Dr. Pilar Herrón

My research interests focus on exploring those factors that promote a sustainable use of coastal and marine biodiversity, using an inter-disciplinary and holistic approach. In recent years, my work has focused on the sustainability of fisheries resource use, with emphasis on artisanal fisheries, considering biological, ecological and socio-economic aspects. This is carried out taking into account that fisheries are socio-ecological systems, which must be assessed and managed in a comprehensive manner. In previous years, I contributed to the implementation of projects related to the sustainability of coastal and marine tourism, to the design, zoning and management of protected areas, and to the monitoring of strategic marine ecosystems, particularly coral reefs and seagrasses. I have promoted and supported the initiative on ghost fishing management developed by Ecomares in the Colombian Pacific.

• Mar 2025 – Jul 2025. Investigadora científica INVEMAR
• Ago 2024 – Ene 2025. Asesora marina en Fondo Acción.
• Sep 2022 – Mar 2024. Directora del proyecto “Manejo de la Pesca Fantasma en el Pacífico Colombiano mediante una Estrategia Comunitaria” ejecutado por ECOMARES en el Municipio de Nuquí, Colombia. (Trabajo voluntario)
• Abr 2021 – Jul 2024. Asesora de campo para pesca y acuacultura para el continente americano en Fair Trade USA.
• Feb 2020 – Mar 2021. Investigadora posdoctoral en Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research, en el marco del proyecto “Reef ecosystem restauration of Esmeraldas, Ecuador, following damages caused by ghost nets and other unsustainable fishing practices”.
• Oct 2019 – Feb 2020. Especialista en pesca artesanal. Wildlife Works Colombia – Programa Páramos y Bosques de USAID Colombia.
• 2015 – 2019   PhD (Dr. rer. nat). University of Bremen, Bremen, Alemania. Título de la tesis: “Integrating biological, ecological and socio-economic indicators to assess data-limited, tropical, small-scale fisheries: the case of the Colombian Pacific”. Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Matthias Wolff.
• 2014 – 2015. Coordinadora de Biodiversidad. Programa BIOREDD+ de USAID Colombia.
• 2012 – 2013. Especialista de Biodiversidad. Programa BIOREDD+ de USAID Colombia.
• 2011. Consultora independiente para Conservación Internacional, INVEMAR y la Universidad Nacional de Colombia – sede Medellín.
• 2008 – 2010. Especialista marina. The Nature Conservancy – Northern Andes and Southern Central America (NASCA).
• 2006 – 2007. Bióloga marina. Fundación Malpelo.
• 2005. Consultora independiente para Fundación Providence y Backyard Studios.
• 2002 – 2004. Bióloga marina. Corporación para el Desarrollo Sostenible del Archipiélago de San Andrés, Providencia y Santa Catalina – CORALINA.
• 2001. MSc Tropical Coastal Management. University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom.
• 1999. BSc en Biología con énfasis en Biología Marina, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia.

1. Castellanos‐Galindo, G. A., Herrón, P., Navia, A. F., & Booth, H. (2021). Shark conservation and blanket bans in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Conservation Science and Practice, e428.
2. Alonso, D., Vides-Casado, M., Arias-Isaza, F., Zambrano, H., Rodriguez, E., Rocha-Gutierrez, V., Herrón P. & Castillo, A. (2021). Behind the Scenes for the Designation of the Corales de Profundidad National Natural Park of Colombia. Frontiers in Marine Science, 8, 373.
3. 2020. Herrón, P., Kluger, L.C., Castellanos-Galindo, G.A., Wolff, M. & Glaser, M. Understanding gear choices and identifying leverage points for sustainable tropical small-scale marine fisheries. Ocean & Coastal Management, 188, 105074.
4. 2019. Herrón, P., Castellanos-Galindo, Stäbler, M., G., Díaz, J. M., & Wolff, M. Towards ecosystem-based assessment and management of small-scale and multi-gear fisheries: insights from the tropical eastern Pacific. Front. Mar. Sci, 6, 127.
5. 2018. Herrón, P., Mildenberger, T. K., Díaz, J. M., & Wolff, M. Assessment of the stock status of small-scale and multi-gear fisheries resources in the tropical Eastern Pacific region. Reg. Stud. Mar. Sci. 24: 311-323.
6. 2018. Tilley, A., Herrón, P., Espinosa, S., Angarita, J.L. and Box, S. Predicting vulnerability to management changes in data-limited, small-scale fisheries. Marine Policy 94: 39-45.
7. 2011. Cubero-Pardo, P., Herrón P., González-Pérez, F. Shark reactions to scuba divers in two marine protected areas of the Eastern Tropical Pacific. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems. Aquatic Conserv: Mar. Freshw. Ecosyst. 21: 239–246.
8. 2010. Rodríguez-Ramírez A., Reyes-Nivia M.C., Zea S., Herrón P., Navas-Camacho R., Garzón-Ferreira J., Bejarano S., Orozco C. Recent dynamics and condition of coral reefs in the Colombian Caribbean. Rev. Biol. Trop. 58 (1): 107 – 131.
9. 2010. Sánchez JA, Herrera S, Navas-Camacho R, Rodríguez-Ramírez A, Herrón P, Pizarro V, Acosta AR, Castillo PA, Montoya P, Orozco C. White plague-like coral disease in remote reefs of the Western Caribbean. Rev. Biol. Trop., 58: 145-154.
10. 2008. Rodríguez-Ramírez A., Bastidas C., Cortés J., Guzmán H., Leão Z., Garzón-Ferreira J., Kikuchi R., Ferreira B.P., Alvarado J.J., Jiménez C., Fonseca A.C., Salas E., Nivia J., Fernández C., Rodríguez S., Debrot D., Cróquer A., Gil D., Gómez D.I., Navas-Camacho R., Reyes-Nivia M.C., Acosta A., Alvarado E., Pizarro V., Sanjuan A., Herrón P., Zapata F.A., Zea S., López-Victoria M., Sánchez J.A. Status of coral reefs and associated ecosystems in Southern Tropical America: Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Panamá and Venezuela. En: Wilkinson, C (Ed.) Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2008. Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, 304 pp
11. 2006. Pizarro V., Herrón P., Thomason J.C. An improved technique for rearing Montastraea faveolata embryos and larvae. Coral Reefs 25 (3): 360.
12. 2005. McClanahan T.R, J. Maina, C.J. Starger, Herrón-Perez P., Dusek E. Detriments to post-bleaching recovery of corals. Coral Reefs 24 (2): 230 – 246.
13. 2005. Sánchez J.A., Pizarro V., Acosta A., Castillo P., Herrón P., Martínez J.C., Montoya P., Orozco C. Evaluating coral reef benthic communities from remote Caribbean atolls (Quitasueño, Serrana and Roncador banks, Colombia): multivariate approaches to recommend Marine Protected Areas for the Seaflower Biosphere Reserve. Atoll Research Bulletin 531. 66 p.
14. 2002. Zapata F.A., Herrón P.A. Pelagic larval duration and geographic distribution of tropical eastern Pacific snappers (Pisces: Lutjanidae). Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 230: 295 – 300