Cory Lescher is a graduate from the University of Oregon with a bachelor’s degree in Marine Biology. Cory spent the first four years of his fisheries-focused career as a West Coast groundfish observer, where he gained invaluable insight into the workings of the trawl and fixed-gear fisheries off the West Coast. From there, Cory transitioned to the North Pacific, where he worked as the field project manager on a variety of research projects for the Bering Sea pollock fleet and the Amendment 80 groundfish trawl fleet. With over a decade of experience at sea and having worked on over 100 commercial fishing vessels, Cory decided to attend Alaska Pacific University as a graduate student in the Fisheries, Aquatic Science and Technology Laboratory, where he earned his master’s degree in Environmental Science with a focus in fisheries management. His master’s thesis was focused on two components of trawl-caught crab bycatch: catch accounting estimation accuracy and establishing survival prediction matrices for crab when they are released back into the water. With a passion for the ocean and an understanding of industry needs, Cory endeavors to collaborate with fishermen, scientists, and fisheries managers alike to sustainably manage the ocean’s resources. Cory also brings his cameras out to sea with him and does an excellent job of documenting life at sea, the hard work of crab fishermen, and field activities to share with the rest of the world. Cory has since been working with the Alaska Bering Sea Crabbers (ABSC) based in Anchorage and joined the BSFRF as a Science Advisor in 2023.