Protected Species Scientist
merra.howe@briwildlife.org
207-839-7600

Merra’s background cuts across wildlife science, policy, and communications. Her research has focused primarily on using bioacoustics to understand marine mammal movement patterns and inform best management practices. She also gained experience working with local communities to develop citizen science monitoring programs for marine mammals. With a particular interest in marine policy and translating science to a broader audience, she became a Knauss Fellow after completing her graduate studies, and served as congressional liaison in Washington, DC with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Prior to joining BRI in July 2022, she worked at the U.S. Marine Mammal Commission, providing scientific reviews of regulatory actions affecting marine mammals.

Merra oversees projects to better understand interactions between wildlife and offshore wind energy development. She works closely with clients in the wind industry to provide scientific and policy guidance through the federal environmental permitting process, including ESA consultations.

• University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, 2016 – M.S. in Marine Biology
• Vassar College, 2010 – B.A. in Biology

• Bioacoustics

• Marine mammal ecology

• Science communications and stakeholder engagement

• Marine policy

• Environmental permitting

Gulland, F., J. Baker, M. Howe, E. LaBrecque, L. Leach, S.E. Moore, R.R. Reeves, & P.O. Thomas. 2022. A review of climate change effects on marine mammals in United States waters: Past predictions, observed impacts, current research and conservation imperatives. Climate Change Ecology 3: 100054.

Howe, M. & M. Lammers. 2021. Investigating the spatiotemporal occurrence of odontocetes around Maui Nui and Oahu using passive acoustic techniques. Pacific Science. 75: 147-161.

Howe, M., M. Lammers, & R.W. Baird. 2019. Participatory science and directed survey methods: a case study with odontocetes in the Maui Nui region of the Hawaiian Islands. Journal of Cetacean Research and Management. 20: 101-109.

Lammers, M., M. Howe, E. Zang, M. McElligott, A. Engelhaupt, & L. Munger. 2017. Acoustic monitoring of coastal dolphins and their response to naval mine neutralization exercises. Royal Society Open Science. 4:170558.

Howe, M., M. Castellote, C. Garner, P. McKee, R. Small, & R. Hobbs. 2015. Beluga (Delphinaterusleucas) ethogram: a tool for Cook Inlet beluga conservation? Marine Fisheries Review. 77(1): 32-40.

Howe, M., M.M. Okello, & J. Davis. 2013. Interspecific variation in the distribution of ungulates relative to human infrastructure surrounding Amboseli National Park. African Zoology. 48(1): 159-166.

Lammers, M.O, M. Howe, and L. Munger. 2014. Acoustic Monitoring of Dolphin Occurrence and Activity in the Virginia Capes W-50 MINEX Range 2012-2013: Preliminary Results. Prepared for U.S. Fleet Forces Command. Submitted to Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, under Contract No. N62470-10-3011, Task Order CTO 03, issued to HDR Inc., Norfolk, Virginia. Prepared by Oceanwide Institute, Honolulu, Hawaii.

• 2017 Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Washington, DC