University of York
An innovative research project which combines multidimensional mathematical models, marine ecology and consumer behaviour to redefine fishing catch limits has been awarded £1.5m funding.
The pyramid approach gives a more accurate picture of the pressures and demands facing the marine environment.
Rather than using the size and quantity of fish as the basis for fish catch quotas, the ‘Pyramids of Life’ framework also considers environmental factors, consumer preferences and economic drivers within the calculations.
Developed by mathematicians including Dr Gustav Delius and Professor Richard Law at the University of York, the pyramid approach gives a more accurate picture of the pressures and demands facing the marine environment. This insight can point the way to a more sustainable harvest, for example by avoiding extinctions or environmental damage caused by over-exploiting a particular species.