Ethan Estess
Science and Policy Analyst

Ethan Estess is a marine scientist and science communicator from Santa Cruz, CA. He holds M.S. and B.S. degrees in environmental science from Stanford University where he studied oceanography, mechanical engineering, and studio art. He worked between the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University as a research technician in the Tuna Research and Conservation Center, helping lead lab and field-based studies of tunas from Nova Scotia to Mexico. He has published extensively on the ecology and physiology of tuna species, with specific expertise on tuna migration and bioenergetics. Between 2016 and 2019, Estess helped lead a collaborative research effort with Japanese government scientists and commercial fishermen to perform the first extensive satellite tagging program for bluefin tunas in Japanese waters. Estess shifted to working full-time as an environmental artist in 2020 but remains passionate about science communication and advocating for local, sustainable fisheries.