Managing Living Aquatic Resources

The aquatic environment contains a fascinating array of living organisms, many of which provide valuable resources to humankind. This module seeks to explore the diversity of our oceans and freshwaters with an aim of understanding how we can properly manage activities in these environments. The content of this course is sub-divided into two themes.  

Biology and Ecology of Living Aquatic Resources. This theme of the module will introduce the details of some important aquatic organisms, why they are of value to us and why they are vulnerable to our activities. This theme includes lectures and online lab sessions on fish, crustaceans and molluscs.  

How Science Helps us Manage Impacts on Living Aquatic Resources. This theme will look at how people exploit living aquatic resources, the issues involved with this and how scientists measure our impacts and inform management decisions to maximise sustainable exploitation and mitigate our negative impacts. This theme includes lectures, a virtual field visit and workshops on fisheries, aquaculture, recreation, water quality, and livelihoods.  

The UN has defined 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which set out the world’s roadmap to ending poverty, reducing inequality and protecting the planet by 2030. Dissertation projects offered within this module will be relevant to delivering SDG 14: Life Below Water.