CLOSING DATE: 30 September 2012. Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed shortly afterwards.
START DATE: 30 October 2012.
Applications should be made through the Postgraduate Direct Application Portal: https://dap.qub.ac.uk/portal/user/u_login.php.
The project titles are:
Project 1: Interactions between shellfish fisheries and aquaculture on intertidal bird populations in Lough Foyle
Background: There is a need for the Loughs Agency to ensure it has a good understanding of potential impacts of shellfish fisheries and aquaculture on intertidal bird populations to meet its obligations under the birds’ directive.
Aim: To quantify seasonal patterns of interactions between shellfish exploitation/production and utilisation of intertidal habitat in Lough Foyle.
Methods: Monthly field observations specific sites in Lough Foyle. This project will also involve ecological and or behavioural studies of specific bird/aquaculture interactions.
Skills/experience: Bird observation and identification in the field.
Project 2: Interactions between shellfish fisheries and aquaculture on intertidal bird populations in Carlingford Lough
Background: There is a need for the Loughs Agency to ensure it has a good understanding of potential impacts of shellfish fisheries and aquaculture on intertidal bird populations to meet its obligations under the birds’ directive.
Aim: To quantify seasonal patterns of interactions between shellfish exploitation/production and utilisation of intertidal habitat in Carlingford Lough. This project will also involve ecological and or behavioural studies of specific bird/aquaculture interactions.
Methods: Monthly field observations specific sites in Lough Foyle.
Skills/experience: Bird observation and identification in the field.
Project 3: Developing best practice for C. gigas producers
Background: Producers use their own expertise and experience to optimise production at specific sites. Exchange of methods of best practice has the potential to improve production at the individual farm level.
Aim: To relate current husbandry practice to C gigas quality (Condition, shape etc)
Methods: Seasonal field sampling at specific sites in Northern Ireland and the cross-border area.
Skills/experience: Field sampling; driving license essential.
This project will complement ATDC Project (Aquaculture initiative)
ATDC Project (Aquaculture initiative)
Project 4: Developing best practice for O.edulis fisheries production in Loch Ryan
Background: Producers in Loch Ryan use their own expertise and experience to optimise production at specific sites. Building on this expertise together with comparison with practice elsewhere has the potential to ensure sustainability of native oyster production in Loch Ryan.
Aim: To document current practice in the management of the Loch Ryan oyster fishery
Methods: Seasonal field sampling at specific sites in Loch Ryan
Skills/experience: Field sampling from boats; habitat mapping; driving license essential.
This project will complement the IBIS PhD Project: ‘ Developing science-based management strategies for environmental and commercial sustainability of native oysters in Lough Foyle‘.
Projects will be based in the University’s Marine Laboratory, Portaferry, and at the Loughs Agency.
Each studentship has an annual stipend of £13,560 plus fees (full time) and is open to any suitably qualified candidate (at least at an upper second class degree in a suitable subject) from the UK or other EU country. Applicants whose first language is not English must provide documentary evidence when applying that they can meet the required standard of English (TOEFL 87 with minimum scores of 22 in reading; 21 in listening; 23 in speaking and 21 in writing).
This project is funded by the European Union’s INTERREG IVA Programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body and co-funded by the Department of the Environment (Northern Ireland) and the Department of Communities Heritage and Local Government (Republic of Ireland).
Applications should be made through the Postgraduate Direct Application Portal: https://dap.qub.ac.uk/portal/user/u_login.php.
These Masters projects are part of a large EU funded programme, IBIS (Integrated Aquatic Resources Management Between Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland).
More information about the IBIS project can be found at http://www.loughs-agency.org/IBIS
Dr. Jennifer A. Dodd
IBIS
Email: jennifer.dodd@glasgow.ac.uk
Mobile: +44 (0) 7525 233 887
University of Glasgow: +44 (0) 1360 870 511
Loughs Agency: +44 (0) 287 131 4103
MARINE-B, the MArine Research Information NEtwork on Biodiversity, is for communication related to marine biodiversity research.
From 2010 it is the official email network of the International Association for Biological Oceanography www.iabo.org.
The archive of list messages is at https://listserv.heanet.ie/marine-b.html.