Sam Durrance

Sam is a marine biologist with a MSc in International Marine Environmental Consultancy and background in fisheries resource management. Since joining ITOPF in October 2019, Sam has attended on-site for several shipping incidents of various scales and involving varying pollutants. Notable incidents include the GOLDEN RAY (United States of America), X-PRESS PEARL (Sri Lanka) and PRINCESS EMPRESS (Philippines). Sam has gained significant on-site and remote experience responding to plastic pellets spills in Europe, Africa and Asia, and has since become a source of experience and expertise within the wider industry.

Aside from on-site spill work, Sam is a member of the Americas Team. Sam also leads the ITOPF Fisheries Working Group and is one of the focal points within ITOPF for advice relating to fisheries impacts, damages and claims. Given Sam’s experience responding to spills of plastic pellets, Sam also leads the ITOPF Plastics Working Group.

Previous Experience

Before joining ITOPF, Sam worked for a fisheries resource management consultancy. Whilst there, he worked on several projects relating to the local, national and international management of fisheries resources, including environmental impact assessments, monitoring illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, and reviewing national and international policy.

Working Groups

Sam is the lead of the Fisheries Working Group and the Plastics Working Group.