New Monterey Bay Appointment 2/20/13 8.25a AF

Margaret Spring, who currently serves as Principal Deputy Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere and Chief of Staff at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, has been named vice president of conservation and science at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.     The Duke and Dartmouth graduate will oversee the aquarium’s research programs involving sea otters, great white sharks, Pacific bluefin tuna and other species, as well as its Seafood Watch program and ocean policy outreach efforts.       Spring earlier served with The Nature Conservancy’s California chapter as director of its coastal and marine program, and has played an important role advising members of Congress on ocean issues and developing key ocean legislation.