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Paul Fernandes
– Heriot-Watt University
Professor | Global Research Institutes & The Lyell Centre
Interests: Sustainable management of marine resources | Development of advanced underwater survey technologies (acoustics, visual surveys, geostatistics)
MASTS is looking for Co-Convenors for this Forum. Please contact [email protected] if you are interested in this position.
Arina Moltova (Seafish), Chevonne Angus & Beth Mouat (NAFC Marine Centre), Beta Rodrigues (Student rep from Heriot Watt University and the SUPER DTP), Clive Fox (UHI-SAMS), Douglas Speirs (University of Strathclyde), Elena Balestri (Scottish Fishermens Federation), Harriet Cole (Marine Directorate), Karen Diele (Edinburgh Napier University), Mark James (University of St Andrews), Michel Kaiser (Heriot-Watt University), Mike Heath (University of Strathclyde), Robin Cook (University of Strathclyde) and Tania Mendo (University of St Andrews).
The MASTS Fisheries Science Forum aims to be a world-class fisheries science collective which provides research and advice relevant to sustainable fisheries management. The Forum works under the MASTS ‘Productive Seas’ Theme to improve our understanding of marine [fish and shellfish] systems, and the human [fisheries] influence on them, by undertaking research into the ecology, economics, sociology, and governance of commercially exploited marine fish and fisheries.
This is important not only for the long term economic future of an important global industry, but for the well-being of rural communities, and the food security and good health of the general public.
The forum will complement and supplement work carried out by national agencies such as Marine Scotland, but focus on medium to long-term strategic research, although members may provide short-term objective scientific advice on fisheries matters, as well as expert opinion & comment. The Forum will use and develop innovative technology and tools in support of these goals, drawing on the broader range of expertise available in the Scottish HEI community and the Scottish fishing industry. Finally, the forum will help to develop a new generation of fisheries scientists, providing a vibrant research atmosphere and training opportunities for young scientists.
2023: MASTS Fisheries – Interaction with Policy Symposium
This event provided the opportunity to showcase to Marine Scotland Policy colleagues, the scope and research expertise relevant to fisheries across the MASTS community. The symposium was designed to allow a broad selection of research to be highlighted through a series of brief presentations and time for questions and discussion.
Policy colleagues were invited to participate in a facilitated open discussion to explore how the research community can engage and help to better inform policy. The facilitator for this event was Kara Brydson, Executive Director at Fisheries Innovation & Sustainability.
A copy of the abstract booklet and links to selected presentations is available to view here.
2020: ECR and PhD Fisheries Science Conference
On the 15th and 16th January 2020, the Lyell Centre and Heriot-Watt University hosted a conference for PhD and early career fisheries and conservation scientists, organised by the MASTS Fisheries Forum. This was the first such conference that the FSF had sponsored and it was hosted by Professor Michel Kaiser who joined HWU in February 2019.
One of the aims of MASTS is to ensure that Scottish HEIs punch above their weight, so the conference was an excellent opportunity for the fisheries community to get together and share their research findings, ambitions and ideas. Thirty students and researchers attended from Orkney, Oban, Stirling, Edinburgh, St Andrews, Strathclyde, and Aberdeen. There were 25 PhD and ECR presentations, covering all types of fisheries, with topics as wide ranging as fisheries acoustics (counting cod in Greenland), to parasite infections in scampi in The Clyde, to environmental effects of ghost-fishing. The workshop had two keynotes speakers; Aoife Martin from Seafish who spoke about her experience of managing fisheries in New Zealand, and David Donnan from Nature Scotland (formerly SNH) who spoke about the importance of science in implementing conservation policy. The conference concluded with a social media and communication workshop run by Michel Kaiser and Dr Heidi Burdett (both based in The Lyell Centre). MASTS kindly sponsored the catering for the event.
2019: Special Session at the MASTS Annual Science Meeting
This Forum hosted a special session at the 2019 ASM on “The future of Scottish fisheries in a changing world”. If you were not lucky enough to attend in person, why not catch up by reading the article that has been published in Fishing News.
MASTS was founded in 2009 to be a unique collaboration between marine research organisations, government and industry.
Charity Number: SC045259
Company Number: SC485726
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