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Tuna Mobility Decoded: PhD Scholarships in Behavioral Ecology of Satellite Telemetry in Scandinavia and Bluefin Tuna in the Atlantic Ocean
Are you passionate about marine fisheries ecology, animal behavior and conservation? Do you want to contribute to one of the most exciting areas of research in sport ecology? If so, we invite you to apply for a fully-funded PhD scholarship to study the return of Atlantic bluefin tuna to Scandinavian waters starting March 1, 2025, and to investigate the drivers behind their movement patterns and behavior in the Atlantic Ocean.
The Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus, ABT) is one of the largest predatory pelagic fish in our oceans and is ecologically, culturally, and economically important.Between the 1950s and the early 21st century, the eastern ABT stock experienced intense, unregulated fishing, which led to its collapse in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean (particularly in the UK, Ireland and Scandinavia) collapse and disappearance, and a general decline elsewhere in its range. In response, the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) implemented fisheries management regulations that allowed ABT populations to rebound and return to the region. With no sign of ABT in Scandinavia, little is known about their active ecology, even though ABT are a relatively well-studied marine species. Their return provides a rare opportunity to fill the knowledge gap, which is crucial for the proper management and conservation of the species in the future. We are looking for a highly motivated and experienced candidate to use telemetry to study the movement and behavior of tagged ABT in Scandinavian waters and the implications of this for marine spatial conservation strategies, environmental policy and fisheries management.
Studying and managing highly migratory marine species such as ABT is particularly challenging given that they often cross multiple jurisdictions and ecosystems and are long-lived. However, recent technological developments, namely satellite telemetry and other biotelemetry technologies, have revolutionized the study of them. ABT have long been studied across the Atlantic using fishery-dependent methods, which introduced bias and uncertainty into our understanding of their activities and behavior. Now, over the past two decades, researchers have begun to use telemetry to elucidate ABT migration and inform improved management. Recently, ABT individuals that regularly visit Scandinavian waters have been satellite-tagged through the Scandinavian Bluefin Tuna Marathon (SBM) project, a collaboration between researchers and recreational anglers that captures, samples, tags and release individuals.The SBM project was initiated in 2017 and has created an expanding database of sightings and associated archival data through the use of Pop-up Satellite Archive Transmitter (PSAT) tags.
This PhD project will use existing data from this database and continue to contribute to it to address the following questions:
When do ABTs tagged in Scandinavia arrive and depart the Northeast Atlantic, and how do they utilize the three-dimensional environments of their migratory routes?
How is the behavior of ABTs related to their marine and biological environment?
How do the findings of the above questions relate to the ecology and utilization of individuals tagged and studied elsewhere?
In light of climate change, what are the implications for future marine spatial protection strategies, environmental policy and fisheries management?
It is expected that the successful candidate will be involved in fieldwork at sea related to ABT. Therefore, experience of working on research vessels, handling and tagging fish and working long hours is preferred. The successful candidate will also need to be able to work with a multidisciplinary team of scientists both internally and externally, have excellent time management and communication skills, and be able to produce peer-reviewed and other publications.
Qualifications
Master’s degree (120 ECTS) in Biology, Marine Biology, Oceanography or related field.
Demonstrated strong interest in marine motion ecology, fisheries and conservation
Proficient programming skills (preferably R and QGIS) including statistical analysis and GIS
Strong analytical and research skills
Experience in processing, analyzing and presenting large telemetry datasets
Interested in translating science into action (marine spatial protection and environmental policy frameworks)
Preferably experience in sampling, processing and tagging fish at sea
Ability to work independently and as part of a team
Proficient written and spoken English
Effective communication and organizational skills
Ability to adapt to travel, meet and work with people from different backgrounds
You must have a two-year Master’s Degree (120 ECTS credits) or academic level similar degree equivalent to a two-year Master’s degree.
Appointments will be based on a collective agreement with the Danish Federation of Professional Associations. Stipends will be agreed with the relevant trade unions. The duration of the appointment will be 3 years. The start date is April 1, 2025 or as soon as possible.
You can find out more about career development at DTU here.
offer requirements
We are looking for a highly motivated individual with a background in marine movement ecology and oceanography. The successful candidate will be required to collect, process, analyze, interpret, and present data obtained from satellite tracking and biological recording devices deployed on ABT, so strong programming skills (e.g., R, Python) as well as experience processing and analyzing large telemetry datasets are a must. They will also need to develop models to quantify spatial and temporal relationships between behavior and movement, oceanography, and biological productivity, which will involve acquiring other types of data from databases such as Copernicus.
It is expected that the successful candidate will be involved in fieldwork at sea related to ABT. Therefore, experience of working on research vessels, handling and tagging fish and working long hours is preferred. The successful candidate will also need to be able to work with a multidisciplinary team of scientists both internally and externally, have excellent time management and communication skills, and be able to produce peer-reviewed and other publications.
Qualifications
Master’s degree (120 ECTS) in Biology, Marine Biology, Oceanography or related field.
Demonstrated strong interest in marine motion ecology, fisheries and conservation
Proficient programming skills (preferably R and QGIS) including statistical analysis and GIS
Strong analytical and research skills
Experience in processing, analyzing and presenting large telemetry datasets
Interested in translating science into action (marine spatial protection and environmental policy frameworks)
Preferably experience in sampling, processing and tagging fish at sea
Ability to work independently and as part of a team
Proficient written and spoken English
Effective communication and organizational skills
Ability to adapt to travel, meet and work with people from different backgrounds
You must have a two-year Master’s Degree (120 ECTS credits) or academic level similar degree equivalent to a two-year Master’s degree.
Appointments will be based on a collective agreement with the Danish Federation of Professional Associations. Stipends will be agreed with the relevant trade unions. The duration of the appointment will be 3 years. The start date is April 1, 2025 or as soon as possible.
You can find out more about career development at DTU here.
offer benefits/salary
DTU is a leading technical university recognized globally for excellence in research, education, innovation and scientific advice. We offer a rewarding and challenging job in an international environment. We pursue academic excellence in an environment of respect for colleagues, academic freedom and responsibility.
Appointments will be based on a collective agreement with the Danish Federation of Professional Associations. Stipends will be agreed with the relevant trade unions. The duration of the appointment will be 3 years. The start date is April 1, 2025 or as soon as possible.
You can find out more about career development at DTU here.