John Virdin
Assistant Professor of the Practice in the Division of Marine Science and Conservation
John Virdin is director of the Coastal and Ocean Policy Program at the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions.
Virdin’s areas of expertise include assisting developing country governments to reform and strengthen their institutions responsible for ocean fisheries, thereby reducing poverty and enhancing sustainability, and creating policy and institutional frameworks governing a wide range of human activities that drive change in ocean ecosystems, including activities leading to the conversion or degradation of natural coastal habitats.
Virdin worked for more than 10 years at the World Bank, most recently as acting program manager for the Global Partnership for Oceans, a coalition of more than 150 governments, companies, nongovernmental organizations, foundations, and multi-lateral agencies. He advised the Bank on oceans and fisheries governance and helped it increase its lending for sustainable oceans to more than $1 billion. His work led to development of programs that provided more than $125 million in funding for improved fisheries management in six West African nations and some $40 million for fisheries and ocean conservation in a number of Pacific Island nations.
Prior to his tenure at the World Bank, Virdin worked with the World Resources Institute, the Munson Foundation, the World Conservation Network, the World Wildlife Fund, and the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Virdin holds a master’s degree in environmental studies from Yale’s School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Wake Forest University. He will receive his doctorate in marine policy from the University of Delaware in 2015.
Current Appointments & Affiliations
- Assistant Professor of the Practice in the Division of Marine Science and Conservation, Marine Science and Conservation, Nicholas School of the Environment 2022
- Area Director of the Ocean and Coastal Policy Program, Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions, Nicholas Institute-Energy Initiative, University Institutes and Centers 2019
Contact Information
- Box 90328, Durham, NC 27708
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john.virdin@duke.edu
- Background
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Education, Training, & Certifications
- Ph.D., University of Delaware 2016
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Previous Appointments & Affiliations
- Adjunct Assistant Professor, Marine Science and Conservation, Nicholas School of the Environment 2019 - 2022
- Recognition
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In the News
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APR 20, 2023 Nicholas School of the Environment -
MAR 16, 2023 Duke Today
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- Expertise
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Subject Headings
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Global Scholarship
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Research
- Cape Verde (Country)
- Ghana (Country)
- Guinea (Country)
- Guinea-Bissau (Country)
- Kiribati (Country)
- Liberia (Country)
- Marshall Islands (Country)
- Mauritania (Country)
- Micronesia (Federated States of) (Country)
- Nauru (Country)
- Palau (Country)
- Papua New Guinea (Country)
- Senegal (Country)
- Sierra Leone (Country)
- Solomon Islands (Country)
- Tuvalu (Country)
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- Research
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Selected Grants
- Duke University Research and Training Support for Implementation of the Pew Plastic Pollution Strategy awarded by Pew Charitable Trusts 2022 - 2024
- Facilitating Small-Scale Fisheries Science and Governance 2021 - 2023
- Securing a Safe Space for Small-Scale Fisheries: Research on Preferential Access Areas (¿Inshore Exclusion Zones¿) 2022 - 2023
- Securing a Safe Space for Small-Scale Fisheries: Research on Preferential Access Areas (Inshore Exclusion Zones) 2022 - 2023
- UNDP OCEAN INNOVATION CHALLENGE 2022 - 2023
- Jobs Learning Engagement for Two Subsectors 2021 - 2022
- Global Map and Database of Small-Scale Fisheries Inshore Exclusive Zones (IEZ) 2021 - 2022
- A Global Assessment of trawling within territorial seas 2021
- Analysis of Voluntary Corporate Commitments to reduce Plastic Pollution awarded by Pew Charitable Trusts 2020 - 2021
- Common Seas Project 2021
- Improving North Carolina¿s Resilience to Coastal Riverine Flooding awarded by University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill 2019 - 2021
- Kenya-Tanzania Blue Economy 2019 - 2021
- Amendment: ResilienSEA Seagrass Project 2020
- Marshall Islands Growth Study 2019 - 2020
- Global Public Policy Analysis for Reducing Ocean Plastics Pollution awarded by Pew Charitable Trusts 2019 - 2020
- Food and Nutrition Security Through Sustainable Seafood 2018 - 2019
- Local Community Mangrove Ecosystem Goods and Services (EGS) Valuation Study (Guyana and Suriname) 2019
- Sustainable Fishery Definition - Indicators awarded by World Wildlife Fund 2019
- Coral Reef Governance and Policy Analysis 2018
- Fisheries Forum Support 2018
- Outreach and Stakeholder Feedback Collection and Analysis in support of NEFMC's Program Operations Review 2017 - 2018
- Advising for Rare-National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) of the Philippines Study 2017 - 2018
- Developing a cost-effective strategy to scale up reform of small scale fisheries awarded by World Wildlife Fund 2017 - 2018
- Hidden Harvests 2 Study Next Steps 2017
- Policy Implementation Plan for the Deep Sea Fishing Policy in Tanzania 2017
- A Background Paper on a Hidden Harvests 2 Study 2017
- Small Scale Fisheries Assessment 2016 - 2017
- Ecosystem Services Reference Studies 2017
- Consultancy for Trade in Fishing Services (TIFS) training materials 2016 - 2017
- Longline Study 2016
- Fisheries Consultancy 2015 - 2016
- Blue Carbon West Africa 2015 - 2016
- Report on the State of the Caribbean's Blue Economy 2016
- World Bank Pacific Islands Regional Oceanscape Program and West Africa Regional Fishery Program support 2015 - 2016
- Assessing North Carolina's Blue Economy awarded by North Carolina State University 2015 - 2016
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External Relationships
- China Dialogue
- Publications & Artistic Works
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Selected Publications
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Academic Articles
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Diana, Zoie, Kelly Reilly, Rachel Karasik, Tibor Vegh, Yifan Wang, Zoe Wong, Lauren Dunn, et al. “Voluntary commitments made by the world's largest companies focus on recycling and packaging over other actions to address the plastics crisis.” One Earth (Cambridge, Mass.) 5, no. 11 (November 2022): 1286–1306. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2022.10.008.Full Text
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Diana, Z., R. Karasik, G. B. Merrill, M. Morrison, K. A. Corcoran, D. Vermeer, E. Hepler-Smith, et al. “A transdisciplinary approach to reducing global plastic pollution.” Frontiers in Marine Science 9 (October 28, 2022). https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2022.1032381.Full Text
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Virdin, J., T. Vegh, S. Akester, J. Chu, A. Baio, J. Hamilton, J. Macias, S. Matthiasson, S. Sherif, and D. I. Grieco. “A snapshot of the economic benefits from foreign bottom trawling in coastal West Africa: A mutually-beneficial trade in services, no winners or extractivism?” Fish and Fisheries 23, no. 5 (September 1, 2022): 1070–82. https://doi.org/10.1111/faf.12670.Full Text
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Diana, Z., T. Vegh, R. Karasik, J. Bering, J. D. Llano Caldas, A. Pickle, D. Rittschof, W. Lau, and J. Virdin. “The evolving global plastics policy landscape: An inventory and effectiveness review.” Environmental Science and Policy 134 (August 1, 2022): 34–45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2022.03.028.Full Text Open Access Copy
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Virdin, John, Tibor Vegh, Blake Ratcliff, Elizabeth Havice, Jack Daly, and Jack Stuart. “Combatting illegal fishing through transparency initiatives : Lessons learned from comparative analysis of transparency initiatives in seafood, apparel, extractive, and timber supply chains.” Marine Policy 138 (April 2022): 104984–104984. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2022.104984.Full Text
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Simmance, Fiona A., Gianluigi Nico, Simon Funge-Smith, Xavier Basurto, Nicole Franz, Shwu J. Teoh, Kendra A. Byrd, et al. “Proximity to small-scale inland and coastal fisheries is associated with improved income and food security.” Communications Earth & Environment 3, no. 1 (January 2022): 174. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-022-00496-5.Full Text Open Access Copy
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Hamilton, J., X. Basurto, H. Smith, and J. Virdin. “How does the World Bank shape global environmental governance agendas for coasts? 50 years of small-scale fisheries aid reveals paradigm shifts over time.” Global Environmental Change 68 (May 1, 2021). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2021.102246.Full Text
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Virdin, J., T. Vegh, J. -. B. Jouffray, R. Blasiak, S. Mason, H. Österblom, D. Vermeer, H. Wachtmeister, and N. Werner. “The Ocean 100: Transnational corporations in the ocean economy.” Science Advances 7, no. 3 (January 15, 2021). https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abc8041.Full Text
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Blasiak, Robert, Elin Leander, Jean-Baptiste Jouffray, and John Virdin. “Corporations and plastic pollution: Trends in reporting.” Sustainable Futures 3 (2021): 100061–100061. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sftr.2021.100061.Full Text
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Nowlin, M., A. Bennett, X. Basurto, J. Virdin, X. Lin, S. Betances, M. Smith, and S. Roady. “Recognize Fish as Food in Policy Discourse and Development Funding.” Ambio 50, no. 5 (2021): 981–89.Open Access Copy Link to Item
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Schmaltz, Emma, Emily C. Melvin, Zoie Diana, Ella F. Gunady, Daniel Rittschof, Jason A. Somarelli, John Virdin, and Meagan M. Dunphy-Daly. “Plastic pollution solutions: emerging technologies to prevent and collectmarineplastic pollution.” Environ Int 144 (November 2020): 106067. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2020.106067.Full Text Link to Item
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Cisneros-Montemayor, Andrés M., Yoshitaka Ota, Megan Bailey, Christina C. Hicks, Ahmed S. Khan, Anthony Rogers, U Rashid Sumaila, John Virdin, and Kevin K. He. “Changing the narrative on fisheries subsidies reform: Enabling transitions to achieve SDG 14.6 and beyond.” Marine Policy 117 (July 2020): 103970. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2020.103970.Full Text
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Belhabib, Dyhia, William W. L. Cheung, David Kroodsma, Vicky W. Y. Lam, Philip J. Underwood, and John Virdin. “Catching industrial fishing incursions into inshore waters of Africa from space.” Fish and Fisheries 21, no. 2 (March 2020): 379–92. https://doi.org/10.1111/faf.12436.Full Text
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Bryan, T., J. Virdin, T. Vegh, C. Y. Kot, J. Cleary, and P. N. Halpin. “Blue carbon conservation in West Africa: a first assessment of feasibility.” Journal of Coastal Conservation 24, no. 1 (February 1, 2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11852-019-00722-x.Full Text
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Virdin, John, Mimako Kobayashi, Stephen Akester, Tibor Vegh, and Stephen Cunningham. “West Africa's coastal bottom trawl fishery: Initial examination of a trade in fishing services.” Marine Policy 100 (February 2019): 288–97. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2018.11.042.Full Text
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Drakou, Evangelia G., John Virdin, and Linwood Pendleton. “Mapping the global distribution of locally-generated marine ecosystem services: The case of the West and Central Pacific Ocean tuna fisheries.” Ecosystem Services 31 (June 2018): 278–88. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2018.05.008.Full Text
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Bell, J. D., A. Cisneros-Montemayor, Q. Hanich, J. E. Johnson, P. Lehodey, B. R. Moore, M. S. Pratchett, et al. “Adaptations to maintain the contributions of small-scale fisheries to food security in the Pacific Islands.” Marine Policy 88 (February 1, 2018): 303–14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2017.05.019.Full Text
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Golden, Jay S., John Virdin, Douglas Nowacek, Patrick Halpin, Lori Bennear, and Pawan G. Patil. “Making sure the blue economy is green.” Nature Ecology & Evolution 1, no. 2 (January 2017): 17. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-016-0017.Full Text
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Reports
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Karasik, Rachel, Janet Bering, Madison Griffin, Zoie Diana, Christian Laspada, Jonathan Schachter, Yifan Wang, Amy Pickle, and John Virdin. “Annual Trends in Plastics Policy: A Brief.” Annual Trends in Plastics Policy: A Brief. Durham, NC: Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions, February 23, 2022.Open Access Copy Link to Item
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Virdin, John, Rachel Karasik, Tibor Vegh, Amy Pickle, Zoie Diana, Daniel Rittschof, Janet Bering, and Juan Caldas. “20 Years of Government Responses to the Global Plastic Pollution Problem: The Plastics Policy Inventory.” 20 Years of Government Responses to the Global Plastic Pollution Problem: The Plastics Policy Inventory. Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions: Duke University Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions, May 15, 2020.Open Access Copy Link to Item
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Virdin, John, Rachel Karasik, Tibor Vegh, Amy Pickle, Charles Di Leva, and Stephen Roady. “Analysis of Policies Related to the Protection of Coral Reefs.” Analysis of Policies Related to the Protection of Coral Reefs. United Nations Environment Program, August 15, 2019.Link to Item
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Virdin, John, Charles Colgan, Tibor Vegh, Pawan Patil, M. G. Hussain, and Pierre Failler. “Toward a Blue Economy: A Pathway for Sustainable Growth in Bangladesh.” Toward a Blue Economy: A Pathway for Sustainable Growth in Bangladesh. World Bank Group, June 14, 2018.Link to Item
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Virdin, John, Abigail Bennett, Xavier Basurto, Pawan Patil, Kristin Kleisner, and Doug Rader. “Contribution of Fisheries to Food and Nutrition Security: Current Knowledge, Policy, and Research.” Contribution of Fisheries to Food and Nutrition Security: Current Knowledge, Policy, and Research. Duke University Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions, April 14, 2018.Link to Item
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Basurto, X., Nicole Franz, David Mills, John Virdin, and Lena Westlund. “Improving our knowledge on small-scale fisheries: data needs and methodologies.” Rome, Italy, June 29, 2017.Link to Item
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Basurto, X., John Virdin, Hillary Smith, and Ryan Juskus. “Strengthening Governance of Small-Scale Fisheries: An Initial Assessment of Theory and Practice.,” 2017.Link to Item
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Virdin, John. “Tuna Fisheries: Pacific Possible Background Paper No. 3.” Tuna Fisheries: Pacific Possible Background Paper No. 3. World Bank Group, August 17, 2016.Link to Item
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- Teaching & Mentoring
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Recent Courses
- BIOLOGY 159: Humans and Changing Oceans: The Future of the Oceans in the Anthropocene 2023
- ECS 205: The Future of the Oceans: From Science to Policy 2023
- ENVIRON 807: International Fisheries Policy: Principles and Concepts Aiming to End Overfishing 2023
- ENVIRON 899: Master's Project 2023
- MARSCI 201: Humans and Changing Oceans: The Future of the Oceans in the Anthropocene 2023
- BIOLOGY 159: Humans and Changing Oceans: The Future of the Oceans in the Anthropocene 2022
- ENVIRON 593: Independent Studies and Projects 2022
- ENVIRON 899: Master's Project 2022
- MARSCI 201: Humans and Changing Oceans: The Future of the Oceans in the Anthropocene 2022
- ENVIRON 314D: Managing the Oceans to Solve Global Problems 2021
- ENVIRON 899: Master's Project 2021
- ENVIRON 997: Duke Environmental Leadership: Independent Studies and Projects 2021
- PUBPOL 314D: Managing the Oceans to Solve Global Problems 2021
- Scholarly, Clinical, & Service Activities
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Outreach & Engaged Scholarship
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