Harbour Porpoise PhD Opportunity
Shetland UHI have a new PhD opportunity available on the study of harbour porpoises.
Shetland UHI, with SAMS, are offering a new PhD opportunity to study harbour porpoises.
NERC/Super DTP PhD
Harbour porpoises are the UKs most numerous cetacean, occurring in all coastal areas and are particularly vulnerable to disturbance from human activities. Pressures on the marine systems that support harbour porpoise are increasing due to climate change and growth of multiple marine industries. Management tools to reduce such anthropogenic impacts include the development of marine plans and the creation of marine protected areas (MPAs). Harbour porpoises are protected under several pieces of legislation and are EPS and PMFs. Engaging local communities in data collection can increase buy-in and ultimately compliance with management measures. To manage existing and emerging pressures on marine mammals a better understanding of the temporal and spatial variance of this species is required, including consideration of its ecology and behaviour. To learn more, we have a funded PhD project available to understand the spatial and temporal distribution of harbour porpoises around the Shetland archipelago, where unusual mega-pods of over 100 have been locally documented.