientific work and protection of shoreline ecosystems.

“Congratulations Tina in your promotion and thank you for your dedication to Friends and your important work on our island’s beaches. If you want to support Tina’s work and the pursuit of science despite the odds, you can give a contribution in her name at sanjuans.org/donate.”

Despite her accomplishments, Whitman isn’t slowing down. “While I love and value the research and restoration part of my job—especially the field workout on these beaches and in the eelgrass meadows—it’s the need for meaningful protection and the desire for positive change that motivates me. We are decades late in our response to climate change but the opportunity for real change, especially at the local and regional levels, to improve habitat protection and recover salmon and the Southern Resident killer whales is what keeps me focused. On a personal level, I also want to prioritize my off-the-clock time to get out in nature more, hiking, snorkeling, etc.- to recharge and connect to the places the work is about.”

When asked if science is still a male-dominated field, Whitman responded that math and engineering fields are still dominated by men, and the conservation and ecology disciplines have many amazing women role models as well as a huge number of emerging female scientists. “I have served on multiple committees and technical teams including San Juan County Stormwater and the Marine Resources Committees and am a current member of the Salmon Recovery Technical Advisory Group. I also serve on State committees and work groups on shoreline habitat and forage fish,” Whitman explained. “Throughout these experiences, I’d say today there are just as many women scientists in the room and sometimes more, a real positive change from when I was in graduate school in the late 1990’s, where all my advisors and nearly all my professors were men.”

There are certainly unique challenges for women, Whitman continued, related to conducting fieldwork in remote areas, as well as challenges in how women’s input can be received. “The fieldwork incident that comes to mind was a long time ago, at a wildlife refuge on the east coast. My work truck was ‘boxed in’ by two sports fishermen angry about access restrictions and protections for endangered shorebirds. Luckily, another fisherman I knew came along and disrupted the situation.”

Another ongoing challenge, she said, is walking the tightrope of expectations on how information is received from women: don’t be too strident or risk being discounted as mean or aggressive; don’t be too soft or risk being too emotional, limiting the impact of the results spent all this time researching. “That’s again part of why I enjoy my role at Friends—the organization and our people understand the importance of science and the joys and wonder of scientific inquiry into the interconnectedness of all things. Importantly, it also has a team of skilled and passionate staff, board, volunteers and supporters to help translate that science into meaningful action,” Whitman said. “I will say that overall, my experiences have been positive in the scientific field and that’s thanks to the many women who blazed the trails ahead of me, as well as the growing recognition that science can’t exist alone in an ivory tower. It takes people to understand it, people to use the information it provides to make decisions, and people to take meaningful action—and by people, I am referring to ALL people.”

To girls interested in the sciences, Whitman says, “Go for it! Explore volunteer and internship opportunities if you can. But also, don’t undervalue your experiences or the importance of hard work if you aren’t able to volunteer. When we moved to the islands in 2001 for my husband’s new position at the salmon hatchery on Orcas, I was working remotely completing a basin habitat assessment report for a Watershed Council in Oregon and volunteered doing beach surveys for Friends. That’s how I learned of the position that I ultimately ended up in. Just get out there and try new things every chance you get. Find your passion and also pay attention to the things you don’t enjoy so much—there are so many diverse jobs related to the ocean, and so many different scientific fields out there.”

She encourages young girls to create and take advantage of opportunities to get in the water, out on beaches and out on boats. “You need a good wetsuit and a buddy but snorkeling in the islands can be amazing and you can learn so much by just observing and immersing yourself in these habitats. I’m not sure why (cold water I guess) but it took me years before I started snorkeling here—it’s a game changer,” she said.