Bio

Josheena is the Blue Food Futures Program Manager at the Stanford Center for Ocean Solutions. Previously, she was an André Hoffmann Ocean Innovation Fellow at the Stanford Center for Ocean Solutions and the World Economic Forum. Her work focused on supporting local blue food innovation and community inclusion in blue carbon initiatives for the Blue Carbon Action Partnership.

Her community-engaged research focuses on small-scale fisheries, disaster impacts and recovery, marine protected area management, and the valorization of natural and cultural heritage in ocean governance. She has a keen interest in understanding people-ocean connections and how that influences pro-ecological behavior and local environmental stewardship.

She is also an IPBES (Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services) fellow on the Transformative Change Assessment, investigating the determinants of transformative change and pathways for achieving the 2050 Vision for Biodiversity.

Josheena holds a Ph.D. in Environment and Resources from Stanford University. Her doctoral work aimed to support ocean governance in the Western Indian Ocean, with a focus on the Republic of Mauritius, her home country. She is a founding member of the newly created Africa-Europe Group on Ocean Governance and the Blue Economy and the chairperson of the national steering committee of the Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme, implemented by the United Nations Development Programme in Mauritius, where she continues to support community-led efforts for sustainability, biodiversity conservation, and poverty alleviation.

Stanford Advisors

Additional Info

Current Research and Scholarly Interests

Josheena's community-engaged research focuses on small-scale fisheries, disaster impacts and recovery, marine protected area management, and the valorization of natural and cultural heritage in ocean governance. She has a keen interest in understanding people-ocean connections and how that influences pro-ecological behavior and local environmental stewardship.

All Publications

  • Four Strategies for Ethical and Effective Community-Based Survey Co-Development in Environmental Social Science SOCIETY & NATURAL RESOURCES Santana, F. N., Ferguson Irlanda, C. E., Naggea, J., Singeo, A., Lindsey, E., Yurkanin, A., Stark, T. E., de Rosnay, A. 2026

    View details for DOI 10.1080/08941920.2026.2677121

    View details for Web of Science ID 001790861700001

  • Advancing interdisciplinary science of gender is key to the success of blue carbon initiatives. Nature communications Yadao-Evans, W., Lopez, D. E., Aigrette, L., Arce-Peña, N., Beeston, M., Canty, S. W., De Silva, S., Grimm, K. E., Hamilton, J., House, J., Howard, J., James, R., Lawless, S., Mangubhai, S., McDougall, C., Montgomery, K., Naggea, J., Nightingale, M., Pidgeon, E., Rahman, S., Westerman, K., Yaakub, S. M., Ying, L. 2025; 16 (1): 10184

    Abstract

    The lack of practical knowledge and effective engagement with gender in blue carbon initiatives poses a threat to their success and sustainability and risks exacerbating existing gender inequalities. Developed by an interdisciplinary team of experts, this paper proposes a research agenda, comprised of seven research areas as well as priority actions, designed to catalyze a shift towards more just, equitable and effective blue carbon initiatives. This paper is a call-to-action to increase commitment, funding, and collaborative, interdisciplinary science to close the gender gap in the conservation and restoration of blue carbon ecosystems and enhance their social-enovironmental impacts.

    View details for DOI 10.1038/s41467-025-65593-3

    View details for PubMedID 41261090

    View details for PubMedCentralID PMC12630857

  • COVID-19 highlights the need to improve resilience and equity in managing small-scale fisheries. npj ocean sustainability Mangubhai, S., Olguín-Jacobson, C., Charles, A., Cinner, J., de Vos, A., Graham, R. T., Ishimura, G., Mills, K. E., Naggea, J., Okamoto, D. K., O'Leary, J. K., Salomon, A. K., Rashid Sumaila, U., White, A., Micheli, F. 2024; 3 (1): 61

    Abstract

    The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the fragility of global and domestic seafood markets. We examined the main impacts and responses of the small-scale fisheries (SSF) sector, and found that mitigation and preparedness strategies should be prioritised to boost resilience in SSF. We provide five policy options and considerations: (1) improving access to insurance and financial services; (2) strengthening local and regional markets and supporting infrastructure; (3) recognising fisheries as an essential service; (4) integrating disaster risk management into fisheries management systems; and (5) investing in Indigenous and locally-led fisheries management. Response and recovery measures need to explicitly build strategies to maintain or boost inclusion and equity in SSF.

    View details for DOI 10.1038/s44183-024-00100-7

    View details for PubMedID 39711875

    View details for PubMedCentralID PMC11659175

  • Advancing ocean equity at the nexus of development, climate and conservation policy. Nature ecology & evolution Claudet, J., Blythe, J., Gill, D. A., Bennett, N. J., Gurney, G. G., Evans, L., Mahajan, S. L., Turner, R. A., Ahmadia, G. N., Ban, N. C., Epstein, G., Jupiter, S. D., Lau, J., Mangubhai, S., Zafra-Calvo, N., Lazzari, N., Baggio, J. A., Bernard, M. L., Brun, V., D'Agata, S., Di Franco, A., Horan, R., Naggea, J. 2024

    View details for DOI 10.1038/s41559-024-02417-5

    View details for PubMedID 38744940

    View details for PubMedCentralID 8629164

  • Effects of management objectives and rules on marine conservation outcomes. Conservation biology : the journal of the Society for Conservation Biology Ban, N. C., Darling, E. S., Gurney, G. G., Friedman, W., Jupiter, S. D., Lestari, W. P., Yulianto, I., Pardede, S., Tarigan, S. A., Prihatiningsih, P., Mangubhai, S., Naisilisili, W., Dulunaqio, S., Naggea, J., Ranaivoson, R., Agostini, V. N., Ahmadia, G., Blythe, J., Campbell, S. J., Claudet, J., Cox, C., Epstein, G., Estradivari, E., Fox, M., Gill, D., Himes-Cornell, A., Jonas, H., Mcleod, E., Muthiga, N. A., McClanahan, T. 2023

    Abstract

    Understanding the relative effectiveness and enabling conditions of different area-based management tools is essential for supporting efforts that achieve positive biodiversity outcomes as area-based conservation coverage increases to meet newly set international targets. We used data from a coastal social-ecological monitoring program in six Indo-Pacific countries to analyze whether social, ecological, and economic objectives and specific management rules (temporal closures, fishing gear-, species-specific restrictions) were associated with coral reef fish biomass above sustainable yield levels across different types of area-based management tools (i.e., comparing those designated as marine protected areas (MPAs) to other types of area-based management). We found that all categories of objectives, multiple combinations of rules, and all types of area-based management had some sites that were able to sustain high levels of reef fish biomass - a key measure for coral reef health - compared to reference sites with no area-based management. Yet the same management types also had sites with low biomass. As governments advance their commitments to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the target to conserve 30% of the planet's land and oceans by 2030, we show that while different types of management can be effective, most of the managed areas in our study regions did not meet IUCN criteria for effectiveness. These findings underscore the importance of strong management and governance of managed areas, and the need to measure the ecological impact of area-based management rather than counting areas because of their designation. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

    View details for DOI 10.1111/cobi.14156

    View details for PubMedID 37728514

  • A comparative case study of multistakeholder responses following oil spills in Pointe d'Esny, Mauritius, and Huntington Beach, California ECOLOGY AND SOCIETY Naggea, J., Miller, R. K. 2023; 28 (1)

    View details for DOI 10.5751/ES-13737-280124

    View details for Web of Science ID 000935333900001

  • Rare coral and reef fish species status, possible extinctions, and associated environmental perceptions in Mauritius CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE McClanahan, T., Munbodhe, V., Naggea, J., Muthiga, N., Bhagooli, R. 2021

    View details for DOI 10.1111/csp2.527

    View details for Web of Science ID 000692686300001

  • Biodiversity needs every tool in the box: use OECMs Comment NATURE Gurney, G. G., Darling, E. S., Ahmadia, G. N., Agostini, V. N., Ban, N. C., Blythe, J., Claudet, J., Epstein, G., Estradivari, Himes-Cornell, A., Jonas, H. D., Armitage, D., Campbell, S. J., Cox, C., Friedman, W. R., Gill, D., Lestari, P., Mangubhai, S., McLeod, E., Muthiga, N. A., Naggea, J., Ranaivoson, R., Wenger, A., Yulianto, I., Jupiter, S. D. 2021; 595 (7869): 646-649

    View details for Web of Science ID 000677754600003

    View details for PubMedID 34312552

  • How adaptive capacity shapes the Adapt, React, Cope response to climate impacts: insights from small-scale fisheries CLIMATIC CHANGE Green, K. M., Selgrath, J. C., Frawley, T. H., Oestreich, W. K., Mansfield, E. J., Urteaga, J., Swanson, S. S., Santana, F. N., Green, S. J., Naggea, J., Crowder, L. B. 2021; 164 (1-2)

    View details for DOI 10.1007/s10584-021-02965-w

    View details for Web of Science ID 000612876200002

  • The impact of environmental change on small-scale fishing communities: moving beyond adaptive capacity to community response PREDICTING FUTURE OCEANS: SUSTAINABILITY OF OCEAN AND HUMAN SYSTEMS AMIDST GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE Oestreich, W. K., Frawley, T. H., Mansfield, E. J., Green, K. M., Green, S. J., Naggea, J., Selgrath, J. C., Swanson, S. S., Urteaga, J., White, T. D., Crowder, L. B. edited by CisnerosMontemayor, A. M., Cheung, W. W., Ota, Y. 2019: 271–82

    View details for DOI 10.1016/B978-0-12-817945-1.00027-7

    View details for Web of Science ID 000487550300027

  • The Ocean Equity Index. Nature Blythe, J. L., Claudet, J., Gill, D., Ban, N. C., Epstein, G., Gurney, G. G., Jupiter, S. D., Mahajan, S. L., Mangubhai, S., Turner, R., Bennett, N. J., D'Agata, S., Franks, P., Lau, J., Ahmadia, G., Andrachuk, M., Annasawmy, P., Brun, V., Darling, E. S., Di Franco, A., Evans, L., Lazzari, N., Naggea, J., Relano, V., Pertuz, M. C., Villasante, S., Zafra-Calvo, N. 2026

    Abstract

    The ocean is essential for humanity1-3. Yet, inequity in ocean-based activities is widespread and accelerating4-8. Addressing this requires governance approaches that can systematically measure equity and track progress9. Here we present the Ocean Equity Index (OEI)-a framework for assessing and improving equity in ocean initiatives, projects and policies. We apply the index, which scores twelve criteria, to case studies at local, national and global scales. We show that the OEI can generate structured data to support evidence-based decision-making across ocean sectors and scales. As a theoretically robust and widely applicable tool, the OEI can guide the design of more equitable ocean initiatives, projects or policies, ensuring better outcomes for coastal people and marine ecosystems.

    View details for DOI 10.1038/s41586-025-09976-y

    View details for PubMedID 41606346

    View details for PubMedCentralID 10076219

  • Triple exposure: Reducing negative impacts of climate change, blue growth, and conservation on coastal communities ONE EARTH Gill, D. A., Blythe, J., Bennett, N., Evans, L., Brown, K., Turner, R. A., Baggio, J. A., Baker, D., Ban, N. C., Brun, V., Claudet, J., Darling, E., Di Franco, A., Estradivari, Epstein, G., Gray, N. J., Gurney, G. G., Horan, R. P., Jupiter, S. D., Lau, J. D., Lazzari, N., Lestari, P., Mahajan, S. L., Mangubhai, S., Naggea, J., Selig, E. R., Whitney, C. K., Zafra-Calvo, N., Muthiga, N. A. 2023; 6 (2): 118-130

    View details for DOI 10.1016/j.oneear.2023.01.010

    View details for Web of Science ID 001021516200001

  • Biodiversity of leaf litter fungi in streams along a latitudinal gradient SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT Seena, S., Barlocher, F., Sobral, O., Gessner, M. O., Dudgeon, D., McKie, B. G., Chauvet, E., Boyero, L., Ferreira, V., Frainer, A., Bruder, A., Matthaei, C. D., Fenoglio, S., Sridhar, K. R., Albarino, R. J., Douglas, M. M., Encalada, A. C., Garcia, E., Ghate, S. D., Giling, D. P., Goncalves, V., Iwata, T., Landeira-Dabarca, A., McMaster, D., Medeiros, A. O., Naggea, J., Pozo, J., Raposeiro, P. M., Swan, C. M., Tenkiano, N. S. D., Yule, C. M., Graca, M. A. S. 2019; 661: 306-315

    Abstract

    Global patterns of biodiversity have emerged for soil microorganisms, plants and animals, and the extraordinary significance of microbial functions in ecosystems is also well established. Virtually unknown, however, are large-scale patterns of microbial diversity in freshwaters, although these aquatic ecosystems are hotspots of biodiversity and biogeochemical processes. Here we report on the first large-scale study of biodiversity of leaf-litter fungi in streams along a latitudinal gradient unravelled by Illumina sequencing. The study is based on fungal communities colonizing standardized plant litter in 19 globally distributed stream locations between 69°N and 44°S. Fungal richness suggests a hump-shaped distribution along the latitudinal gradient. Strikingly, community composition of fungi was more clearly related to thermal preferences than to biogeography. Our results suggest that identifying differences in key environmental drivers, such as temperature, among taxa and ecosystem types is critical to unravel the global patterns of aquatic fungal diversity.

    View details for DOI 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.01.122

    View details for Web of Science ID 000458408200031

    View details for PubMedID 30677678

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5165-8679