PhD Studentship: Protecting the Marine environment: Understanding how resources shocks could help enhance sustainability of marine fisheries

Project title: Protecting the Marine environment: Understanding how resources shocks could help enhance sustainability of marine fisheries  

Supervisory Team: Paul Kemp and Jon Hare

Project description

Biodiversity loss and climate change are the greatest global challenge of our times. Our oceans are threatened by a range of human activities that change entire marine ecosystems. Examples include alterations in ocean chemistry and coral bleaching, and sea level rise and changing temperature regimes that threaten many species of marine animals that struggle to adapt to rapid change. Superimposed on this, overfishing continues to be a serious problem in many parts of the world. Focusing on marine fisheries management, this project will explore how “shocks”, such as those caused by Brexit, the pandemic, and the war in Ukraine, typically perceived negatively, may influence system dynamics and might be used to positively enhance resource resilience and marine sustainability.

Despite efforts to more sustainably manage the harvest of marine fish, several stocks remain at levels below that considered within safe biological limits. To enhance sustainability, there is a need to form robust management decisions based on the best available evidence. The UK has a long history of collecting data on fishing effort and exploitation (catch). This will be used to investigate the response of the UK fishing fleet to systemic shocks, such as new trade arrangement post Brexit, restrictions during a pandemic or the increased cost of fuel during the war in Ukraine. We will also use geospatial information and social media to quantify activity of different sized vessels. Understanding how the industry responds to shocks may shed light on how to manage marine fisheries in the face of todays major challenges, including biodiversity loss and climate change. This project will quantify how the fisheries resource, comprising both ecological (e.g. fish population status) and social-economic (fishing activity, job creation, profits) domains, responds to the interacting systemic shocks associated with Brexit, COVID-19 pandemic, and the war in Ukraine. The information obtained will be used to influence policy to help enhance resource resilience and better manage the conservation of the ocean.

The successful applicant will be keen to join a vibrant and diverse interdisciplinary team that nurtures innovation and creativity. They should be able to demonstrate strong verbal and written communications skills and be confident in analysing large data sets using appropriate statistical techniques. They should also show a willingness to develop new skills, particularly in the analysis of social media and geospatial data (e.g. using machine learning) for which training will be provided.

Entry Requirements

A very good undergraduate degree (at least a UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent).

Closing date: applications should be received no later than 31 May 2023 for standard admissions, but later applications may be considered.

Funding: For UK students, Tuition Fees and a stipend of £17,668 tax-free per annum for up to 3.5 years.

How To Apply

Apply online: Search for a Postgraduate Programme of Study (soton.ac.uk). Select programme type (Research), 2023/24, Faculty of Physical Sciences and Engineering, next page select “PhD Engineering & Environment (Full time)”. In Section 2 of the application form you should insert the name of the supervisor Paul Kemp

Applications should include:

• Research Proposal
• Curriculum Vitae
• Two reference letters
• Degree Transcripts/Certificates to date

For further information please contact: feps-pgr-apply@soton.ac.uk

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