May 25 is International Plastic Free Day!

©Lara Jameson

Plastic is everywhere.

It’s in our oceans, coastal areas, and buried deep in the soil. It’s in our food and our water, and wreaks havoc on the natural world around us.
A plastic bag was found in the Mariana Trench — the deepest point in the ocean — over 10,000 meters down in the Pacific Ocean. It was first identified in 2022, but unless it’s retrieved, that plastic bag is doomed to roam the ocean floor for hundreds of years, slowly turning into microplastics that become entrenched in marine life and thus, us.

Join us as we learn from Dr. Juan José Alava, research associate with the Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries and Director of the Ocean Pollution Research Unit (OPRU), about plastic pollution, and what we can do to help.

How is our plastic consumption impacting the Earth?

We live in the age of plastic. There is plastic everywhere, and we cannot really ignore the benefits of plastics for society. There’s a reason why it’s everywhere. Scientists today are talking about how plastic is becoming an eco-marker of the human footprint. There’s microplastics in our soil layers that will tell the next generation how much we used plastic. It will become one of the archeological markers of the human presence.

There are around 170 trillion particles of plastic floating around in the ocean. Right now, we have 390.7 million tonnes of plastic that have been produced. That’s equivalent to 2.6 million blue whales. This is the cost of plastic.

Which industries are producing the most plastic?

We need industry-just transitions. We need our industries to reduce their usage, and creation, of plastic. The industries that produce the most plastic are: single-use plastics, apparel, automotives, and electronics.

Most of the plastic floating in the ocean are microplastic fibres from the clothes we wear. It’s coming from the production lines or just when we use the washing machine. We need to make a trade-off between using more biodegradable fibres in comparison to the synthetic petrochemical plastic that is basically petrochemical plastic.

Cooperative approaches to industry-just transitions are very important because at the end of the day, these industries are the ones producing all this plastic. They need to be responsible for the full lifecycle of the product, from production to waste. They need to be accountable to the roots of the problem, as well as the end life of their plastic.

©Nataliya Vaitkevich

How can we (as individuals) start to consider our plastic usage?

Our behaviours, our culture, and our habits need to turn to reducing our plastic footprint, to really reduce the construction of plastic and change to more environmentally clean, green friendly products. There are many opportunities for new kinds of substitute materials like plant based, compostable material, wooden products. Because of our efforts, we basically don’t see plastic straws anymore. We need to change all our behaviours like that. We take for granted that we can just put our products in the recycling bin, but the reality is that very little is actually recycled. Even if it is recyclable, we need to avoid using plastics.

It’s not easy because we have all these distractions, like Black Friday, like Boxing Day, where everyone wants to go and buy the newest iPhone or latest computer. Just stopping to ask ourselves, “Do we really need to do that?” will help change our behaviour.

We can be multipliers of actions that are important for the future, actions that impact us and future generations.

What can we ask our governments to do?

At the regulatory level, I think there is already incentive, because Canada has already banned six single-use plastics. I think the next item that we need to really keep an eye on is plastic bottles. I think we can really ask our representatives, our governments, to push for the reduction of plastic bottles as well. That’s the only item that wasn’t included by the Government of Canada.

We know that plastic is connected to fossil fuels, with 90 per cent of the total plastic coming from petrochemicals. This means we have one more justification to really reduce the use of fossil fuels which is also one of the sources of climate change. So, that’s another way we can ask the Canadian government to help against plastic production.

©Catherine Sheila

In terms of risk, which communities in particular are most acquainted with plastic?

Coastal fishing communities – a lot of them Indigenous communities – are most at risk of being exposed to microplastics. Plastic in the ocean can contaminate seafood, which is often eaten in coastal communities.

However, the reality is that many isolated communities near the ocean don’t have the infrastructure to become completely plastic-free, and these communities often depend on plastic for their lifestyles.

So, it’s very important that when we talk about actions to reduce plastic, we include everyone. We need innovative ways to create equitable solutions for everyone, and to understand that each community is different. There is no blanket solution, but we must understand that we are at war with plastic, and something needs to change.

Tips for reducing your plastic use

Tags: International Plastic Free Day, IOF Research Associates, Juan Jose Alava, microplastics, OPRU, plastic

Posted in 2023, IOFNews, News Release | Tagged with International Plastic Free Day, IOF Research Associates, Juan Jose Alava, microplastics, OPRU, plastic

Lubna Alam

Research Associate

Research Unit

Fisheries Economics Research Unit

Degrees

PhD – Ocean Science – National University of Malaysia (UKM)
MSc – Marine Science – National University of Malaysia (UKM)
BSc – Fisheries – Rajshahi University, Bangladesh

Contact Information

Email: lubna.alam@ubc.ca
Phone: (778) 986-2607

Social Media

LinkedIn: Lubna Alam

Biography

Dr. Lubna Alam is an interdisciplinary ocean and fisheries scientist whose research integrates marine sustainability, food security and safety, and ocean governance. She is currently based at the Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, Canada, where her work supports evidence-based approaches to safeguarding marine ecosystems and strengthening coastal livelihoods. In addition, she serves as an Associate Fellow at the Institute for Environment and Development, National University of Malaysia, and as a Guest Lecturer in the Faculty of Applied Sciences at UCSI University, Malaysia.

Dr. Alam earned her Bachelor of Science in Fisheries from the University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh, followed by a Master of Science in Marine Science and a Ph.D. in Ocean Science from the National University of Malaysia, where her doctoral studies were supported by the Malaysia Technical Cooperation Programme scholarship. Her career has been shaped by international academic appointments and collaborative projects addressing regional and global challenges in fisheries, environmental risk, and sustainable ocean management.

From 2013 to 2023, Dr. Alam served as a Senior Lecturer at the Institute for Environment and Development, National University of Malaysia. She has also held international research and academic appointments, including with Universitas Airlangga, Indonesia, and has worked closely with government agencies, stakeholders, and local communities.

At UBC, Dr. Alam is currently involved in an NFRF Exploration project examining the potential risks of deep-sea mining to seafood safety, fisheries, and coastal economies. This project investigates how toxic metals and other contaminants released through deep-sea mining activities may affect key commercial species, including tuna, through exposure and bioaccumulation pathways. It also assesses potential economic impacts on fisheries, public health, consumer confidence, and seafood trade.

A major contribution of Dr. Alam’s work is the initiation of Malaysia’s first fish consumption advisory, MyFishAd, which aims to provide science-based guidance on the safe consumption of fish and seafood products. She has also contributed to international research and capacity-building initiatives, including the development of courses on fisheries and climate change under the United Nations University programme, training programmes in collaboration with Malaysian and Bangladeshi institutions, and expert review processes for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Dr. Alam is actively engaged in global ocean sustainability science through her work with the Earth Commission’s extended secretariat. She contributes to the Commission’s Safe and Just Boundaries workstream, supporting research to define a safe and just boundary for the ocean and identify the conditions needed for both people and the planet to thrive. She also leads the Ocean Malaysia Partnership, a collaborative initiative linking the National University of Malaysia and the Ocean Canada Partnership to advance sustainable ocean management and international research collaboration.

Beyond her research, Dr. Alam is committed to advancing gender equity in science. As an Executive Committee member of the OWSD-UNESCO Malaysia Chapter, she supports research training, professional development, and networking opportunities for women scientists, particularly in developing countries. Her work bridges science, policy, and society, with the goal of producing research that supports environmental sustainability, human well-being, and more inclusive scientific communities.

Research Interests

Ocean Sustainability, Fisheries Resilience, Seafood Safety, Marine Pollution, Deep-Sea Mining, Climate Change Impacts, Safe and Just Ocean Boundaries, Marine Social-Ecological Systems

Research Gate

Publications

Rockström, J., Denton, F., Norström, A. V., Abrams, J. F., Alam, L., Armstrong McKay, D. I., et al. (2026). Charting a transformational course toward a safe and just future: The Earth Commission’s contribution. Earth’s Future, 14, e2025EF006976. https://doi.org/10.1029/2025EF006976

Alam, L., Pradhoshini, K. P., Flint, R. A., & Sumaila, U. R. (2025). Deep-sea mining and its risks for social-ecological systems: Insights from simulation-based analyses. PloS one, 20(3), e0320888.

Sumaila, U. R., Alam, L., Abdallah, P. R., Aheto, D., Akintola, S. L., Alger, J., … & Pauly, D. (2024). WTO must complete an ambitious fisheries subsidies agreement. npj Ocean Sustainability, 3(1), 6.

Sumaila, U.R., Alam, L., Pradhoshini, K. et al. (2023) To engage in deep-sea minin
g or not to engage: what do full net cost analyses tell us?. npj Ocean Sustainability, 8;2(1):19.

Lubna Alam, Siti Zulaiha Zolkaply, Ussif Rashid Sumaila, Ibnu Rusydy, Ahmad Abas Kutty, Md. Azizul Bari, Mazlin Mokhtar, Kumara Perumal Pradhoshini, Subbiah Krishnakumar, Mohamed Saiyad Musthafa (2024) Risk of extinction, variability in fish species composition, and factorsinfluencing fish biodiversity in the Malacca Strait, Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 31, 41355–41369.

Ashraf Zohud, Lubna Alam and Choo Ta Goh (2023), Evaluation of Groundwater Quality Using the Water Quality Index (WQI) and Human Health Risk (HHR) Assessment in West Bank, Palestine, Hydrology, 10(10):198.

Bharathi Santhanabharathia, Kumara Perumal Pradhoshinia, Munawar Suhail Ahmeda, Marckasagayam Priyadharshinia, Mohamat Hanifa Shafeeka Parveenb, Lubna Alam, Ismail Md Mofizur Rahmand, Van Hao Duonge, Mehraj Ud Din Warb and Mohamed Saiyad Musthafaa (2023), Source, fate and transfer of primordial radionuclides as potential contaminants in environmental matrices of high and low background radiation areas – a critical review. International Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry, 1-27.

Kumara Perumal Pradhoshini, Marckasagayam Priyadharshini, Bharathi Santhanabharathi, Munawar Suhail Ahmed, Mohamat Hanifa Shafeeka Parveen, Mehraj Ud Din War, Mohamed Saiyad Musthafa, Lubna Alam, Franscesca Falco, Caterina Faggio (2023), Biological effects of ionizing radiation on aquatic biota A critical review, Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology, 1;99:104091.

Marckasagayam Priyadharshini, Munawar Suhail Ahmed, Kumara Perumal Pradhoshini, Bharathi Santhanabharathi, Mohammed Fazal Shakeel Ahmed, Lubna Alam, Ismail M. M. Rahman, Van Hao Duong, Mohamed Saiyad Musthafa (2023), Human health risk assessment due to consumption of dried fish in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India: a baseline report, Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 31(29):41388-401.

Kannayiram Muthukumaravel, Venkatachalam Kanagavalli, Kumara erumal Pradhoshini, Natarajan Vasanthi, Bharathi Santhanabharathi, Lubna Alam, Mohamed Saiyad Musthafa and Caterina Faggio (2022), Potential biomarker of phenol toxicity in freshwater fish C. mrigala: Serum cortisol, enzymeacetylcholine esterase and survival organ gill, Comparative Biochemistry And Physiology C-Toxicology & Pharmacology, 1;263:109492.

Ashraf Zohud, Lubna Alam (2022), A review of groundwater contamination in west bank, palestine: quality, sources, risks, and management, Water, 14, 3417.

Mahfuza Begum, Muhammad Mehedi Masud, Lubna Alam, Mazlin Bin Mokhtar and Ahmad Aldrie Amir (2022) The adaptation behaviour of marine fishermen towards climate change and food security: an application of the theory of planned behaviour and health belief model , Sustainability, 14, 14001.

Mahfuza Begum, Muhammad Mehedi Masud, Lubna Alam, Mazlin Bin Mokhtar, Ahmad Aldrie Amir (2022) The impact of climate variables on marine fsh production: an empirical evidence from Bangladesh based on autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) approach, Environmental Science and Pollution Research 29(58):87923-37.

Labonnah Farzana Rahman, Mohammad Marufuzzaman, Lubna Alam, Md Azizul Bari, Ussif Rashid Sumaila, Lariyah Mohd Sidek (2022), Application of machine learning to investigate the impact of climatic variables on marine fish landings, National Academy Science Letters, 45(3):245–248.

Lubna Alam, Ussif Rashid Sumaila, Md Azizul Bari, Ibnu Rusydy, Mohamed Saiyad Musthafa, Mazlin Mokhtar (2022) Investigating fish contamination scenario and community willingness to adopt consumption advice proposing an advisory option, Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 29:24167–24179.

Labonnah Farzana Rahman, Mohammad Marufuzzaman, Lubna Alam, Md Azizul Bari, Ussif Rashid Sumaila, Lariyah Mohd Sidek. (2021) “Developing an ensembled machine learning prediction model for marine fish and aquaculture production”. Sustainability, 13, 9124.

U. Rashid Sumaila, Lubna Alam, Mazlin Mokhtar, Sufian Jusoh, Mohd T. Latif, Saleem Mustafa et. al., (2021) SCIENCE, , VOL 374 ISSUE 6567.

Labonnah Farzana Rahman, Lubna Alam, Mohammad Marufuzzaman, Ussif Rashid Sumaila. (2021) “Traceability of sustainability and safety in fishery supply chain management systems using radio frequency identification technology”. Foods 10, 2265.

Ahmed, Minhaz Farid, Mazlin Bin Mokhtar, and Lubna Alam. (2021) “Carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risk of arsenic ingestion via drinking water in Langat River Basin, Malaysia.” Environmental geochemistry and health 43, no. 2: 897-914.

Bari, Md Azizul, Lubna Alam, Md Mahmudul Alam, Labonnah Farzana Rahman, and Joy Jacqueline Pereira. (2021) “Estimation of losses and damages caused by flash floods in the commercial area of Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia.” Arabian Journal of Geosciences 14, no. 3: 1-9.

Muthukumaravel, Kannayiram, Natarajan Vasanthi, Arumugam Stalin, Lubna Alam, Bharathi Santhanabharathi, and Mohamed Saiyad Musthafa. (2021) “Sublethal effects of phenol on histology of selected organs of freshwater fish Mystus vittatus.” Environmental Science and Pollution Research 28, no. 11: 13752-13760.

Labonnah Farzana Rahman, Mohammad Marufuzzaman, Lubna Alam and Mazlin Bin Mokhtar (2021). Design Topologies of a CMOS Charge Pump Circuit for Low Power Applications. Electronics, 10(6), 676.

Lubna Alam, Labonnah Farzana Rahman, Minhaz Farid Ahmed, Md. Azizul Bari, Muhammad Mehedi Masud and Mazlin Bin Mokhtar (2021) Assessment of health risks and individuals’ willingnessto participate in drinking water management at flood-pronePahang River Basin, Malaysia, Environmental Geochemistry and Health 43(4):1-15.

Ahmed, Minhaz Farid, Mazlin Bin Mokhtar, Lubna Alam, Che Abd Rahim Mohamed, and Goh Choo Ta. (2020)”Investigating the Status of Cadmium, Chromium and Lead in the Drinking Water Supply Chain to Ensure Drinking Water Quality in Malaysia.” Water 12, no. 10: 2653.

Ahmed, Minhaz Farid, Mazlin Bin Mokhtar, and Lubna Alam. (2020): “Factors influencing people’s willingness to participate in sustainable water resources management in Malaysia.” Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies 31:100737.

Labonnah Farzana Rahman*, Mohammad Marufuzzaman, Mamun Bin Ibne Reaz, Lubna Alam and Lariyah Mohd Sidek (2020), A Low Power and Low Ripple CMOS High Voltage Generator for RFID Transponder EEPROM, PLoS ONE 15(2).

Minhaz Farid Ahmed, Mazlin Bin Mokhtar*, Lubna Alam, Che Abd Rahim Mohamed, Goh Choo Ta, (2019). Non carcinogenic Health Risk Assessment of Aluminium Ingestion Via Drinking Water in Malaysia. Exposure and Health 11:167–180.

Minhaz Farid Ahmed, Lubna Alam, Che Abd Rahim Mohamed, Mazlin Bin Mokhtar and Goh Choo Ta, (2018), Health Risk of Polonium 210 Ingestion via Drinking Water: An Experience of Malaysia, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 15(10), 2056.

Lubna Alam, Mazlin Bin Mokhtar, Md. Mahmudul Alam, Md. Azizul Bari, Goh Choo Ta, Lee Khai Ern and Nicholas Kathijotes (2015) Assessment of Environmental and Human Health Risk for Contamination of Heavy Metal in Tilapia Fish Collected from Langat Basin, Malaysia. Asian Journal of Water, Environment and Pollution, Vol. 12, No. 2 (2015), pp. 21–30.

Lubna Alam, Che Abd Rahim Mohamed & Mazlin Bin Mokhtar (2012) Accumulation pattern of heavy metals in marine organisms collected from coal burning power plant area of Malacca Strait. ScienceAsia. 38: 331–339.

Lubna Alam & Che Abd Rahim bin Mohamed* (2011) A mini review on bioaccumulation of 210Po by marine organisms. International Food Research Journal. 18: 1-10.

Lubna Alam & Che Abd Rahim bin Mohamed* (2011) Natural radionuclide of Po-210 in the edible seafood affected by coal-fired power plant industry in Kapar coastal area of Malaysia. Environmental Health. 10:43.

Posted in People | Tagged with research-faculty, senior researcher

Miguel Correia

Project Leader – Seahorse Science

Project Seahorse

Research Unit

Project Seahorse

Degrees

MSc in Biology and Management of Marine Resources, specialty in Aquaculture, from University of Lisbon, Portugal
PhD in Marine, Earth and Environmental Sciences, specialty in Marine Ecology, from the University of Algarve, Portugal

Contact Information

Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, The University of British Columbia
AERL, 2202 Main Mall, V6T 1Z4
Vancouver, British Columbia

Email: m.correia@oceans.ubc.ca
Website: Project Seahorse

Social Media

Twitter: @MiguelJTCorreia

Biography

Since 2007, I have participated actively in a captive breeding program of the two European seahorse species, as well as other syngnathid species. The knowledge acquired in the last decade allowed to create a robust and solid breeding and maintenance protocol of seahorses in captivity.

During my PhD, I studied the impact of environmental variables on seahorse abundance, distribution, and habitat, developed less invasive methods (photo identification) to better study seahorses in the wild, and designed habitat restoration tools (artificial holdfast) to propose mitigation actions for habitat loss and degradation.

Since the completion of my PhD, I participated in many research multidisciplinary projects, both as PI and researcher, with thematic that ranged from aquaculture, ecology, population dynamics, socio-economy, and effects of climate change on marine species. I have been working with relevant stakeholders to expand the current knowledge of seahorse distribution, such as dive centers, maritime tourism companies and fishermen communities, while promoting best practices and Blue Economy. I also have acted as scientific advisor for policy makers which ultimately resulted in the implementation of marine protected areas (MPA) to act as sanctuaries for seahorses, and the legal classification of syngnathids as protected species on a national level.

I am a member of the IUCN Seahorse, Pipefish and Seadragon Specialist Group, acting as Focal point for Field Conservation, which provides support for IUCN Red Listing assessments namely, to reassess the current status of Data Deficient for the European seahorse species and to provide guidance in several aspects of syngnathid conservation. This group has highly skilled syngnathid specialists that provide support in planning conservation actions and allow access to decision makers and relevant stakeholders that are responsible for implementing these actions.

Research Interests

Dr. Correia has studied several aspects of European seahorse biology, ecology and conservation. He has worked closely with stakeholders to implement mitigation tools for seahorse conservation and was actively involved in the creation of new marine protected areas (MPAs). He also acts as Programme Officer and Focal Point for Field Conservation in the IUCN Seahorse, Pipefish and Seadragon Specialist Group. He is the Project Leader for Seahorse Science for Project Seahorse.

Publications

Ascione, S. J., Camins, E., Correia, M. & Vincent, A. C. J. (2026). The state of knowledge on four families of Syngnathoidei fishes (Teleostei: Syngnathiformes): Aulostomidae, Centriscidae, Fistulariidae and Solenostomidae. Journal of Fish Biology 109, 400-449.

Palma, J., Hachero-Cruzado, I., Correia, M. & Andrade, J. P. (2026). The Copepod/Artemia Trade-Off in the Culture of Long Snouted Seahorse Hippocampus guttulatus. Fishes 11, 72.

Peiffer, F., Assis, J., Lima, A. R. A., Henriques, S., Pardal, M. A., Martinho, F., Gonçalves, J. M. S., Gonçalves, E. J., Correia, M. & Silva, G. J. F. (2025). Projected climate change and limited dispersal potential threaten the seahorse species Hippocampus hippocampus and Hippocampus guttulatus. Marine Biology 172.

Oliveira, J. M., Sá, R., Correia, M. & Silva, G. (2025). Investigating stakeholders’ perceptions regarding seahorses’ conservation and conflicts in an European estuarine environment. Regional Studies in Marine Science, 104283.

Camins, E., Correia, M. & Amanda (2025). Harnessing Community Science for Seahorse Population Monitoring: Insights From the iSeahorse Programme in Tampa Bay. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 35.

Palma, J., Correia, M., Leitão, F. & Andrade, J. P. (2024). Temperature Effects on Growth Performance, Fecundity and Survival of Hippocampus guttulatus. Diversity 16, 719.

Palma, J., Correia, M., Andrade, J. P. & Bureau, D. (2024). Replacement of Fish Meal with Crustacean Meals in Diets for Long-Snouted Seahorse, Hippocampus guttulatus: Digestibility and Growth Performance. Fishes 9, 383.

Miranda, L. M., Correia, M., Barraca, C., Baylina, N. & Faria, A. M. (2024). Prolonged exposure to elevated temperature leads to severe thermal stress in the broad-nosed pipefish, Syngnathus typhle. Marine and Freshwater Behaviour and Physiology, 1-16.

Peiffer, F., Lima, A. R. A., Henriques, S., Pardal, M. A., Martinho, F., Gonçalves, J. M. S., Gonçalves, E. J., Correia, M. & Silva, G. J. F. (2024). Habitat suitability of two flagship species, Hippocampus hippocampus and Hippocampus guttulatus, in the Atlantic coast of the Iberian Peninsula – implications for conservation. Global Ecology and Conservation 53, e02993.

Camins, E., Stanton, L. M., Correia, M., Foster, S. J., Koldewey, H. J. & Vincent, A. C. J. (2024). Advances in life-history knowledge for 35 seahorse species from community science. Journal of Fish Biology 104, 1548-1565.

Costa, A. B., Correia, M., Silva, G., Lopes, A. F. & Faria, A. M. (2023). Performance of the long-snouted seahorse, Hippocampus guttulatus, under warming conditions. Frontiers in Marine Science 10.

Kalisiak, J., Gray, I., Bruget, R. & Correia, M. (2022). The use of non-invasive sampling to estimate long-term abundance of Hippocampus kuda in the Koh Sdach Archipelago, Cambodia. Cambodian Journal of Natural History, 47-58.

Correia, M. (2021). Monitoring of seahorse populations, in the Ria Formosa lagoon (Portugal), reveals steep fluctuations: Potential causes and future mitigations. Proceedings of the Zoological Society.

Cabral, A., Ricardo, F., Patinha, C., da Silva, E., Correia, M., Palma, J., Planas, M. & Calado, R. (2021). Successful use of geochemical tools to trace the geographic origin of long-snouted seahorse Hippocampus guttulatus raised in captivity. Animals, 11 (6), 1534.

Stacy, R., Palma J., Correia, M., Wilson, A. B., Andrade, J. P. & Castilho, R. (2021). The paradox of retained genetic diversity of Hippocampus guttulatus in the face of demographic decline. Scientific Reports 11 (1), 10434.

Correia, M., Antunes, D., Andrade, J. P., Palma, J. (2021). A crown for each monarch: a distinguishable pattern using photo-identification. Environmental Biology of Fishes, 104 (2), 195-201.

Correia, M., Paulo, D., Samara, E., Koulouri, P., Mentogiannis, V. & Dounas, C. (2020). Field studies of seahorse population density, structure and habitat use in a semi-closed north-eastern Mediterranean marine area (Stratoni, north Aegean Sea). Journal of Fish Biology 97 (1), 314-317.

Palma, J., Magalhães, M., Correia, M. & Andrade, J. P. (2019). Effects of anthropogenic noise as a source of acoustic stress in wild populations of Hippocampus guttulatus in the Ria Formosa, South Portugal. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 29 (5), 751-759. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/aqc.3056

Correia, M., Campoy, A., Madeira, C. & Andrade, J. P. (2018). Is filament clipping an effective tool for tissue sampling in Hippocampus guttulatus? Environmental Biology of Fishes 101 (10), 1517–1523.

Correia, M., Koldewey, H., Andrade, J. P., Esteves, E. & Palma, J. (2018). Identifying key environmental variables of two seahorse species (Hippocampus guttulatus and Hippocampus hippocampus) in the Ria Formosa Lagoon, South Portugal. Environmental Biology of Fishes 101 (9), 1357-1367.

Woodall, L. C., Otero-Ferrer, F., Correia, M., Curtis, J. M. R., Garrick-Maidment, N., Shaw, P. W. & Koldewey, H. J. (2018). A synthesis of European seahorse taxonomy, population structure, and habitat use as a basis for assessment, monitoring and conservation. Marine Biology 165, 1-19. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00227-017-3274-y

Correia, M., Koldewey, H., Andrade, J. P. & Palma, J. (2016). A novel underwater visual census: seahorse population survey as a case study. Regional Studies in Marine Science 8 (3), 454-458.

Correia, M., Palma, J. & Andrade J.P. (2016) Growth performance of the early life stages of broad-nosed pipefish, Syngnathus typhle (L.) fed different live or frozen diets. Aquaculture Research 47 (5), 1652-1660. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/are.12635

Correia, M., Caldwell, I., Koldewey, H., Andrade, J. P. & Palma, J. (2015). Seahorse (Hippocampinae) population fluctuations in the Ria Formosa Lagoon, south Portugal. Journal of Fish Biology 87, 679-690.

Correia, M., Koldewey, H., Andrade, J. P. & Palma, J. (2015). Effects of artificial holdfast units on seahorse density in the Ria Formosa lagoon, Portugal. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 471, 1-7.

Correia, M., Palma, J., Koldewey, H. & Andrade, J. P. (2014). The use of a non-invasive tool for capture- recapture studies on a seahorse Hippocampus guttulatus population. Journal of Fish Biology 84, 872-884.

Correia, M., Palma, J., Koldewey, H. & Andrade, J. P. (2013). Can artificial holdfast units work as a habitat restoration tool for long-snouted seahorse (Hippocampus guttulatus Cuvier)? Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 448, 258-264.

Caldwell, I. R., Correia, M., Palma, J. & Vincent, A. C. J. (2011). Advances in tagging syngnathids, with the effect of dummy tags on behaviour of Hippocampus guttulatus. Journal of Fish Biology 78, 1769-1785.

Palma, J., Bureau, D. P., Correia, M. & Andrade, J. P. (2009). Effects of temperature, density and early weaning on the survival and growth of Atlantic ditch shrimp Palaemonetes varians larvae. Aquaculture Research 40 (13), 1468-1473.

Palma, J., Stockdale, J., Correia, M. & Andrade, J. P. (2008). Growth and survival of adult long snout seahorse (Hippocampus guttulatus) using frozen diets. Aquaculture 278, 55-59.

Correia, M., Palma, J. & Andrade, J. P. (2008) Effects of live prey availability on growth and survival in early stages of cuttlefish Sepia officinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) life cycle. Aquaculture Research 39, 33-40.

Correia, M., Palma, J., Kirakowski, T. & Andrade, J. P. (2008) Effects of prey nutritional quality on the growth and survival of juvenile cuttlefish, Sepia officinalis (Linnaeus, 1758). Aquaculture Research 39, 869-876.

Palma, J., Correia, M. & Andrade, J. P. (2008). Usefulness of flat bottom tanks on the settlement of spider crab (Maja squinado, Herbst) larvae. Aquaculture Research 39, 1005-1008.

Sykes, A. V., Domingues, P. M., Correia, M. & Andrade, J. P. (2006) Cuttlefish Culture – state of the art and future trends. Vie et Milieu – Life & Environment 56 (2), 129-137.

Correia, M., Domingues, P., Sykes, A. & Andrade, J. P. (2005) Effects of culture density on growth and broodstock management of the cuttlefish, Sepia officinalis (Linnaeus, 1758). Aquaculture 245 (1-4), 163- 173.

Sarah Foster

Program Leader

Project Seahorse

Focal point for globe trade
IUCN SSC Seahorse, Pipefish and Seadragon Specialist Group

Degrees

PhD, The University of British Columbia
MSc, Dalhousie University

Contact Information

Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, The University of British Columbia
AERL, 2202 Main Mall, V6T 1Z4
Vancouver, British Columbia

Email: s.foster@oceans.ubc.ca
Phone:(604) 827-5139
Website: Project Seahorse

Social Media

Twitter:@sjanefoster
LinkedIn: Sarah Foster

Biography

I am a conservation scientist dedicated to finding pragmatic solutions for the many problems facing the oceans and the animals that call them home – solutions that work for both fish and the people that depend on them.

I have over twenty years experience working with the international marine conservation organization Project Seahorse (www.projectseahorse.org) on issues related to sustainable fisheries and marine ecosystems, species at risk, and international wildlife trade policy. My primary focus has been conservation projects toward sustainable fisheries systems, always in collaboration with communities of place and practice. My research and conservation work span the areas of wildlife trade and non-selective fishing practices. Using seahorses as a case study, I work to increase the effectiveness of the multilateral trade convention CITES in ensuring sustainable and legal trade in wild fishes. This in turn requires me to find ways to assess and address the impacts of non-selective fishing practices on seahorses and the thousands of other small fishes they catch.

Projects I have managed include: research – on fisheries, trade and life history/ecology of threatened species; capacity building – toolkits for assessing the sustainability of species exploitation and export, guidelines for community based fisheries monitoring, and multi-stakeholder capacity training workshops; adaptive management – supporting national governments to develop and implement action plans toward sustainable fisheries and trades; outreach projects – developing one of the first citizen science projects focused on the oceans.

I also recently served as National Manager for SeaChoice (www.seahoice.org) – a sustainable seafood program operated by the David Suzuki Foundation, Ecology Action Centre, and Living Oceans Society. SeaChoice is focused on improving the sustainability of Canadian produced and imported seafood – with an aim to effect on the water change.

My PhD research focused on the impacts of tropical shrimp trawling on small fishes. Field work involved spending weeks at sea on-board commercial trawlers in the Gulf of California, Mexico.

Research Interests

My research and conservation work focus on advancing sustainability of fisheries and international trade in threatened marine species by supporting effective international and national policy development and implementation. This includes, but is not limited to: improving our understanding of threatened species distributions and life histories through primary research and citizen science, and using this information to lead and support management and conservation efforts worldwide – but with a particular focus on Asia; improving implementation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) for seahorses and other marine species; reducing the impact of unsustainable fishing practices with a particular focus on non-selective gears such as trawl-nets.

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Publications:

Refereed primary papers:
Foster, S.J., Ascione, S.J., Santaniello, F., & T.N. Phelps Bondaroff (2025). Using online reports of seahorse seizures to track their illegal trade. Conservation Biology, e70047. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.70047

Foster, S.J., Stanton, L.M., Nellas, A.C., Arias, M.M., Apale, C.M. & A.C.J. Vincent (2025). The catch and trade of seahorses in the Philippines post-CITES (2019). The Philippines Journal of Fisheries. 32(1): 214 – 232. 10.31398/tpjf/32.1.2025-0002.

Vaidyanathan, T., Foster, S.J. & A.C.J. Vincent (2024) A practical approach to meeting national obligations for sustainable trade under CITES. Conservation Biology. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.14337

Camins, E., Stanton, L.M., Correia, M., Foster, S.J., Koldewey, H.J. & A.C.J. Vincent (2024). Advances in life-history knowledge for 35 seahorse species from community science. Journal of Fish Biology. 10.1111/jfb.15699

Foster, S.J., Justason, T., Magera, A.M. & A.C.J. Vincent (2022). CITES makes a measurable difference to the trade in live marine fishes: The pioneering case of seahorses. Biological Conservation, 272, 109653.

Foster, S.J. and Vincent, A.C.J. (2021). Holding governments accountable for their commitments: CITES Review of Significant Trade for a very high-volume taxon. Global Ecology and Conservation 27:e01572. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01572.

Aylesworth, L., Foster, S.J. and Vincent, A.C.J. (2019). Realities of offering advice to governments on CITES. Conservation Biology. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.13451

Stocks, A.P., Foster, S.J., Bat, N.K., Ha. N.M. and Vincent, A.C.J. (2019). Local knowledge of target and incidental seahorse fisheries in Southern Vietnam. Human Ecology. 47(3):397–4081.

Foster, S.J., Kuo, TC., Wan, A.K.Y, and Vincent, A.C.J. (2019). Global seahorse trade defies export bans under CITES action and national legislation. Marine Policy. 103: 33-41.

Manning, C.G., Foster, S.J., Harasti, D. and Vincent, A.C.J. (2019). A review of the diets and feeding behaviours of a family of biologically diverse marine fishes (Family Syngnathidae). Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11160-019-09549-z

Kuo, TC., Laksanawimol, P., Aylesworth, L., Foster, S.J. and Vincent, A.C.J. (2018). Changes in the trade of bycatch species corresponding to CITES regulations: the case of dried seahorse trade in Thailand. Biodiversity and Conservation. 27(13): 3447–3468.

Manning, C.G., Foster, S.J., Harasti, D. and Vincent, A.C.J. (2018). A holistic investigation of the ecological correlates of abundance and body size for the Endangered White’s seahorse Hippocampus whitei. Journal of Fish Biology. 93(4): 649-663.

Stocks, A.P., Foster, S.J., Bat, N.K. and Vincent, A.C.J. (2017). Catch as catch can: Targeted and indiscriminate small-scale fishing of seahorses in Vietnam. Fisheries Research. 196: 27-33.

Lawson, J.M., Foster, S.J. and Vincent, A.C.J. (2017). Low bycatch rates add up to big numbers for a genus of small fishes. Fisheries. 42(1): 19-33.

Lourie, S.L., Pollom, R.A. and Foster, S.J. (2016). A Global Annotated Checklist of the Seahorses Hippocampus Rafinesque 1810 (Actinopterygii: Syngnathiformes): Taxonomy and Biogeography with Recommendations for Further Research. Zootaxa. 4146(1): 001–066.

Foster, S.J., Wiswedel, S. and Vincent, A.C.J. (2016). Opportunities and challenges for analysis of wildlife trade using CITES data – seahorses as a case study. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems. 26: 154–172.

Yip M.Y., Lim A.C.O., Chong V.C., Lawson J.M., Foster S.J. (2015). Food and feeding habits of the seahorses Hippocampus spinosissimus and Hippocampus trimaculatus (Malaysia). Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. 95(5): 1033–1040.

Lawson, J.M., Foster, S.J., Lim, A.C.O., Chong, V.C., Vincent, A.C.J. (2014). Novel life history for threatened seahorses provides insights into fishing impacts. Journal of Fish Biology. 86(1): 1-15.

Foster, S.J. and Arreguin-Sánchez, A. (2014). Using distribution patterns of small fishes to assess small fish by-catch in tropical shrimp trawl fisheries. Animal Conservation. 17(3): 217-224.

Foster, S.J. and Vincent, A.C.J. (2012). Advice in spite of great uncertainty: assessing and addressing
bycatch of small fishes with limited data using Stellifer illecebrosus as a case study. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Research. 22(5): 639–651.

Vincent, A.C.J., Foster S.J. and Koldewey, H.J. (2011). Conservation and management of seahorses and other Syngnathidae. Journal of Fish Biology. 78(6): 1681-1724.

Foster, S.J. and Vincent, A.C.J. (2010). Using life-history information to assess potential effects of shrimp trawling on small fishes. Journal of Fish Biology. 76(10): 2434-2454.

Foster, S.J. and Vincent, A.C.J. (2010). Tropical shrimp trawl fisheries: Fishers’ knowledge of and attitudes about a doomed fishery. Marine Policy. 34: 437-446.

Ban, N.C.B, Blight, L.K., Foster, S.J., Morgan, S. K. and O’Donnell, K. (2008). Pragmatism before prescription for managing global fisheries. Frontiers in Ecology 6(10): 521.

Foster, S.J. and Vincent, A.C.J. (2005). Sustainability of the international trade in seahorses with a single minimum size limit. Conservation Biology 19: 1044-1050.

Foster, S.J. and Vincent, A.C.J. (2004). The life history and ecology of seahorses, Hippocampus spp.: implications for conservation and management. Journal of Fish Biology 65: 1-61.

Select research reports:
Foster, S.J. (ed) (2023). Implementation of CITES Appendix II listing for seahorses in the context of export bans and suspensions. Fisheries Centre Research Report 31(3). 306 pp.

Foster, S.J. & A.C.J. Vincent (2023). Implementing trade controls for seahorses in Asia – challenges and opportunities. In Foster, S.J. (ed) (2023). Implementation of CITES Appendix II listing for seahorses in the context of export bans and suspensions. Fisheries Centre Research Report 31(3). p. 10-67.

Vincent, A.C.J., Foster, S.J., Fowler, S.L., Lieberman, S. & Y. Sadovy de Mitcheson (2022). Implementing CITES Appendix II listings for marine fishes: a novel framework and a constructive analysis. Fisheries Centre Research Report, 30(3), 189 pp.

Foster, S.J., Justason, T., Magera, A.M. & A.C.J. Vincent (2021) Changes in the international trade in live seahorses (Hippocampus spp.) after their listing on CITES Appendix II. Fisheries Centre Research Reports 29(4) 115pp.

Stanton, L.M., Foster, S.J. and Vincent, A.C.J. 2021. Identifying national conservation status, legislation and priorities for syngnathid fishes globally. Fisheries Centre Research Reports 29(2): 43pp.

Kelly Roebuck, Sarah Foster, Liane Veitch and Scott Wallace. 2020. CERTIFICATION, VERIFICATION OR FABRICATION? An investigation of seafood environmental claims in Canadian retailers. SeaChoice, Vancouver, Canada. 47 pp.

Christina Callegari, Scott Wallace, Sarah Foster and Liane Arness. 2020. FISH LIST WISH LIST: A case for updating the Canadian government’s guidance for common names on seafood. SeaChoice, Vancouver, Canada. 39 pp.

Ndobe, S., Yasir, I., Moore, A.M., Biondo, M.V. and Foster, S.J. (coordinating author). (2018). Study to assess the impact of international trade on the conservation status of Pterapogon kauderni (Banggai cardinalfish). Conducted by the authors on behalf of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Submitted as an Information Document for the 30th Meeting of the CITES Animal’s Committee. AC30 Inf. 16. 64 pp.

Foster, S.J., Aylesworth, L., Do, H.H., Bat, N.K., and Vincent, A.C.J. (2017). Seahorse exploitation and trade in Viet Nam. Fisheries Centre Research Reports 25(2): 50pp.

Foster, S.J. (2016). Seahorse (Hippocampus spp.) and the CITES Review of Significant Trade. Fisheries Centre Research Reports 24(4): 48pp.

Vincent, A.C.J., Giles, B.G., Czembor, C. and Foster S.J. (eds). (2011). Trade in Seahorses and Other Syngnathids in Countries Outside Asia (1998-2001). Fisheries Centre Research Reports 19(1): 181pp.

Select technical & Policy manuals/documents:
Foster, S.J. & A.C.J. Vincent (2023). Easier advice for making seahorse non-detriment findings. Project Seahorse, Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, The University of British Columbia. June 2023. 18 pp.

Foster, S.J. & A.C.J. Vincent (2023). Implementing CITES for Seahorses – Asia Region Workshop. Working document submitted by the Philippines and the United States of America to the 32nd meeting of the CITES Animals Committee. CITES AC32 Doc 38.2. 19 pp.

Maldives, Monaco, Nigeria, Peru, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Togo, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America (2022). Next steps toward successful implementation of Appendix II listing of seahorses. Working document for the 19th Meeting of the CITES Conference of the Parties. CoP19 Doc 69.2. 5 pp. (prepared by S.J. Foster & A.C.J. Vincent).

Maldives, Monaco, Sri Lanka and the United States of America (2019). Seahorses on CITES – A roadmap to success. Working document for the 18th Meeting of the CITES Conference of the Parties. CoP18 Doc 72. 15 pp. (prepared by Foster, S.J. and Vincent, A.C.J).

IUCN (2016). Implementing Appendix II listings for marine fishes – important considerations when making non-detriment findings. Information Document for the 17th Meeting of the CITES Conference of the Parties. CoP17 Inf. 52. 10 pp. (prepared by Foster, S.J. and Vincent, A.C.J.)

IUCN (2016). Assisting parties to meet their commitments: CITES Review of Significant Trade for seahorses (Hippocampus spp.), a taxon traded in high volumes. Information Document for the 17th Meeting of the CITES Conference of the Parties. CoP17 Inf. 53. 10 pp. (prepared by Foster, S.J. and Vincent, A.C.J.).

IUCN and FAO (2016). Simple is good: moving toward pragmatic and effective monitoring to support CITES implementation for marine fishes and invertebrates on Appendix II. Information Document for the 17th Meeting of the CITES Conference of the Parties. CoP17 Inf. 65. 7 pp. (prepared by Ayelsworth, L., Foster, S.J., Friedman, K. and Vincent, A.C.J.).

IUCN (2016). Implementation of CITES Appendix II listings for marine fishes. Information Document for the 17th Meeting of the CITES Conference of the Parties. CoP17 Inf. 65. 5 pp. (prepared by Vincent, A.C.J, Foster, S.J, Lieberman, S., Sadovy, Y. and Fowler, S.).

Foster, S.J. and Vincent, A.C.J. (2016). Making Non-Detriment Findings for seahorses – a framework, Version 4.0. Project Seahorse, Fisheries Centre, The University of British Columbia. 65 pp.

Mundy-Taylor, V., Crook. V., Foster, S., Fowler, S., Sant, G. and Rice, J. (2014). CITES Non-detriment Findings: Guidance for Shark Species. A Framework to assist authorities in making Non-detriment Findings (NDFs) for species listed in CITES Appendix II. Report prepared for the Germany Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (Bundesamt für Naturschutz, BfN).

Foster, S.J., Loh, T.-L. and Knapp, C. (2014). iSeahorse Trends Toolkit: Surveying Wild Seahorse Landings in Support of Conservation. 25 pp. The John G. Shedd Aquarium/Project Seahorse. http://bit.ly/1orQbTY

Loh, T.-L., Knapp, C. and Foster, S. J. (2014). iSeahorse Trends Toolkit: Finding and Surveying Wild Seahorse Populations in Support of Conservation.39 pp. The John G. Shedd Aquarium/Project Seahorse. http://bit.ly/1JRnvPZ

Lourie, S.A., Foster, S.J., Cooper, E.W.T., and A.C.J. Vincent. (2004). A guide to the identification of seahorses. Project Seahorse and TRAFFIC North America, Washington D.C.: University of British Columbia and World Wildlife Fund. 114 pp. ISBN 0-89164-169-6

Ibrahim Issifu

Research Associate

Research Unit

Fisheries Economics Research Unit

Degrees

PhD in Economics

Contact Information

Email: i.issifu@oceans.ubc.ca

Social Media

LinkedIn: Ibrahim Issifu

Biography

Ibrahim Issifu is a Senior Research Fellow in interdisciplinary oceans and fisheries economics at the Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, Canada. His research explores the intersections of climate change, sustainable blue food systems, AI in aquaculture, marine plastic pollution, fisheries conservation, and the blue economy. In addition to his academic work, he actively collaborates with policymakers and practitioners through high-level workshops, policy briefs, and international conferences that inform both national and global policy agendas. Dr. Issifu earned his PhD and master’s degrees from Nagoya University, Japan. He also holds a Master of Business Administration and a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Ghana.

Research Interests

Regenerative Blue Economy, Marine Plastic Pollution, Natural Resoure Economics, Mangrove Ecology and Ecosystem Services, Blue Carbon and Nature-Based Solutions, CLimiate Change Adaptation and Coastal Resilience, Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture, Marine Spatial Planning and Ocean Governance, Remote Sensing and Geospatial Analysis, Food Security andd Sustainable Blue Foods

Google Scholar

Publications

Issifu, I., Falayi, M., Sunderland, T., & Sumaila, U.R. (2026). Mangroves as land and ocean buffers: A comparative analysis of mangrove ecosystem services in Ghana and Tanzania. Ocean & Coastal Management, 108301.

Kim, H., Teh, T., Issifu, I., et al. (2026). Ecological and economic impacts of ocean deoxygenation on Pacific halibut fisheries: A multidisciplinary assessment of projected losses. Ecological Economics, 109127.

Ebinghaus, R., Galgani, F., Moffat, C., Issifu, I., Simcock, A., et al. (2026). Pollution. In The Third World Ocean Assessment (WOA III) (Section 4: Changes Since the Second World Ocean Assessment, Chapter 6, Subchapter 6E). New York, NY: United Nations, Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (DOALOS), Office of Legal Affairs.

Khan, A., Barclay, K., Issifu, I., Wabnitz, C., Issifu, I., et al. (2026). Seafood processing. In The Third World Ocean Assessment (WOA III) (Section 5, Subsection 5A: A Sustainable and Inclusive Ocean Economy, Chapter 1: Food Systems, Subchapter 1E). New York, NY: United Nations, Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, Office of Legal Affairs.

Falayi, M., Lukhabi, D.K., Issifu, I., et al (2026). Nested Institutions and Overlapping Mandates: A Policy Analysis of Mangrove Governance in Ghana, Tanzania Mainland, and Zanzibar. Environmental Policy and Governance, 0:1–15.

Issifu, I., & Sumaila, U.R. (2025). Is reusable beverage packaging better than single–use plastic? Journal of Sustainable Futures, 10, 101275.

Issifu, I., Dahmouni, I., & Sumaila, U.R. (2025). Assessing the ecological and economic transformation pathways of plastic production system. Journal of Environmental Management, 374, 124104.

Carvalho, A.R., Villasante, S., Lazzari, N. Issifu, I., et al. (2025). Unequal competition: the fate of domestic fisheries facing distant water fishing in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean. npj Ocean Sustain. 4, 37.

Issifu, I., Dahmouni, I., et al. (2025). Rethinking cost–benefit analysis for sustainable marine spatial planning. In a Research Agenda for Sustainable Ocean Governance. Edward Elgar Publishing.

Cisneros-Montemayor, A.M., Breakey, H., Voyer, M., Issifu, I., et al. (2025). Social equity indicators for a Blue Economy: Guidelines for application. Marine Policy, 180, 106815.

Oloko, A., Dahmouni, I., Le Billon, P. Issifu, I., et al. (2025). Gender dynamics, climate change threats and illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. Discov Sustain. 6, 494.

Alava, J.J., Issifu, I., et al. (2025). Plastics’ circular economy for the Galápagos Islands? Exploring plastics governance with implications for social and ocean equity in a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Frontiers in Maine Science, 11:1496213.

Sumaila, U.R., Issifu, I., et al. (2024). Utilizing basic income to create a sustainable, poverty-free tomorrow. Cell Reports Sustainability, 1, 100104.

Croft, F., Issifu, I., et al. (2024). Rethinking blue economy governance – A blue economy equity model as an approach to operationalise equity. Environmental Science & Policy, 155, 103710.

Issifu, I., Dahmouni, I., García – Lorenzo, I., & Sumaila, U.R. (2024). Economics in marine spatial planning: A review of issues in British Columbia and similar jurisdictions. Sustainability, 16(3), 1210.

Baztan, J., Issifu I., et al. (2024). Primary plastic polymers: Urgently needed upstream reduction. Cambridge University Press, 2, e7.

Almroth, B.C., Issifu, I., et al. (2023). Obstacles to scientific input in global policy. Science, 6649, 1021–1022.

Issifu, I., Dahmouni, I., Deffor, E.W., & Sumaila, U.R. (2023). Diversity, equity and inclusion in the blue economy: Why they matter and how do we achieve them? Frontiers in Political Science, 4:1067481.

Issifu, I., Alava, J.J., Lam, V.W.Y., & Sumaila, U.R. (2022). Impact of ocean warming, overfishing and mercury on European fisheries: A risk assessment and policy solution framework. Frontiers in Maine Science, 8:770805.

Issifu, I., Deffor, E.W., Deyshappriya, N.P.R., Dahmouni, I., & Sumaila, U.R. (2022). Drivers of seafood consumption at different geographical scales. Journal Sustainability Research, 4: e220012.

Cisneros–Montemayor, A.M., Issifu, I., Voyer, M., et al. (2022). A primer on the Blue Economy: Promises, pitfalls, and pathways. One Earth, 5, 982–986.

Sumaila, U.R., Issifu, I., Pauly, D., et al. (2022). Aquaculture over-optimism? Frontiers in Marine Science, 9:984354.

Naylor, L., Issifu, I., et al. (2021). Blue food demand across geographic and temporal scales. Nature Communications, 12, 5413.

Sumaila, U.R., Issifu, I., et al. (2021). Financing a sustainable ocean economy. Nature Communications, 12, 3259.

Sumaila, U.R., Issifu, I., et al. (2021). WTO must ban harmful fisheries subsidies. Science, 6567, 374.

Issifu, I., Deffor, E.W., & Sumaila, U.R. (2021). How COVID –19 could change the economics of the plastic recycling sector. Recycling, 6, 64.

Issifu, I., & Sumaila, U.R. (2020). A review of the production, recycling and management of marine plastic pollution. Marine Science and Engineering, 8, 945.

Issifu, I. (2018). Empirical investigation of impediments to returnees’ entrepreneurship in Ghana: an application of structural equation modelling. Mediterranean Journal of Social sciences, 9, 2039 – 2117.

Issifu, I. (2018). The impact of remittances on domestic investment: the role of financial and institutional development in five countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Forum for International Development Studies, 48, 1– 21.

Iddisah, S., & Issifu, I. (2015). An empirical examination of the determinants of trust in Ghana. International Journal of Social Economics, 42, 1005 –1023.

Non-Referred Publications:

Croft, F., Breakey, H., Voyer, M., Moyle, C., Solitei, M., Cisneros-Montemayor, A., Issifu, I., Benzaken, D., Bodwitch, H., Campbell, B., Fusco, L., Ota, Y., Pauwelussen, A., Schutter, M., Pouponnea, A., Barclay, K., Van Leeuwen, J. (2023). Developing an equitable Blue Economy: a guide to embedding equity in governance frameworks. UNEP.
Iqbal, T., Hojo, C., Issifu, I., et al. The role of community finance in Cambodia: focusing on the relationship between community finance and investment. Accessed (2022 Nov.) online from https://www2.gsid.nagoya-u.ac.jp/blog/fieldwork/files/2014/10/2013-OFW-Report-Final.pdf
PEW & SYSTEMIQ et al. (2020). Breaking the plastic wave: A comprehensive assessment of pathways towards stopping ocean plastic pollution. PEW & SYSTEMIQ Research Report, 2020: https://www.pewtrusts.org/-/media/assets/2020/07/breakingtheplasticwave_report.pdf

Posted in People | Tagged with research-faculty, senior researcher

Vicky Lam

Research Associate

Sea Around Us

Research Unit

Sea Around Us

Degrees

PhD
MPhil
Advanced Diploma in Geographic Information System
BSc (Hons)

Contact Information

Email: v.lam@oceans.ubc.ca
Website: Sea Around Us

Social Media

LinkedIn: Vicky Lam

Biography

Dr. Vicky Wing Yee Lam is a fisheries economist and Research Associate at the Sea Around Us, based at the University of British Columbia. She holds a Ph.D. in Fisheries Economics from UBC, where her research focused on global fisheries economics in the context of climate change. With extensive experience in interdisciplinary research and project management, she bridges economic analysis and marine science to advance sustainable fisheries and marine conservation.

Dr. Lam’s expertise spans fisheries data reconstruction, economic impact analysis, spatial analysis, and policy development. She has contributed to global projects exploring the effects of climate change on fisheries and coastal communities, economic vulnerabilities in fisheries-dependent regions, and the sustainability of marine ecosystems. Her work addresses policy-relevant questions at local, regional, and global scales.

Dr. Lam has numerous publications in high-impact journals addressing climate change, marine conservation, and fisheries management. She has been involved in international initiatives, including collaborations with the World Bank and the Packard Foundation. Additionally, she served as an Editorial Board member for the journal Sustainability and has guest-edited a special issue on the Effects of Climate Change on the Economics and the Sustainability of Marine Fisheries and Aquaculture.

She has presented her work at a number of international conferences and workshops, contributing to global discussions on sustainable fisheries and marine governance. Dr. Lam is committed to developing innovative approaches to marine conservation, integrating economic analysis with ecological insights to support informed decision-making for sustainable ocean futures.

Research Interests

Catch Reconstruction, Climate Change, Economic Analysis, Fisheries Economic, Vulnerability, Spatial Analysis

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Posted in People | Tagged with research-faculty, senior researcher

Anna McLaskey

Research Associate

Research Unit

Pelagic Ecosystems Lab

Degrees

Ph.D., Oceanography, Univ. of Washington
M.S., Oceanography, Univ. of Washington
B.S., Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, Univ. of Washington

Contact Information

Email: a.mclaskey@oceans.ubc.ca
Website: Pelagic Ecosystems Lab

Biography

I am a biological oceanographer and zooplankton ecologist interested in the structure and function of the lower trophic levels of pelagic food webs. Nutritional quality within and across trophic levels is a theme in my research because nutrition at the food web base influences the quality and quantity of prey for higher predators. A new focus of my research is thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency complex in BC salmon and the potential food web drivers of low thiamine.

Pets: Franny and Baby Gramps McLaskey

Research Interests

Zooplankton, Salmon, Climate change, Marine ecosystems, Food webs, Nutrition, Fatty acids

Research Gate

Publications

McLaskey AK, Forster I, Hunt BPV (2024). Distinct trophic ecologies of zooplankton size classes are maintained throughout the seasonal cycle. Oecologia.

McLaskey AK, Forster I, Del Bel Belluz J, Hunt BPV (2022) A high-resolution time series of particulate matter fatty acids reveals temporal dynamics of the composition and quality available to zooplankton in a temperate coastal ocean. Progress in Oceanography 206, 102843.

McLaskey AK, Keister JE (2021) An integrated field-laboratory investigation of the effects of low oxygen and pH on North Pacific krill (Euphausia pacifica). Marine Biology 168, 43

McLaskey AK, Keister JE, Yebra L (2020) Individual growth rate (IGR) and aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (AARS) activity as individual-based indicators of growth rate of North Pacific krill, Euphausia pacifica. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 527, 151360.

McLaskey AK, McElhany P, Busch DS, Maher M, Winans AK, Keister JE (2019) Early life stages of Calanus pacificus are neither exposed nor sensitive to low pH waters in Puget Sound, WA. Journal of Plankton Research 41(6): 893-896.

McLaskey AK, Keister JE, Schoo KL, Olson MB, Love BA (2019) Direct and indirect effects of elevated CO2 are revealed through shifts in phytoplankton, copepod development, and fatty acid accumulation. PLoS ONE 14(3): e0213931.

McLaskey AK, Keister JE, McElhany P Olson MB, Busch DS, Maher M, Winans AK (2016) Development of Euphausia pacifica (krill) larvae is impaired under pCO2 levels currently observed in the Northeast Pacific. Marine Ecology Progress Series 555: 65-78.

Posted in People | Tagged with research-faculty, senior researcher

Carol Meirelles

Research Associate

Marine Mammal Research Unit

Degrees

Ph.D Marine Tropical Sciences from Marine Sciences Institute, Federal University of Ceará, Brazil
M.Sc. Bioaquatic Ecology from Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
B.Sc. Biological Sciences from Federal University of Ceará, Brazil

Contact Information

Email: c.meirelles@oceans.ubc.ca
Website: MMRU

Social Media

Instagram:@carol_o_meirelles, @alliancemanatees

Biography

I have been immersed in the field of marine mammal conservation biology, specifically focusing on the Guiana dolphin and the West Indian manatee, since 1999. My commitment to this cause is evident in my academic pursuits, having dedicated both my M.Sc. and Ph.D. theses to the comprehensive exploration of crucial ecological and demographic aspects of a small Guiana dolphin population residing in a heavily urbanized and impacted area in northeastern Brazil. The outcomes of my research have played a fundamental role in informing public policies and environmental licensing processes in the region, thereby enhancing the protection of this endangered population.

Notably, my work has extended beyond Guiana dolphin research and conservation, as I actively engaged in the study, rescue, and rehabilitation of manatees in Brazil. During this period, I took on the responsibility of coordinating the Marine Mammal Program at Aquasis (www.aquasis.org), a important NGO dedicated to preventing the extinction of endangered species.

My collaboration with fellow manatee experts across South America has been instrumental in various aspects, including assessing the extinction risk, identifying feeding habits, investigating pathological findings, determining mortality causes, and contributing to taxonomic and genetic studies. As a member of the IUCN Sirenia Specialist Group, I am actively involved in the ongoing assessment of the extinction risk faced by the Brazilian West Indian manatee subpopulation.

In my current role as a Research Associate at the Marine Mammal Research Unit, I am at the forefront of the Alliance for Manatees Project. This initiative, generously supported by the Nuremberg Zoo, Pairi Daiza Foundation, and YaquPacha, focuses on investigating the current distribution and suitable habitats of the West Indian manatee in South America. Collaborating with 23 esteemed manatee knowledge holders, we will employ advanced habitat modeling techniques to analyze manatee presence data. Subsequently, we will host an in-person workshop in Brazil to validate our findings and collectively construct a map identifying priority areas for manatee conservation. The resulting documents will be shared with decision-makers to guide conservation actions throughout South America.

Research Interests

Marine Mammal, Sirenians and Dolphins, Spatial Ecology, Habitat and Distribution Modelling, Extinction Risk Assessment, Demographics (Abundance and Survival), Behaviour, Stranding, Rehabilitation, Conservation Planning

Publications:

Meirelles, A.C.O., Carvalho, V.L, Silva, C.P.N. Where there’s smoke, there’s fire: hypotheses for the high incidence of West Indian manatee calf strandings on the Brazilian semi-arid coast. Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals, In press.
Lima, C. S., de Magalhães, R. F., Camargo, A., de Thoisy, B., Marmontel, M., Carvalho, V. L., Meirelles, A.C.O., & Santos, F. R. Evolutionary Dynamics of American Manatee Species on the Northern Coast of South America: Origins and Maintenance of an Interspecific Hybrid Zone.Evolutionary Biology, 2024.
Meirelles, A.C.O., Choi-Lima, K.F., Vila Nova, T.M.C., Monteiro-Filho, E.L.A., Lotufo, T.M.C. Habitat use of Guiana dolphin Sotalia guianensis in a heavily urbanized embayment. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 2023.
Meirelles, A.C.O., Choi-Lima, K.F., Vila Nova, T.M.C., Monteiro-Filho, E.L.A., Lotufo, T.M.C. Abundance and effect of health status on apparent survival of Guiana dolphin, Sotalia guianensis, in an open embayment in Northeastern Brazil. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 2022.
Meirelles, A.C.O., Lima, D., Alves, M.D.O., Borges, J.C.G., Marmontel, M., Carvalho, V.L., Santos, F.R. Don’t let me down: West Indian manatee, Trichechus manatus, is still critically endangered in Brazil. Journal for Nature Conservation, 2022.
Moreira, S., Meirelles, A.C.O., Carvalho, V.L., Rêgo, P.S., Araripe, J. Molecular confirmation of twinning in the West Indian Manatee (Trichechus manatus). Biota Neotropica, 2022.
Silva, V.S., Skueresky, N., Lopes, F., Koch, T.K., Ott, P.H., Siciliano, S., Barreto, A.S., Secchi, E.R., Meirelles, A.C.O. et al. Integrating morphology and DNA barcoding to assess cetacean diversity in Brazil. Mammal Research, 2021.
Meirelles, A.C.O.; Campos, A.A.; Fonteles-Filho, A. Occurrence, group size and site fidelity of Sotalia guianensis (Cetartiodactyla, Delphinidae) in an artificially sheltered beach in northern Brazilian coast. Pan-American Journal of Aquatic Sciences, 2020.
Vidal, L.G.; Silva, M.V.; Alonso, M.B.; Feo, M.L.; Corcellas, C.; Bisi, T.L.; Flach, L.; Fragoso, A.B.L.; Silva, F.J.L.; Carvalho, V.L.; Meirelles, A.C.O. et al. Pyrethroid insecticides along the Southwestern Atlantic coast: Guiana dolphin (Sotalia guianensis) as a bioindicator. Science of the Total Environment, 2020.
Lima, C.S.; Magalhães, R.F.; Marmontel, M.; Meirelles, A.C.O. et al. A hybrid swarm of manatees along the Guianas coastline, a peculiar environment under the influence of the Amazon River plume. Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências, 2019.
Oliveira, L.R.; Fraga, L.D.; Ott, P.H.; Siciliano, S.; Lopes, F.; Almeirda, R.; Milmann, L.; Danilewics, D.; Emin-Lima, N.R.; Meirelles, A.C.O. et al. Population structure, phylogeography and genetic diversity of the common bottlenose dolphin in the tropical and subtropical southwestern Atlantic Ocean. Journal of Mammalogy, 2019.
Cypriano-Souza, A.L.; De Meirelles, A.C.O. et al. Rare or cryptic? The first report of an Omura’s whale (Balaenoptera omurai) in the South Atlantic Ocean. Marine Mammal Science, 2017.
Choi-Lima, K.F.; Campos, T.M.; Meirelles, A.C.O. et al. Using traditional ecological knowledge to prospect the distribution of the Antillean manatee Trichechus manatus manatus (Sirenia: Trichechidae) in the states of Ceará and Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. Pan-American Journal of Aquatic Sciences, 2017.
Barros, H.M.D.R.; Meirelles, A.C.O. et al. Cranial and chromosomal geographic variation in manatees (Mammalia: Sirenia: Trichechidae) with the description of the Antillean manatee karyotype in Brazil. Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research, 2017.
Meirelles, A.C.O.; Campos, T.M.; Marcondes, M.C.C. et al. Reports of strandings and sightings of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in northeastern Brazil and Brazilian oceanic islands. Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals, 2016.
Alonso, M.B.; Feo, M.L.; Corcellas, C.; Gago-Ferrero, P.; Meirelles, A.C.O. et al. Toxic heritage: Maternal transfer of pyrethroid insecticides and sunscreen agents in dolphins from Brazil. Environmental Pollution (1987), 2015.
Santos-Neto, E.B.; Azevedo-Silva, C.E.; Bisi, T.L.; Santos, J.; Meirelles, A.C.O. et al. Organochlorine concentrations (PCBs, DDTs, HCHs, HCB and MIREX) in delphinids stranded at the northeastern Brazil. Science of the Total Environment, 2014.
Meirelles, A.C.O.; Choi, K.F.; Oliveira, M.S. First reported stranding of a dwarf minke whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata (LACÉPÈDE, 1804), on the coast of Ceará, northeastern Brazil. Arquivos de Ciências do Mar, 2011.
Meirelles, A.C.O.; Ribeiro, A.C.; Silva, C.P.N.; Soares-Filho, A.A. Records of Guiana dolphin, Sotalia guianensis, in the State of Ceará, Northeastern Brazil. Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals, 2010.
Meirelles, A.C.O.; Monteiro-Neto, C.; Martins, A.M.A.; et al. Cetacean Strandings on the coast of Ceará, Northeastern Brazil (1992-2005). Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 2009.
Choi, K. F.; Campos, T.M.; Meirelles, A.C.O. et al.. Design of a wildlife refuge area for the conservation of the West Indian manatee. The Brazilian Journal of Nature Conservation, 2009.
Meirelles, A. C. O. Mortality of the Antillean manatee, Trichechus manatus manatus, in Ceará State, north-eastern Brazil. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 2008.
Meirelles, A.C.O.; Barros, H.M.D.R. Plastic debris ingested by a rough-toothed dolphin, Steno bredanensis, stranded alive in northeastern Brazil. Biotemas (UFSC), 2007.

Posted in People | Tagged with research-faculty, senior researcher

Gideon Mordecai

Research Associate

Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries

Degrees

PhD Biological Sciences
MRes Marine Biology
BSc Marine Biology & Oceanography

Contact Information

Email: g.mordecai@oceans.ubc.ca or gidmord@gmail.com
Website: gidmord.wordpress.com

Research Interests

Dr. Gideon Mordecai’s research considers the ecology of viruses, i.e. their interactions with each other, their hosts, and the environment. Despite his prior training as a marine biologist, Gideon investigated the diversity of viruses associated with population declines of honey bees and other pollinators for his PhD. Gideon moved to Canada for a post-doctoral position at the University of British Columbia in 2016, where he discovered 15 new viruses in salmon. He went on to receive a Liber Ero Fellowship, which supports emerging conservation leaders in Canada. His most recent research applies viral genome sequencing to assess the transmission risk posed to wild Pacific salmon by Atlantic salmon aquaculture in BC. He has authored 20 publications as well as served as an expert witness for two Federal Court cases in Canada.

For his Research Associate position within the Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, Gideon is partnered with the Pacific Salmon Foundation, and is part of a collaboration which is applying innovative molecular technologies to determine the cumulative factors that influence the survival of Pacific salmon.

Publications

Mordecai, G. J. et al. Aquaculture mediates global transmission of a viral pathogen to wild salmon. Sci Adv 7, (2021). (https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.abe2592)

Mordecai, G. J. et al. Discovery and surveillance of viruses from salmon in British Columbia using viral immune-response biomarkers, metatranscriptomics and high-throughput RT-PCR. Virus Evol, (2020). (https://academic.oup.com/ve/article/7/1/veaa069/5900273)

Mordecai, G. J. et al. Endangered wild salmon infected by newly discovered viruses. Elife 8, (2019). (https://elifesciences.org/articles/47615)

Maria Lourdes Palomares

Senior Scientist and Research Unit Manager

Sea Around Us

Degrees

PhD, Ecole Nationale Supérieure Agronomique de Toulouse (Institut National Polytéchnique de Toulouse, France)

Contact Information

Email: m.palomares@oceans.ubc.ca
Office phone: (604) 822-0218

Website: Sea Around Us; SeaLifeBase; FishBase; Q-Quatics

Social Media:

Facebook: SeaAroundUs, TheSeaLifeBaseProject, FishBase

Biography

Dr. Maria Lourdes ‘Deng’ Palomares has been the Sea Around Us Project Manager since June 2017. She is one of the creators of, and is the lead for, SeaLifeBase (since 2005), a biodiversity information system on the world’s marine organisms other than fish, which is patterned after FishBase (i.e., the fish biodiversity information system on the world’s fishes). Deng helps with molding the scientific thrusts (e.g., in defining projects, and the work-flow associated in producing deliverables in a timely manner) of the Philippine NGO, Quantitative Aquatics, as its Science Director. She serves as Specialty Chief Editor of Frontiers in Marine Science’s section on Marine Fisheries, Aquaculture and Living Resources (since 2016). Originally from the Philippines, Deng obtained a PhD from the Ecole Nationale Supérieure Agronomique de Toulouse (France) in 1991 and worked with the FishBase Project at the International Center for Living Aquatic Resources Management (Manila, Philippines) for 10 years before joining the Sea Around Us team in 2001.

SCUBA diver who experiments with underwater photography. Speaks French and Tagalog fluently, and with working knowledge of Spanish. Is a friend of Mundus Maris (www.mundusmaris.org), supports Skipper Otto, and is a fan of the UBC Farm.

Research Interests

Application of well-known theories in fish and fisheries biology as tools to test hypotheses and/or generate knowledge from ‘big data’ repositories. This is in line with the improvement and maintenance of global marine biodiversity information systems, FishBase and SeaLifeBase, which support the Sea Around Us catch database with key data on life history, geographic range, habitat and ecology for all exploited marine species.

Use of anecdotes from ancient voyages and expeditions by naturalists to help extend temporal trends (in species occurrence and volume or in the species composition of some ecosystems of interest) back in time at least to the 19th Century. This might help establish baselines, potentially going back 100 years, notably in understanding the exploitation of some important species groups like fishes and marine mammals.

Investigation of assembled traditional ecological knowledge associated with common names of fish and marine organisms in different languages and cultures and how this can inform or extend information for data-poor species and species groups. Traditional knowledge by fisher communities may help in providing insights, for example, to the spawning and migration behaviours of some species, which may still have escaped scientific scrutiny.

Publications:

Palomares MLD and Pauly D (eds.) (2024) Reconstruction of Freshwater Fisheries Catches: Canada, Minnesota (USA), and ASEAN Countries, Fisheries Centre Research Report 32(3). 253 pp.

Palomares MLD, Tipay PGI, Pauly D (2024) The freshwater artisanal fisheries of Canada. In: Palomares MLD and Pauly D (eds.) Reconstruction of Freshwater Fisheries Catches: Canada, Minnesota (USA), and ASEAN Countries, p. 8-28 Fisheries Centre Research Report 32(3). Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.

Phayal A, Gold A, Maharani C, Palomares MLD, Pauly D, Prins B, and Riyadi S (2024) All maritime crimes are local: Understanding the causal link between illegal fishing and maritime piracy. Political Geography 109: 103069. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polgeo.2024.103069

Worm B, Orofino S, Burns ES, Feitosa LM, Palomares MLD, Schiller L and Bradley D (2024). Global shark fishing mortality still rising despite widespread regulatory change. Science https://doi.org/adf8984

Abucay LR, Capuli EC, Reyes RB, Daskalaki E, Ferrà C, Scarcella G, Coro G, Ordines F, Dakalov G, Klayn S, Celie L, Scotti M, Grémillet D, Lambert C, Gal G, Palomares MLD, Dimarchopoulou D and Tsikliras, AC (2023). Scientific knowledge gaps on the biology of non-fish marine species across European Seas. Frontiers in Marine Science, 10, 1198137. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2023.1198137

Demiril N, Nauen CE and Palomares MLD (2023) Fishing effort and the evolving nature of its efficiency. Frontiers in Marine Science 10, 1180174 https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2023.1180174

Froese R, Coro G, Palomares MLD, Bailly N, Scotti M, Garilao C and Pauly D (2023) A simple framework for the exploration of functional Biodiversity. Cybium 47(3): 271-286, https://doi.org/10.26028/cybium/2023-003.

Froese R, Winker H, Coro G, Palomares MLD, Tsikliras AC, Dimarchopoulou D, Touloumis K, Demirel N, Vianna GMS, Scarcella G, Schijns R, Liang C and Pauly D (2023) New developments in the analysis of catch time series as the basis for fish stock assessments: The CMSY++ method. Acta Ichthyologica et Piscatoria 53: 173-189. https://doi.org/10.3897/aiep.53.e105910

Heidrich KN, Meeuwig JJ, Juan-Jordá MJ, Palomares MLD, Pauly D, Thompson CDH, Friedlander AM, Sala E and Dirk Zeller (2023) Multiple lines of evidence highlight the dire straits of yellowfin tuna in the Indian Ocean. Ocean & Coastal Management 246 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2023.106902

Humphries AT, Dimarchopoulou D, Stergiou KI, Tsikliras AC, Palomares MLD, Bailly N, Nauen CE, Luna S, Banasihan LP, Froese R and Pauly D (2023) Measuring the scientific impact of FishBase after three decades. Cybium , 47(3): 213-224. https://doi.org/10.26028/cybium/2023-002.

Nauen CE, Rius-Barile J and Palomares MLD (2023). Know your fish – venturing further with the FishBase Guide app (early view). Cybium. https://doi.org/10.26028/CYBIUM/2023-023.

Sumaila UR, de Fontaubert C and Palomares MLD (2023) Overfishing, ocean carbon function and the resilience of fish and fisheries. Frontiers in Marine Science, 10, 1250449. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2023.1250449

Zeller D, Palomares MLD and Pauly D (2023) Global fisheries science documents human impacts on oceans: The Sea Around Us serves civil society in the twenty-first century. Annual Review of Marine Science 15. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-marine-030322-113814.

Cheung WWL, Palacios-Abrantes J, Frölicher TL, Palomares MLD, Clarke T, Lam VWY, Oyinlola MA, Pauly D, Reygondeau G, Sumaila UR, Teh LCL AND Wabnitz CCC (2022) Rebuilding fish biomass for the world’s marine ecoregions under climate change. Global Change Biology 28: 6254–6267. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.16368.

Palomares MLD, Parducho VA, Reyes R and Bailly N (2022)The interrelationship of temperature, growth parameters, and activity level in fishes. Environmental Biology of Fishes https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-022-01261-5.

Palomares MLD and Pauly D (2022) The fisheries of the sea around St. Pierre and Miquelon: from cod to sea cucumber. Cybium 6(4): 337-347. https://doi.org/10.26028/cybium/2022-464-002.

Tamlin J, Palomares MLD and Lundquist CJ (2022) Safeguarding seafood security, marine biodiversity and threatened species: Can we have our fish and eat it too? Frontiers in Marine Science 9 doi: 10.3389/fmars.2022.826587.

Palomares MLD, Khalfallah M, Zeller D and Pauly D (2021) The Fisheries of the Arabian Sea Large Marine Ecosystem, In: L.A. Jawad (ed.). The Arabian Seas: Biodiversity, Environmental Challenges and Conservation Measures, p. 883-987. Springer Nature, Switzerland AG. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-51506-5_38.

Palomares MLD, Baxter S, Bailly N, Chu E, Derrick B, Frias-Donaghey M, Nöel SL, Page E, Schijns R, Woroniak J, Abucay L, David E, de Leon S, Nevado M, Ortiz S, Parducho VA, Yap PS, Ansell M, Hood L, Vianna G, White R, Zeller D and Pauly D (2021). Estimating the biomass of commercially exploited fisheries stocks left in the ocean. Fisheries Centre Research Reports 29 (3): 74 pp.

Pauly D, Piroddi C, Hood L, Bailly N, Chu E, Lam V, Pakhomov EA, Pshenichnov LK, Radchenko VI and Palomares MLD. 2021. The Biology of Mesopelagic Fishes and Their Catches (1950–2018) by Commercial and Experimental Fisheries. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 9: 1057. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse910105

Relano V, Palomares MLD and Pauly D (2021) Comparing the performance of four very large Marine Protected Areas with different levels of protection. Sustainability 13(17):9572. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13179572

Sorensen PW and Palomares MLD (2021) Global inland capture and culture finfisheries follow different trends when evaluated by the Human Development Index. Sustainability 13: 8420. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13158420

Palomares MLD, Khalfallah M, Woroniak J and Pauly D (eds.) (2020) Assessments of marine fisheries resources in West Africa with emphasis on small pelagics. Fisheries Centre Research Reports 28(4): 100 pp

Palomares MLD, Froese R, Derrick B, Meeuwig JJ, Nöel SL, Tsui G, Woroniak J, Zeller D and Pauly D (2020) Fishery biomass trends of exploited fish populations in marine ecoregions, climatic zones and ocean basins”, Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 243: 06896 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2020.106896.

Palomares MLD, Cabanban AS, Pauly D. eds. (2019). Historical reconstructions of marine fisheries catches: Challenges and opportunities. Lausanne: Frontiers Media. doi: 10.3389/978-2-88945-955-1

Palomares MLD, Woroniak J, Nöel S-L, Tsui G, Derrick B, Pauly D (2019) Preliminary stock assessments of small pelagic fish populations off West Africa. A report prepared by the Sea Around Us for the MAVA Foundation. The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, 39 p.

Palomares MLD and Pauly D (2019) Coastal Fisheries: The past, present, and possible futures, pp. 569-576. In Elliott M, Day J, Wolanski E, Ramachandran R (eds.) Coasts and Estuaries The Future. Elsevier Inc., London.

Hayden B, Palomares MLD, Smith BE and Poelen JH. (2019) Biological and environmental drivers of trophic ecology in marine fishes – a global perspective. Scientific Reports 9:11415 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-47618-2

Palomares MLD and Pauly D (2019) On the creeping increase of vessels’ fishing power. Ecology and Society 23(3): 31.

Pauly D and Palomares MLD (2019) Editorial: Historical reconstructions of marine fisheries catches: challenges and opportunities. Frontiers in Marine Science 6, doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2019.00128.

Palomares MLD, Froese R, Derrick B, Nöel S-L, Tsui G, Woroniak J, Pauly D (2018) A preliminary global assessment of the status of exploited marine fish and invertebrate populations. A report prepared by the Sea Around Us for OCEANA. June 30 2018. University of British Columbia, Vancouver. 59 p.

Palomares MLD, Cheung WWL, Lam VWY, Pauly D (2016) Chapter 4. The distribution of exploited marine biodiversity. In: Pauly, D and Zeller, D (eds.), Global Atlas of Marine Fisheries: A Critical Appraisal of Catches and Ecosystem Impacts, p. 46-58. Island Press, USA.

Palomares MLD, Tran LD, Coghlan AR, Sheedy J, Cheung W, Lam V, Pauly D (2015) Taxon distributions. In: Pauly D, Zeller D (eds.), Catch reconstructions: concepts, methods and data sources.Online Publication. Sea Around Us (www.seaaroundus.org). University of British Columbia. [updated in May 2016].

Palomares MLD, Bimbao MAP (2015) FishBase and SeaLifeBase for Teaching and Research in Aquatic Science. Proceedings of the 13th FishBase Symposium held at the Havaner Auditorium, Chandler Hall, IRRI, Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines, 1 September 2015. FishBase Information and Research Group. Philippines, 44 p.

Palomares MLD, Taylor E, Pauly D (Editors) (2014) Big old data and shiny new insights: using FishBase for research. Book of Abstracts. 12th FishBase Symposium, Beaty Museum of Biodiversity. University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. Sea Around Us Project, Fisheries Centre. The University of British Columbia: Vancouver, 98 p.

Palomares MLD, Pauly D (2014) Philippine Marine Fisheries Catches: A Bottom-up Reconstruction, 1950 to 2010. The Fisheries Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. Fisheries Centre Research Reports 22(1), 171 p.

Palomares MLD, Bailly N (2011) Organizing and disseminating marine biodiversity information: the FishBase and SeaLifeBase story. In: Christensen V, Maclean J (eds.), Ecosystem Approaches to Fisheries. A Global Perspective, pp. 24-46. Cambridge University Press, New York.

Palomares MLD, Pauly D (2011) Documenting the marine biodiversity of Belize through FishBase and SeaLifeBase. In: Palomares MLD, Pauly D (eds.), Too Precious to Drill: the Marine Biodiversity of Belize, pp. 78-106. Fisheries Centre Research Reports 19(6). Fisheries Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.

Palomares MLD, Pauly D (2009) The growth of jellyfishes. Hydrobiologia 616(1), 11-21.

Palomares MLD, Heymans JJ, Pauly D (2007) Historical ecology of the Raja Ampat Archipelago, Papua Province, Indonesia. History and Philosophy of the Life Sciences 29, 33-56.

Palomares MLD, Mohammed E, Pauly D (2006) European expeditions as a source of historic abundance data on marine organisms: a case study of the Falkland Islands. Environmental History 11 (October 2006), 835-847.

Palomares MLD, Stergiou KI, Pauly D (Editors) (2006) Fishes in databases and ecosystems. Proceedings of the 4th FishBase Mini-Symposium. Fisheries Centre Research Reports 14(4), Fisheries Centre, UBC, Vancouver, BC, 95 p.

Pauly D, Palomares MLD (2005) Fishing down marine food webs: it is far more pervasive than we thought. Bulletin of Marine Science 76(2), 197-211.

Palomares MLD, Pauly D (2004) Biodiversity of Namibian waters: a review of currently available information, p. 53-74. In: Sumaila UR, Boyer D, Skogen MD, Steinshamn SI (eds.), Ecological, economic and social aspects of Namibian fisheries. Eburon Academic Publishers. Delft, Netherlands.

Froese R, Palomares MLD (2000) Growth, length-weight relationship, maximum length and length at first maturity of the coelacanth, Latimeria chalumnae. Environmental Biology of Fishes58, 45-52.

Pauly D, Christensen V, Froese R, Palomares MLD (2000) Fishing down aquatic food webs. American Scientist 88, 46-51.

Palomares MLD, Pauly D (1998) Predicting the food consumption of fish populations as functions of mortality, food type, morphometrics, temperature and salinity. Marine and Freshwater Research 49(5), 447-453.

Palomares MLD, Froese R, Pauly D (1993) On traditional knowledge, fish and databases: a call for contributions. SPC Traditional Marine Resource Management and Knowledge Information Bulletin 2, 17-19.

Palomares MLD, Pauly D (1989) A multiple regression model for predicting the food consumption of marine fish populations. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 40(3), 259-284.

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