Discards – PhD Opportunity

Discarding in UK Commercial Fisheries

School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia

Prof A Grant (Project Supervisor)

Worldwide, in excess of 7 million tonnes of fish are discarded by commercial fisheries. In the seas to the south and west of the UK, for example, more than 60% of individuals caught are discarded without being landed, representing more than a third of the catch by weight (Enever et al, 2007).

Cefas staff have collected data on commercial fishing vessels for 8 years. The resulting database includes the size and species distribution of fish caught, and how these are then divided between discards and landings. These data can be combined with information on total fishing activity to give a detailed picture of discarding in the waters around England and Wales. We have used these data to examine the overall volume and composition of discarding (e.g. Enever, Revill and Grant, 2007, 2009).

This PhD project will quantify the spatial and temporal variation in discarding, and seek to understand the biological, commercial and policy drivers of this. It will use population modelling to examine the impacts of discarding on populations of individual species, including estimating the future catches and income foregone, and assess the impacts of discarding on the marine ecosystem as a whole.

The student will require a BSc in a relevant subject, but this need not be a biological subject. Experience of data analysis is essential, preferably using R, SPSS or a similar package. They will be based at UEA, but will make regular collaborative visits to Cefas in Lowestoft.

Funding Notes
Funding is available for UK/EU students. Funding awarded for this project will cover tuition fees and stipend for UK students. EU students may be eligible for full funding, or tuition fees only, depending on the funding source. International students will not be eligible for this funding however they are still welcome to apply for the project but would have to find alternative funding.

More details here.

Category: Other Organisations