Fishy business for Imperial biologist posted to Florida

Prestigious one-year scholarship to study marine ecosystems - News

By Danielle Reeves
Thursday 30 August 2007

An Imperial scientist is going to spend a year in Florida working on research projects to increase understanding, conservation and management of the world's dwindling marine fisheries.

Dr Kai Lorenzen  from Imperial's Division of Biology has been named the William R. and Lenore Mote Eminent Scholar in Fisheries Ecology for 2007-2008 by the Florida State University's (FSU) Department of Biological Science.

Known for his work on the biology and management of exploited fish populations, Dr Lorenzen's research focuses on understanding the role that active interventions - such as releasing hatchery-reared fish or manipulating fish habitats - can play in rebuilding and conserving fisheries resources. One of the major projects that he will work on during his year in Florida will be to study the potential for actively rebuilding populations of a sea urchin that plays a key role in the functioning of Caribbean coral reef ecosystems.

Dr Lorenzen becomes the seventh consecutive visiting academic to serve as FSU's Mote Eminent Scholar. During his one-year sabbatical appointment which begins in August, he will divide his time between the Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota and the FSU Department of Biological Science.

"I am honoured and very excited to be appointed to the Eminent Scholar Chair," he said "It provides a tremendous opportunity to link my theoretical work with large-scale field experiments on fisheries enhancements currently being conducted in Florida. The link with FSU and Mote also provides new opportunities for Imperial students to undertake marine field research in Florida, and one of my PhD students will be joining me here shortly."

The William R. and Lenore Mote Endowment in Fisheries Ecology and Enhancement was established for FSU's department of biological science in 1994 with a gift from the late William Russell Mote of Sarasota, a dedicated conservationist and avid fisherman. In addition to international symposia on critical marine resource issues and expanded research experiences for FSU biology students, the endowment supports collaborations between FSU and Sarasota's Mote Marine Laboratory.

"Kai has an enormous depth of understanding of the interactions of fish ecology, environmental change and fisheries management in both developed and developing countries, ranging from the United States to the Mekong region and Brazil," said Felicia Coleman, director of FSU's Coastal and Marine Laboratory and coordinator of Mote Endowment activities for the FSU biological science department.

"We feel honoured to welcome an esteemed international scholar such as Kai, and eagerly look forward to his interactions with students and collaborations with FSU faculty over the next year," she added.

Dr Lorenzen has a master's degree in Fisheries Biology with Mathematics from Kiel University (Germany) and a doctorate in Applied Population Biology from the University of London. His work has combined mathematical modelling with large-scale field studies. His professional interests also include the design of management systems and the interactions between research, management practice and environmental policy.

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