Kristina Heidrich
PhD Candidate
Sea Around Us - Indian Ocean
School of Biological Sciences
University of Western Australia (UWA)
kristina.heidrich@research.uwa.edu.au
PhD title: Reconstruction and analyses of data for the global large pelagic fisheries: IUU fishing, policy ramifications and the UN High Seas Agreement
I come from Germany, where I obtained my BSc from the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz and my MSc degree in Marine Ecosystem and Fisheries Science from the University of Hamburg. I have always been fascinated by the interaction between humans and marine environments, which is why after getting my Master’s degree I decided to join the Sea Around Us– IO for my PhD on “Reconstruction and analyses of data for the global large pelagic fisheries: IUU fishing, policy ramifications and the UN High Seas Agreement.” The main objectives of my project are to address the data deficiency of global industrial fisheries for large pelagics by providing: 1) a comprehensive estimation of actual total catches by the global industrial tuna and billfish fisheries using the catch reconstruction approach; 2) stock assessments of often-ignored data-limited species commonly interacting with high-seas fisheries; 3) investigating the benefits and losses due to potential implementation of no-take Marine Protected Areas; and 4) investigating the factors that determine the contribution of High Seas fisheries to food supply and availability of micronutrients to countries worldwide.
Through this project, I will be able to extend our understanding of industrial global fisheries for large pelagic species beyond national jurisdiction by accounting for historical spatio-temporal dynamics in those fisheries. This research will advance big-data science on the global large pelagic fisheries and the outcomes will help reveal patterns of unreported fishing and shape discussions on future conservation management policy as an important contribution to the implementation and interpretation of the pending UN High Seas Agreement.
I am also an affiliated member of the Marine Futures Lab.
Publications:
Grants and Awards:
Forrest Research Foundation Scholarship
University of Western Australia International Fee Scholarship (UIFS) and University Postgraduate Award (UPA) for 2020