Victor Bach Muñoz
Multicultural Marine Biologist
About me:
Born in France, and the son of Spanish citizens that enjoyed traveling, from an early age I got used to new cultures and shifting locations between countries. As I grew up, the ocean was always one of my favorite places to be, and I made sure to learn how to SCUBA dive and explore its depths as soon I could. My curiosity for the marine environment eventually taught me about the many challenges its faces, and how those in turn affect the communities living near its borders and beyond. The Mediterranean sea in front of my hometown of Barcelona was a constant reminder of how damaging practices like overfishing and habitat degradation could turn thriving ecosystems into barren underwater deserts in a matter of decades. It was the contrast between these damaged environments and the pristine ones I would briefly encounter overseas that truly crystalized the importance of marine conservation and management within me.
In 2013, I moved to the United States to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology at the University of California San Diego. While completing my undergraduate studies, I decided to declare a minor in Digital Video & Film Production to expand my skills with audiovisual media, as those had proven to be both a powerful tool to captivate and inform audiences, but also to collect valuable data on elusive species. I was fortunate to get onboard multiple research cruises through the Scripps Institute of Oceanography and learn about the unique and exquisite taxonomy of marine organisms, but I always had a soft spot for chondrichthyans (sharks, rays and chimaeras), which were full of weird and wonderful species.
In 2018, I moved to Florida to complete a Master of Professional Science at the University of Miami, becoming a creative intern with the Shark Research & Conservation program. This field-heavy program allowed me to get involved in shark tagging boat trips, scientific diving following the standards of the American Academy of Underwater Scientists, and the logistics and internal workings of an academic research lab. Wanting to put my audiovisual skills to the test, I also created a full-length documentary (Among Fins) and website exploring the subject of citizen science and some of the means by which members of society are able to contribute to research in various fields of science, with shark and ray research as an example.
After graduating, I was curious to learn about the realm of fisheries science, so I became a certified Fisheries Observer with the United States' Northeast Industry Funded Scallop (IFS) based in Southern New Jersey, where I learned about the Atlantic sea scallop (Placopecten magellanicus) and one of the most lucrative and sustainable fisheries in the country. This role was a great opportunity to test my taxonomic and field skills in often treacherous ocean conditions far away from shore. This experience also allowed me to witness the inner workings of both the fishing industry and the National Marine Fisheries Service, as well as how observer programs fit within the greater picture of marine resource management and policymaking in the United States. However, I missed being part of a research team and knew that I needed to continue developing skills that would benefit that career path.
Relocating back to California in 2022, I was most curious to learn about husbandry, and how to keep marine species alive in controlled environments for their study. I began working as an aquarist at a local theme park while also teaching marine science topics to middle and high school students as an instructor at a marine-themed summer camp. Eventually, I became the Growout Facility Coordinator at the Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute's marine fish hatchery in Carlsbad, collaborating with the California Department of Fish & Wildlife to support wild populations of white seabass (Atractoscion nobilis) and California halibut (Paralichthys californicus) in the Southern California Bight. This role not only expanded my understanding of marine finfish husbandry through aquaculture facilities, but also familiarized me with state-funded stock enhancement efforts and the surrounding science, policy, and community engagement.
I am currently a PhD student at the Interdisciplinary Center of Marine Sciences (CICIMAR-IPN) in La Paz, Mexico, where I am studying the demography of three commonly caught rays in Baja California Sur: the shovelnose guitarfish (Pseudobatos productus), the speckled guitarfish (Pseudobatos glaucostigmus) and the banded guitarfish (Zapteryx exasperata). Additionally, I have continued to spend my spare time exploring the East Pacific Ocean, publishing on a variety of local species behaviors and distributions by collaborating with local citizen scientists and colleagues. I am a lifetime member of the Spanish association Catsharks and the American Elasmobranch Society, always eager to collaborate and facilitate data, samples and media to support science around the world.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Population Dynamics
EDUCATION
2018 - 2021
University of Miami - U.S.A.
Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Sciences
Master of Professional Science
Marine Conservation & Management
2013 - 2018
University of California San Diego - U.S.A.
Scripps Institute of Oceanography
Bachelor of Science
Behavioral Ecology
Taxonomy
Parasitology
2026 - Present
Instituto Politécnico Nacional - Mexico
Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas
Doctorate in Marine Science