Naima El Bani Altuna is one of the Deputy Secretaries at the NAMMCO – North Atlantic Marine Mammal Commission Secretariat. With a strong academic background in geology (BSc in Geology and MSc in Paleoceanography), Naima has pursued her education and career across diverse international settings, including the Basque Country, Italy, France, Canada, Norway, and the UK.

In 2021, she earned her PhD in marine geology from UiT – The Arctic University of Norway, where her research focused on the historical interplay between ocean circulation and abrupt climate shifts in the Nordic Seas and the Barents Sea. Following her PhD, Naima continued working as a researcher. Driven by a desire to make a societal impact, she joined Arctic Frontiers, first as the Young Program Coordinator (2021–2022), and later as the lead for Side Events and the Emerging Leaders Program (2022–2023).

Throughout her career, Naima has been dedicated to sharing climate change-related scientific knowledge in multiple languages, including Basque (her mother tongue), Spanish, and English, to engage a broader audience. Her mission is to make knowledge accessible to all.

In her current role at NAMMCO, Naima continues this mission by facilitating collaboration and communication among scientists, knowledge holders, users, managers, and the public, in support of the sustainable and responsible management of marine mammals in the North Atlantic. Her main responsibilities at the Secretariat include coordinating GUARDNA, NAMMCO’s educational initiative, and leading the working group focused on enhancing user involvement in NAMMCO’s decision-making processes. She also coordinates the efforts of the Committee on Hunting Methods, which aims to improve animal welfare and hunter safety, as well as the Committee on Inspection and Observation.

Mobile: +47 405 89 541