The project:
I was working for the Department of Fisheries within the Government of Bermuda for two months whilst completing my masters thesis for my Marine Environmental Management Msc. During my time in Bermuda I conducted an analysis of the distribution and impacts of recreational lobster diving and spear fishing activities in Bermuda for my project. Additionally, I analysed Bermudas recreational fisheries as a whole. Both are being used to better facilitate management and monitoring of this fishery sector. My work included gathering spatial data through various types of surveys, interviews with recreational fishermen and using fisheries statistics to generate through the use of Geographical Information Systems technology maps indicating hot spots of use within the reef platform. My work is now being incorporated into Bermudas Marine Spatial Plan and various other marine management schemes the Island is undertaking.
About Bermuda:
Bermuda is a small pseudo-atoll island chain located in the western north Atlantic at 32o 20’ N and 64o 45’ W. Within it resides the northern-most coral reefs in the Atlantic Ocean. In order to facilitate marine resource management, Bermuda waters are divided into the shallow platform which tops the ancient volcano that created the island, and offshore waters. The official delineation between these areas is considered to be the break at the 100m depth contour at which point the sides of the volcanic pedestal slope steeply to depths of 1000m and greater over a lateral distance of 2-5km. The total area of the shallow platform equated to 991km2, and this compares to a total land area of 53.7km2. These proportions illustrate the importance of the marine environment and its associated resources to the Bermudian people. There are also two submerged volcanic peaks to the southwest of the Island, Challenger Bank (22km away) and Argus Bank (37km away) and are popular recreational fishing areas.
My accommodation and location:
I was based in Bermuda for two months, during which I am staying with my boss, her family and two dogs Moshi- an elderly american bull dog aged 12 and Lucy a very naughty 11 month old staffordshire terrier! Their house is in St. Davids- a small parish located in the northern string of Islands which comprise Bermuda. I am only 10 minutes from work in the morning- which is fantastic! I travel to work each day on my moped- which i have had four of so far as they keep breaking! Work is a small building at the end of Coney Island which has part of the old railway track still running through it and is right next to the water!
I was working for the Department of Fisheries within the Government of Bermuda for two months whilst completing my masters thesis for my Marine Environmental Management Msc. During my time in Bermuda I conducted an analysis of the distribution and impacts of recreational lobster diving and spear fishing activities in Bermuda for my project. Additionally, I analysed Bermudas recreational fisheries as a whole. Both are being used to better facilitate management and monitoring of this fishery sector. My work included gathering spatial data through various types of surveys, interviews with recreational fishermen and using fisheries statistics to generate through the use of Geographical Information Systems technology maps indicating hot spots of use within the reef platform. My work is now being incorporated into Bermudas Marine Spatial Plan and various other marine management schemes the Island is undertaking.
About Bermuda:
Bermuda is a small pseudo-atoll island chain located in the western north Atlantic at 32o 20’ N and 64o 45’ W. Within it resides the northern-most coral reefs in the Atlantic Ocean. In order to facilitate marine resource management, Bermuda waters are divided into the shallow platform which tops the ancient volcano that created the island, and offshore waters. The official delineation between these areas is considered to be the break at the 100m depth contour at which point the sides of the volcanic pedestal slope steeply to depths of 1000m and greater over a lateral distance of 2-5km. The total area of the shallow platform equated to 991km2, and this compares to a total land area of 53.7km2. These proportions illustrate the importance of the marine environment and its associated resources to the Bermudian people. There are also two submerged volcanic peaks to the southwest of the Island, Challenger Bank (22km away) and Argus Bank (37km away) and are popular recreational fishing areas.
My accommodation and location:
I was based in Bermuda for two months, during which I am staying with my boss, her family and two dogs Moshi- an elderly american bull dog aged 12 and Lucy a very naughty 11 month old staffordshire terrier! Their house is in St. Davids- a small parish located in the northern string of Islands which comprise Bermuda. I am only 10 minutes from work in the morning- which is fantastic! I travel to work each day on my moped- which i have had four of so far as they keep breaking! Work is a small building at the end of Coney Island which has part of the old railway track still running through it and is right next to the water!