Michel Kaiser

Background

About Michel Kaiser

I am currently a Bicentennial Research Leader - Professor of Fisheries Conservation at Heriot-Watt University and the Co-Academic Lead for the Lyell Centre. Previously, I was the Science & Standards Director for the Marine Stewardship Council which works to move fisheries to greater sustainability. Prior to joining the MSC I was a Professor at Bangor University. My research interests are focussed on the effects of human activities on marine ecosystems and communities and how humans respond to the management measures used to restrain these activities. I undertook my PhD in the School of Biological Sciences at Bangor where I studied the feeding ecology of fishes and crabs. After completing my PhD in 1991 I worked for the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Conwy Laboratory) where I headed a research group that examined the ecological effects of fishing and aquaculture practices on marine ecosystems. I moved to the School of Ocean Sciences in 1998 where I have continued to develop these lines of research. I gained my DSc through the University of Liverpool in 2003. In 2004 I was awarded the FSBI Medal for a distinguished contribution to fish biology and fisheries. I am the Editor in Chief of the Journal of Fish Biology. I have held a number of public appointments on the Boards of Seafish and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and the Marine Science Coordination Committee of the UK and I chaired the Science Advisory Group for Seafish for 10 years. All of these appointments were as an independent member. Currently I am a trustee of Fishing into the Future and the Scottish Fisheries Museum. To date I have authored or edited six books and over 200 papers. My research group attracted >£13M of research funding since 1998 of which the majority was/is from research councils the EU or Government bodies. Specialties: Marine Ecology, Conservation, Fisheries, Aquaculture, Marine Protected Areas, Socio-economic issues in fisheries