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Six new research projects that aim to build a sustainable future for the marine environment and those whose livelihoods depend on it were announced today.
Researchers have received a share of £9.2 million from UK Research and Innovation to investigate how to safeguard the marine and coastal economy while protecting sea ecosystems.
The marine economy is worth £48 billion, but coastal communities are facing increased pressures from climate change, threats to marine wildlife, and economic challenges.
One team of multi-disciplinary researchers will investigate how and where meadows of seagrass can be restored in UK coastal waters. Seagrass is important in supporting marine wildlife, capturing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, and improving the productivity of fisheries. However, many seagrass meadows have been destroyed in recent years, caused by disease, disturbance, and pollution.
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.