The MSC has appointed Professor Michel Kaiser, Professor of Marine Conservation Ecology at the School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University as its new Science and Standards Director.
Rupert Howes, MSC CEO welcomed the appointment: “Michel is an internationally-recognised academic at the forefront of fisheries research. He will be leading a highly-skilled team of fisheries, standards, evaluation and traceability experts as we develop and manage the tools that ensure the MSC Standards remain robust, enabling the recognition of sustainable fisheries and seafood products globally. Michel is a tremendous addition to the MSC and I look forward to him joining our leadership team as we take the MSC into its third decade.”
Prof Michel Kaiser added: “The MSC has made an outstanding contribution to improving the sustainability of marine fisheries and has helped to secure food security and livelihoods across the globe by transforming fishing behaviour and governance.
Having acted as the provider of science for fisheries going into MSC assessment, I know from first-hand experience that the MSC process drives innovation in the areas of scientific data-gathering, evidence and policy.”
Michel continues: “I’m delighted and privileged to take up leadership of the Science and Standards team whose excellence was developed so skilfully by my predecessor Dr David Agnew.
I’m hoping to increase the scientific leadership of the MSC by developing stronger links with external science providers through new collaborative initiatives.
The MSC sits at the interface between fisheries and conservation interests, an area with which I am very familiar. As I take up my new post I will be keen to listen to the views of all stakeholders and I’m looking forward to bringing my particular expertise to help strengthen the focus on data-poor fisheries and fisheries in the developing world.”
About Professor Michel J Kaiser BSc PhD DSc
Professor Kaiser is Professor of Marine Conservation Ecology at the School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University. His research interests focus on techniques to achieve sustainable use of marine resources while seeking to minimise impacts on the marine environment. He is best known for his expertise on the ecosystem of fishing on the seabed, data-poor fisheries and the use of spatial management measures to achieve conservation and fisheries objectives. Throughout his career he has worked at the scientific interface between fisheries and conservation. His research group provides scientific advice to the governments of Wales and the Isle of Man.
Professor Kaiser currently holds a number of public appointments: he is a member of the IUCN-Fisheries Expert Group, is an independent member of the UK Marine Science Coordination Committee, and he chairs the Seafish Industry Authority’s Science Advisory Group and Common Language Group. Past roles include acting as a board member of the UK Seafish Industry Authority from 2007-2105 and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee board from 2012-2017.
After gaining his Ph.D. in 1991, Professor Kaiser joined the UK Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) to lead research on the effects of human activities (fishing and aquaculture) on the marine environment. He joined Bangor University in 1998 where he has expanded these interests to encompass social and economic consequences of different approaches of managing fishing activities. Michel was awarded a D.Sc. in 2003 in Marine Biology and was presented with the Fisheries Society of the British Isles (FSBI) medal in 2004 for his contribution to fish and fisheries research. Bangor University granted him a personal Chair in Marine Conservation Ecology in 2006. He has authored over 180 peer-reviewed publications and has written or edited five books. He co-convened the 6th World Fisheries Congress in 2012.