Jesse Senko
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Mail code: 7904Campus: Tempe
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Jesse Senko is PI of the Senko Lab and an Assistant Professor in the Schools of Ocean and Conservation Futures at Arizona State University. His research transcends disciplines by integrating natural and social science with innovation and governance to ensure a future for threatened wildlife as well as coastal fisheries and the people who depend on them. Senko's work has been published in leading biology, conservation, fisheries, social science, and policy journals as well as featured in CNN, Reuters, The New York Times, National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, The Economist, NPR, The Guardian, Bloomberg, Forbes, and other major outlets. A winner of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Theodore Roosevelt Genius Prize and a member of the IUCN Marine Turtle Specialist Group, he holds a BS in Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences from the University of Connecticut, a MS in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation from the University of Florida, and a PhD in Biology from Arizona State University.
- PhD. Biology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
- MS. Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
- BS. Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
Applied marine ecology and conservation; coastal fisheries; marine megafauna ecology and conservation (especially sea turtles); conservation technology and innovation; animal behavior, sensory ecology, and movements; community and market-based conservation; human dimensions of conservation; participatory learning; social responsibility
The Senko Lab for Marine Megafauna & Fisheries Conservation empowers the next generation of global conservation leaders while conducting applied conservation research in biodiversity hotspots worldwide. By cultivating long-term relationships with fishers, managers, scientists, and practitioners, our field and laboratory research transcends disciplines to ensure a future for threatened wildlife as well as coastal fisheries and the people who depend on them. Our diverse team and research program has five primary focuses:
- Developing and testing bycatch reduction technologies: We work with fishers, scientists, government agencies, and NGOs to develop new solutions to reduce bycatch of vulnerable marine megafauna while maintaining fisheries. We currently work in coastal gillnet and pound net fisheries in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans to reduce bycatch of threatened sea turtles, sharks, and rays. Our team developed the world’s first solar-powered bycatch reduction light, which integrates seamlessly into existing fishing gear and harnesses solar energy to reduce sea turtle bycatch.
- Sea turtle behavior, conservation, and ecology: We study sea turtles from land to sea in order to improve our understanding and protection of these iconic marine megafauna. On land, we study leatherback turtles at the world’s largest and densest leatherback nesting beach. In the sea, we study sea turtles at biodiversity hotspots and migratory corridors with global conservation importance in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. In particular, we study social interactions, conservation threats, nesting beach and reproductive ecology, behavioral responses to fishing gear, and environmental factors that influence sea turtle bycatch.
- Global-scale conservation assessments: We conduct global-scale assessments of conservation threats, strategies, and outcomes that benefit threatened species and ecosystems. These assessments provide valuable information to resource managers who require robust scientific data to rank conservation priorities as well as funding agencies who need to prioritize limited conservation resources. We have conducted global-scale assessments of emerging bycatch reduction technologies, fisheries management strategies, illegal sea turtle exploitation, and the impacts of plastic pollution on marine megafauna.
- Conservation social science and policy: We study the human dimensions of conservation in order to understand and improve relationships between people and nature. Our research assesses how individuals and communities influence conservation processes and outcomes, and how this information can be used to design more effective conservation strategies. Our lab has conducted research on citizen science, international bycatch policy, the socioeconomic factors driving illegal sea turtle take, sea turtle ecotourism and community-based conservation, and perceptions on the safety of sea turtle consumption.
- Lab-based bycatch experiments: In partnership with Inwater Research Group, we conduct controlled experiments at the St. Lucie Nuclear Power Plant to understand how sea turtles interact with fishing gear and bycatch reduction technologies. Due to the large number of sea turtles entrapped in the power plant’s intake canal, this one-of-a-kind study site allows us to conduct controlled bycatch experiments with wild sea turtles in experimental tanks. By gaining a detailed understanding of sea turtle behavior in relation to fishery hazards and deterrents, our experimental approach allows us to optimize bycatch reduction technologies that can then be tested in fisheries.
Download all publications here
(+co-first author, ‡international collaborator, #domestic collaborator, **undergraduate student mentored, *graduate student mentored, ∆fisher/citizen scientist)
- Senko JF, #Wang JH, *Burgher KM, Jenkins LD, Lue Sang C, Bailly M, ∆Cuevas Amador JP, ∆Cuevas Amador F, Bowden S, Osmond M, Blain J (In press, 2025) Harnessing solar energy to reduce sea turtle bycatch. Conservation Letters.
- *Burgher KM, *Denton K, #Wang JH, ‡Peckham SH, Aguilar-Ramirez D, Senko JF (In press, 2025) Net illumination is more effective for reducing fisheries bycatch at night. Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries.
- *Reavis JL, #Witherington B, #Bresette M, Ragan K, #Wang JH, Pratt S, Seckin H, Blain Christen J, Ozev S, DeNardo D, Senko JF (2025) Novel behavioral responses of sea turtles to gillnet fishing gear. Biological Conservation 306: 111161.
- +Yochum N, +Karlsen J, Senko JF, #Wang JH, Melli V, Luca Geraci M, Utne-Palm AC, Breen M, Bayse SM, Somerville J, Hermann A, Edridge A, Mackenze EK, Ljungberg P, Chladek J, Opstal MV, Watson D, Oliver M, Lomeli M (2024) Guidelines for evaluating artificial light to mitigate unwanted fisheries bycatch. Reviews in Fisheries Science & Aquaculture 32: 612-656.
- ‡Rousso SJ, Herrero Perezrul MD, ‡Mancini A, ‡Zavala-Norzargaray AA, Senko JF (2024) Citizen science enhances understanding of sea turtle distribution in the Gulf of California. PeerJ 12:e18203.
- *Lakenarine R, Chhetri N, Chhetri N, Senko JF (2024) Characterization of small-scale net fisheries off the coast of Guyana. PLoS ONE 19: e0306332.
- +Senko JF, **+Burgher KM, Mancha-Cisneros M, ‡Godley BJ, Kelly IK, **Fox T, Humber F, ‡Koch V, Smith AT, #Wallace BP (2022) Global patterns of illegal marine turtle exploitation. Global Change Biology 28: 6509-6523.
- Senko JF, ‡Peckham SH, Aguilar-Ramirez D, #Wang JH (2022) Net illumination reduces fisheries bycatch, maintains catch value, and increases operational efficiency. Current Biology 32: 911-918.
- **Reavis JL, Mejías-Balsalobre C, Naranjo I, Arauz R, Rojas-Cañizales D, Senko JF (2022) Dynamics of human take and animal predation on sea turtle nests in Northwest Costa Rica. PeerJ 10:e12925.
- #Gaos AR, **Johnson CE, +McLeish DB, King CS, Senko JF (2021) Interactions among Hawaiian hawksbills suggest prevalence of social behaviors in marine turtles. Chelonian Conservation and Biology 20: 167-172.
- *Reavis JL, Seckin H, #Witherington B, #Bresette M, Blain Christen J, Senko JF, Ozev S (2021) Revealing sea turtle behavior in relation to fishing gear using color-coded spatiotemporal motion patterns with deep neural networks. Frontiers in Marine Science 8:785357.
- Senko JF, Nalovic MA (2021) Addressing sea turtle bycatch in developing countries: A global challenge that requires adaptive solutions for the 21st century. In: B. Nahill (Ed.), Sea Turtle Research and Conservation: Lessons From Working In The Field; Academic Press, pp. 151–165.
- Senko JF, Nelms SE, **Reavis JL, #Witherington B, ‡Godley BJ, #Wallace BP (2020) Understanding individual and population-level effects of plastic pollution on marine megafauna. Endangered Species Research 43: 234-252.
- Senko JF, ‡Megill WM, Brooks LB, **Templeton RP, ‡Koch V (2019) Developing low-cost tags: Assessing the ecological impacts of tethered tag technology on host species. Endangered Species Research 39: 255-268.
- Senko J, Jenkins LD, ‡Peckham SH (2017) At loggerheads over international bycatch: initial effects of a unilaterally imposed bycatch reduction policy. Marine Policy 76: 200-209.
- ‡Peckham SH, +Lucero-Romero J, ‡Maldonado-Diaz D, +Rodriguez A, Senko J, Wojakowski M, Gaos A (2016) Buoyless nets reduce sea turtle bycatch in coastal net fisheries. Conservation Letters 9: 114-121.
- Badingqiuying, Smith AT, Senko J, Siladan M (2016) Plateau pika poisoning campaign reduces carnivore abundance in southern Qinghai, China. Mammal Study 41: 1-8.
- Senko J, ‡Mancini A, #Seminoff JA, ‡Koch V (2014) Bycatch and directed harvest drive high green turtle mortality at Baja California Sur, Mexico. Biological Conservation 169: 24-30.
- Senko J, **White ER, Heppell SS, Gerber LR (2014) Comparing bycatch mitigation strategies for vulnerable marine megafauna. Animal Conservation 17: 5-18.
- Senko J, Schneller AJ, +Solis J, Ollervides F, #Nichols WJ (2011) People helping turtles, turtles helping people: understanding resident attitudes towards sea turtle conservation and opportunities for enhanced community participation in Bahia Magdalena, Mexico. Ocean & Coastal Management 54: 148-157.
- ‡Mancini A, Senko J, Borquez-Reyes R, Guzman Poo J, #Seminoff JA, ‡Koch V (2011) To poach or not to poach an endangered species: elucidating the economic and social drivers behind illegal sea turtle hunting in Baja California Sur, Mexico. Human Ecology 39: 743-756.
- Frick MG, Zardus JD, Ross A, Senko J, Montano-Valdez D, Bucio-Pacheco M, Sosa-Conejos I (2011) Novel records and observations of the barnacle Stephanolepas muricata (Cirripedia:Balanomorpha: Coronuloidea); including a case for chemical mediation in turtle and whale barnacles. Journal of Natural History 45: 629-640.
- Senko J, ‡Koch V, ‡Megill WM, Carthy RR, **Templeton RP, #Nichols WJ (2010) Fine scale daily movements and habitat use of East Pacific green turtles at a shallow coastal lagoon in Baja California Sur, Mexico. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 391: 92-100.
- +Senko J, +Lopez-Castro M, ‡Koch V, #Nichols WJ (2010) Immature East Pacific green turtles (Chelonia mydas) use multiple foraging areas off the Pacific Coast of Baja California Sur, Mexico: first evidence from mark-recapture data. Pacific Science 64: 125-130.
- Senko J, #Nichols WJ, Ross JP, Willcox AS (2010) To eat or not to eat an endangered species: views of local residents and physicians on the safety of sea turtle consumption in northwestern Mexico. EcoHealth 6: 584-595.
Courses
2026 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
| FIS 493 | Honors Thesis |
| SOS 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| SEA 400 | Sea Turtle, Shark & Fisheries |
| FIS 400 | Sea Turtle, Shark & Fisheries |
| SEA 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| SEA 590 | Reading and Conference |
| SEA 792 | Research |
| SEA 499 | Individualized Instruction |
2025 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| BIO 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| BIO 493 | Honors Thesis |
| FIS 493 | Honors Thesis |
| SEA 201 | Ocean Conservation |
| SEA 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| SEA 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| SEA 792 | Research |
| SEA 493 | Honors Thesis |
| FIS 499 | Individualized Instruction |
2025 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| FIS 493 | Honors Thesis |
| FIS 493 | Honors Thesis |
| SEA 499 | Individualized Instruction |
2025 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| FIS 400 | Sea Turtle, Shark & Fisheries |
| BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
| FIS 493 | Honors Thesis |
| SOS 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| SEA 400 | Sea Turtle, Shark & Fisheries |
| SEA 400 | Sea Turtle, Shark & Fisheries |
| FIS 400 | Sea Turtle, Shark & Fisheries |
| SEA 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| SEA 493 | Honors Thesis |
| SEA 499 | Individualized Instruction |
2024 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| BIO 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| FIS 493 | Honors Thesis |
| FIS 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| SEA 201 | Ocean Conservation |
| SEA 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| SEA 499 | Individualized Instruction |
| SEA 792 | Research |
| SEA 499 | Individualized Instruction |
2024 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| FIS 493 | Honors Thesis |
2024 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
| FIS 493 | Honors Thesis |
| FIS 494 | Special Topics |
| FIS 494 | Special Topics |
| SOS 492 | Honors Directed Study |
2023 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| BIO 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| FIS 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| FIS 493 | Honors Thesis |
| FIS 499 | Individualized Instruction |
2023 Summer
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| FIS 493 | Honors Thesis |
2023 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
| SOS 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| FIS 494 | Special Topics |
| FIS 494 | Special Topics |
2022 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
| SOS 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| FIS 494 | Special Topics |
| FIS 494 | Special Topics |
2021 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| BIO 496 | Undergraduate Thesis |
| FIS 194 | Special Topics |
| SOS 493 | Honors Thesis |
2021 Spring
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
| SOS 492 | Honors Directed Study |
| BIO 394 | Special Topics |
2020 Fall
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| FIS 194 | Special Topics |
| SOS 493 | Honors Thesis |
- Theodore Roosevelt Genius Prize, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; $100,000
- Review Editor, Frontiers in Marine Science; 2021 – present
- Associate Editor, Herpetological Conservation & Biology; 2016 – present
- Assistant Editor, Herpetological Conservation & Biology; 2011 – 2015
- Member, IUCN Marine Turtle Specialist Group; 2022 – present