Integrating novel fishery-independent techniques to monitor the recovery of Atlantic Bluefin Tuna in Southwest UK waters

Lead Supervisor (DoS): Dr Lilian Lieber

Second Supervisor: Dr Bryce Stewart

Third Supervisor: Professor Michael Cunliffe

Fourth Supervisor: Dr Peter Miller

Applications are invited for three 3.5 year PhD studentships with the Marine Institute at the University of Plymouth. The studentships are due to start on 1 October 2025.

This project is one of nine topics being considered for an anticipated three studentships. Six topics are inviting candidates from open recruitment, with the remaining three following a different route to interview. The studentships will be allocated to the best combinations of candidate and project as they emerge from the interviews across all topics. Browse all available topics

Plymouth has been at the forefront of global marine research for more than a century, and today it is home to the largest concentration of marine researchers in the UK. Come and join our vibrant community of marine PhD students.

Once overexploited, Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus; BFT) have reappeared in UK waters with particularly frequent seasonal sightings in the Southwest. The Marine Management Organisation and Defra have recently launched a trial UK commercial BFT fishery. However, little is known about the impact of new fisheries on populations which have only recently recovered. Therefore, early BFT monitoring is essential to ensure sustainable management and continued recovery. Renowned for their speed, power and size (reaching over 3 metres in length), BFT are highly valuable economically, and play a key ecological role as apex predators. In the Southwest, multi-species foraging aggregations involving BFT, forage fish, seabirds and sometimes marine mammals are common and understanding these trophic interactions will inform ecosystem-based management. Quantifying key underlying biophysical drivers will lead to a more predictive understanding of BFT distributional trends in our changing ocean experiencing both ‘tropicalization’ (ocean warming) and ‘marine urbanisation’ (offshore energy).

This project collaborates with recreational fishers in the Southwest. Aerial drone mapping from angling boats will be used to extract key BFT school metrics (school and individual sizes) and foraging behaviour. Oceanographic profiling with a handheld CTD (conductivity, temperature, depth) and novel plankton imaging sensors will characterise the water column, while satellite remote sensing will explore links between ocean surface features (e.g. fronts) and foraging. Water samples will be collected to determine multi-species BFT foraging aggregations using state-of-the-art plankton and fish eDNA metabarcoding.

The successful candidate will receive comprehensive training in cutting-edge marine research techniques, gaining practical expertise and analytical tools valued in both industry and academia. This multi-faceted project can be tailored to the student’s interest with training including drone flying, machine learning, oceanographic profiling, plankton imaging, satellite remote sensing, and eDNA techniques.

Applicants should have a first or upper second class honours degree in an appropriate subject or a relevant Masters qualification. We’re looking for motivated applicants with a background in marine science and an interest in ‘technoecology’; development of technologies to analyse and interpret ecological data. Ideal candidates will have strong analytical skills and familiarity with Python, R, or MATLAB, excellent communication skills, boat work experience, and a driver’s license (preferred). Applicants from diverse backgrounds who can contribute to this interdisciplinary project are strongly encouraged.

Non-native English speakers must have an IELTS Academic score of 6.5 or above (with no less than 5.5 in any element) or equivalent.

The studentships are supported for 3.5 years and include full home or international tuition fees plus a stipend at the 2025/26 rate (to be confirmed; compare the 2024/25 UKRI rate of £19,237 per annum). The last 6 months of the four-year registration period is a self-funded ‘writing-up’ period. The studentships will only fully fund applicants with relevant qualifications.

If you wish to discuss this project further informally, please contact Dr Lilian Lieber .

Shortlisted candidates will be informed as soon as possible after the deadline, with interviews likely to take place in the second half of March. We regret that we may not be able to respond to all applications. Applicants who have not received a response within six weeks of the closing date should consider that their application has been unsuccessful on this occasion.