As a postdoctoral researcher at Bangor University, I currently undertake research on the biology and fisheries of commercially important fish (rays & bass) and shellfish (crab) species in Welsh & English waters.
Sharks and rays have formed the bulk of my previous (and ongoing) research - specifically their biodiversity, ecology, fisheries and conversation in the Arabian region and Africa. Working voluntarily, I have necessarily relied on low-cost, opportunistic and remote approaches to data collection - such as in fish markets, in museums, and from historical documentary sources - to help fill some of the many data gaps in these areas. This has yielded exciting results - including new ray species and the rediscovery of a 'lost' shark - as well as providing information for conservation, such as highlighting the regional disappearance of sawfishes. I have been a member of the IUCN Shark Specialist Group since 2007, and am involved with Red List Assessments and conservation initiatives for highly threatened groups like sawfishes, guitarfishes and angel sharks.