Marine Biology and Fisheries

Areas of research currently pursued by the Marine Science Group include studies on physiological, environmental and pollution effects on marine organisms and systems. From the more applied angle of fisheries biology, research is being carried out on the age structure and population assessment of Irish prawns, crabs and lobsters, and of skates and rays throughout the world. Age determinations are based on the image analysis of neural tissue and the investigation of annually deposited structures. Extensive use is made of the national research vessel, the Celtic Voyager, and commercial fishing boats.

Jim Wilson's research interests can be grouped into three main categories:

1. Ecophysiology of bivalves.
   The interest encompasses all bivalves (marine and freshwater), although especially the Tellinidae as a group and particularly in the factors regulating their distribution.
   
   
2. Estuarine and coastal quality assessment.
   This involves quality indices at all levels of organisation, particularly in the context of rapid and effective means of communication to non-specialists (ICZM); testing and application of two system-level indices, the Biological Quality Index and the Pollution Load Index, conceived and developed at TCD; and analysis of heavy metals and nutrients and eutrophication.
   
   
3. System function (especially Dublin Bay) and analysis
   Studies of the transfer efficiency and assimilation efficiencies between compartments; food webs and energy flow; energy and nutrient (N, P) budgets; climate change.

Frank Jeal's interests are in the fisheries biology of skates and rays, including deep-sea and developing fisheries. He has also general interests in marine biology and in the taxonomy and life history of the minor phyla. Of special interest are corals, coral reefs, and coral reef biology.

Russell Poole is based at the Marine Institute, Newport. His principal focus is salmon, sea trout and brown trout and the sustainable development of all aspects of their fisheries. He is a major collaborator with the Parasitology Group.

Michael Keatinge is a Research Associate based at BIM headquarters in Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin. His principal research interest is in fisheries models and in ecological modelling, especially those aspects related to sustainability of fisheries exploitation.

Conor Nolan is a research associate working in the area of applied fisheries biology with the Irish sea Fisheries Board. He has specific interests in the ecological implications of developing fisheries, cetacean interactions with commercial fisheries, deep-sea fish species, elasmobranch and squid biology. He is an expert on the rationale and the methodology for collection of fishery dependent data and at-sea observer programmes.

Please visit our Marine and Estuarine site