Impacts of floating offshore wind infrastructure on the distribution and behaviour of fish & marine mammals: IFLOW
As floating offshore wind expands, turbines are increasingly likely to be deployed within highly productive shelf areas, important for many wide-ranging species including demersal and pelagic fish and their predators (marine mammals, seabirds, elasmobranchs). This PhD will design and utilise a range of data collection methodologies including active acoustics (echosounders), ADCPs and passive acoustics (hydrophones) to investigate the distribution and behaviour of fish and marine mammals around floating structures. Attractiveness to fish, and thereby marine top predators, of floating structures in shelf-sea environments can be evaluated and the results will allow improved assessment of cumulative impacts. We are seeking candidates from a technical or analytical background with multi-disciplinary interest in marine ecosystems and offshore renewable energy (ORE). This position would suit an engineering, ecology, physics or oceanography discipline with interest in measurement techniques.
How to apply
- Project specific enquiries: benjamin.williamson@uhi.ac.uk
- General enquiries: Graduate School Office gradresearch@uhi.ac.uk
- Application Web Page: https://www.uhi.ac.uk/en/research-enterprise/grad-school/studentships/