Mike is a freelance marine mammal
observer and research scientist
specialising in marine ecosystem
structural dynamics. He studied an
undergraduate degree in Marine Biology
at the University of
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, focusing his
studies on marine ecology, developing
functional group approach statistical
techniques to investigate marine
ecosystems. After this he went on to
study an MSc in Marine Mammal Science at
the University of Wales, Bangor, where
he continued to focus on investigating
ecosystem dynamics utilising statistical
and GIS techniques. This resulted in his
thesis on the environmental
relationships of foraging minke whales
on the east coast of Scotland. Now Mike
is continuing his minke whale research
in a PhD project at Bangor University
utilising data collected from Scottish,
Icelandic, Canadian and Japanese waters,
as well as lecturing and demonstrating practicals on statistical and GIS
research techniques. He has presented
various aspects of his research at an
international level, including the
European Cetacean Society (ECS) and the
International Convention for the
Exploitation of the Seas (ICES)
conferences.
Mike has both worked and volunteered for
a number of marine research
organisations and charities.
These include the Cetacean Research and
Rescue Unit (CRRU) Scotland, Hebridean
Whale and Dolphin Trust (HWDT) Scotland,
Ocean Research and Education Studies
(ORES) Quebec, Husavik Whale Museum
Iceland and the Coastal Ecosystems
Research Foundation (CERF) British
Columbia. Primarily Mike has worked in
the field either within or leading data
collection teams. He has also
helped developed integrated management
databases for GIS and
photo-identification information for
minke and other large Balaenopterid
whales. Apart from his habitat ecology
research on large baleen whales Mike is
also a JNCC registered MMO and deeply
involved with developing ‘Platforms of
Opportunity’ projects and
research. Through his position as
Director of Conservation and Science
Support Officer for Organisation Cetacea
(ORCA) Mike has gained experience and
established MMO projects onboard Fjord
Line ferries, French fisheries research
vessels (IFREMER) and Maersk Lines cargo
container ships within European waters.
