Maria Jose Fernandez

Chilean marine biologist leading global efforts to protect Patagonian ecosystems through community-driven conservation

Maria Jose Fernandez (born 1978) is a leading conservationist and founder of Patagonia Conservancy, an organization safeguarding 1.2 million hectares of critical ecosystems. Her 2009 establishment of the Kelp Forest Alliance united 8 Indigenous communities in sustainable resource management practices. Under her leadership, Chile's marine protected areas increased from 4% to 42% coverage between 2012-2020.

Fernandez's 2015 project Fisheries Revival Initiative introduced eco-certification systems adopted by 300 coastal communities. Her research on climate resilience in Antarctic krill populations, published in Nature Sustainability, influenced the 2017 CCAMLR treaty. She co-founded Ocean Voices in 2019 to amplify youth perspectives in marine policy debates.

Fernandez's 2021 documentary Patagonia: The Last Wild Coast won an Emmy for Environmental Journalism and spurred Chile's 2022 Ocean Protection Act. Featured in National Geographic and Discover Magazine, her work has been recognized by the Goldman Environmental Prize (2018) and Rolex Awards (2020).