Newcastle University

Introduction

Specialist skills in marine social science, particularly aquaculture, fisheries, governance, ICZM, MPAs, mixed methods and socio-economic surveys.

Background

In 1999, I changed the direction of my research from fish physiology to integrated coastal zone management, specialising in aquaculture and fisheries, after identifying a shortage of interdisciplinary scientists in marine resource management that worked on both sectors.

I was a staff member in 2 social science departments (Agriculture & Rural Economics; Land Economy; University of Aberdeen) for 8 years (1996-2004) before coming back to a marine science department in Newcastle in 2004.

Now I lead interdisciplinary research teams to study natural-social science interactions for advancing marine resource management and coastal development.

Roles and Responsibilities

Newcastle University team member for Athena SWAN
School representative for University Teaching and Learning Committee
Chair for Board of Examiners for MSc Tropical Coastal Management and MSc International Marine Environmental Consultancy
Member of Standing Committee and Board of Studies
Developing Area Research Network (DARN) Steering Committee Member
Module leader on MSc Tropical Coastal Management (TCM) & BSc Marine Biology

Qualifications

PhD Zoology (1992-1995) University of Aberdeen
MSc Fisheries Biology & Management (1991-1992) Univ Wales Bangor
BSc (Hons) Marine Biology & Oceanography (1988-1991) Univ Wales Bangor

Previous Positions

Director, Marine Resource Management, Univ of Aberdeen, 1999-2004
Director, Aquaculture & Manager of Finfish Hatchery, Aberdeen, 1996-1999
Postdoc - modelling feeding of fish in multi-species management, FRS 1996
Scientific Adviser for TV documentary, ‘Ocean Forest’ 1996

Memberships

CoastNET
European Aquaculture Society
Fisheries Society of the British Isles
Marine Biological Association UK
Scottish Association for Marine Science

Research Interests

As a marine interdisciplinary scientist I'm interested in coastal governance and marine resource management issues. My research applies mixed social science methods to joint analysis of biophysical, ecological and socio-economic survey data. I work at different geographical scales (local, national and regional) and currently have projects running in the Caribbean, England, Rodrigues, Saudi Arabia, the Solomon Islands and Tanzania. How local knowledge from people (fishers, aquaculturists, marine resource users, scientists, NGOs and policy makers) can be applied to formulate science based policy is a key theme.

My experience in aquaculture and fisheries led to my appointments as President of the European Aquaculture Society (2008-2010) and a Ministerial Appointed Defra Scientific Fisheries Adviser for North Eastern Sea Fisheries Committee (2005-2013).

Current Work

Sea-cucumber farming in Tanzania - poverty eradication through aquaculture. Funded by the Leverhulme Trust (2010-2012).

Future of Reefs in a Changing Environment (FORCE): An ecosystem approach to managing Caribbean coral reefs in the face of climate change - EU funded (2010-2014).

The effect of marine reserves on attitudes, perceptions and livelihoods of communities socio-economically dependent on the lagoon fishery in Rodrigues, with Shoals Rodrigues - EU funded (2009).

Completed projects with ongoing publications:

Use of focus groups to aid stakeholder understanding of fisheries models - 'EFIMAS' Operational Evaluation Tools for Fisheries Management Options. EU funded and completed. www.EFIMAS.org (2005-2008).

Sustaining our coastal heritage: value of local knowledge. Funded by Heritage Lottery Fund (2006-2008) and completed. www.ncl.ac.uk/marine/research/project/2103

Effects of coral bleaching on coral reef fish, fisheries and ecosystem services in the Western Indian Ocean. WIOMSA funded and completed (2005-2007).

Future Research

Analysis of social-ecological coupling in a marine system in Fiji - under review for funding by the Leverhulme Trust (2010-2013).

Postgraduate Supervision

PhD students:
Hatim Al-Bisher (2006-2009)- Developing an integrated maritime policy for Saudi Arabia;
Helen Bloomfield (2006-2009)- Fisheries science and management of Yorkshire no-trawl areas;
Natalie Bown (2006-2009)- MPA governance in Honduras;
Jenny Brack (2006-2009)- Impact of acoustic noise from offshore windfarms on marine mammals & fish;
Alex Caveen (2009-2012) - A critical examination of the scientific credentials of Marine Protected Areas: sound science or a leap of faith?
Estelle Jones (2009-2012) - Are marine protected areas ecologically and socio-economically sustainable in Thailand?
Reuben Sulu (2006-2010)-Social & ecological changes in Solomon Islands reef fisheries;
Rachel Turner (2007-2010)- Fishers' behaviour in the Northumberland lobster fisheries.

Completed:
Tim Daw - How fishers’ count: engaging with fishers’ knowledge for fisheries science and management.
Annette Muhlig Hofmann - An interdisciplinary appraisal of community-based marine resource management of a traditional Fijian fishing gorund (qoliqoli).
Margarita Lavides - Multi-disciplinary study of reef fisheries depletion in Philippines.
Steven McKillop - Impact of environmental changes on rainbow trout.
Md. Shaha Ali - Effects of salinity & feeding on growth of Nile tilapia.

Esteem Indicators

President, European Aquaculture Society, 2008-2010.
Ministerial & Defra Scientific Adviser, NE Sea Fisheries Committee, 2005-2013.
Board Director, European Aquaculture Society, 2000-2012.
Editorial Board Member, Journal Aquaculture International, 2002-present.
External Examiner for universities of East Anglia (UEA), Swansea and Tasmania.
External Examiner, UK Institute of Fisheries Management, 1999-present.
Editor for Springer/Praxis Publishers, 1999-2005.
Expert Evaluator, European Commission, 2001-2002.
Invited Speaker, (Plenary), Marine aquaculture - 21st century challenge for world fishing, Vigo, 2009.
Invited Speaker, (Keynote), The Changing Nature of Scotland, Scotland, 2009.
Invited Seminar, Indigenous knowledge in marine science research, Durham University, 2006.
Invited Speaker, Aquaculture Canada, Newfoundland, Canada, 2005.
Invited Speaker, Coastal Futures Conf 2005, London, UK, 2005.
Invited Speaker, FAO Conf, Wierzba, Poland, 2004.
Invited Speaker, EU Aquaculture Workshop, Glasgow, UK, 2004.
Invited speaker (Keynote), AE2003 Conf, Trondheim, Norway, 2003.
Invited speaker (Keynote), AE2002 Conf, Trieste, Italy, 2002.
Session Chair, Royal Society of Edinburgh, Sustainable Aquaculture, 2009.
Session Chair, AE2009, New Research Frontiers, Trondheim, Norway, 2009.
Session Chair, Fisheries and Aquaculture, World Fishing Exhibition, Vigo, 2009.
Steering Committee Chair, AE2003, Trondheim, Norway, 2003.
Steering & Programme Committee Member, AE2002, Trieste, Italy, 2002.
Programme Co-Chair, AE2001, Trondheim, Norway, 2001.
Programme Co-Chair, Aquaculture & ICZM. Oostende, Belgium, 2001.

Funding

Carnegie Trust, Economic & Social Research Council, EU; Heritage Lottery Fund, Natural Environment Research Council, Leverhulme Trust, Scottish Executive, Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association, Wildlife Conservation Society, World Bank.

Industrial Relevance

Consultant for UNDP to determine how MPAs can integrate socio-economic and governance considerations.
Consultant for Cleveland Potash Limited leading scientific research examining impacts of seismic surveys on lobsters.
Scentific Fisheries Advisor for North Eastern Sea Fisheries Committee.

Projects

• Poverty eradication through Aquaculture
  Project Leader(s): Professor Selina Stead
• Responding to fish extirpations in the global marine biodiversity epicentre
  Project Leader(s): Prof. Nick Polunin
• Sustaining our coastal heritage: the value of local knowledge
  Project Leader(s): Dr Selina Stead
• Understanding and addressing the impacts of threats to marine ecosystems/biodiversity in the UK overseas territories in the Caribbean
  Project Leader(s): Dr Clare Fitzsimmons

Undergraduate Teaching

MST2009 Fisheries biology and aquaculture
MST2003 Coastal management

Postgraduate Teaching

MST8002 Principles and practice of integrated coastal management
MST8002 Coastal governance

• Thomassin A, White CS, Stead SM, Gilbert D. Social acceptability of a Marine Protected Area: the case of Reunion Island. Ocean and Coastal Management 2010, epub before print.
• McClanahan TR, Cinner JE, Graham NAJ, Daw TM, Maina J, Stead SM, Wamukota A, Brown K, Venus V, Polunin NVC. Identifying Reefs of Hope and Hopeful Actions: Contextualizing Environmental, Ecological, and Social Parameters to Respond Effectively to Climate Change. Conservation Biology 2009, 23(3), 662-671.
• McClanahan TR, Cinner J, Maina J, Graham NAJ, Daw TM, Stead SM, Wamukota A, Brown K, Ateweberhan M, Venus V, Polunin NVC. Conservation action in a changing climate. Conservation Letters 2009, 1(2), 53-59.
• Gray TS, Hatchard JL, Daw TM, Stead SM. New cod war of words: 'Cod is God' versus 'sod the cod'-Two opposed discourses on the North Sea Cod Recovery Programme. Fisheries Research 2008, 93(1-2), 1-7.
• Turner RA, Cakacaka A, Graham NAJ, Polunin NVC, Pratchett MS, Stead SM, Wilson SK. Declining reliance on marine resources in remote South Pacific societies: Ecological versus socio-economic drivers. Coral Reefs 2007, 26(4), 997-1008.
• Chaniotis PD, Stead SM. Interviewing people about the coast on the coast: Appraising the wider adoption of ICZM in North East England. Marine Policy 2007, 31(4), 517-526.
• Stead S, Daw T, Gray T. Uses of fishers’ knowledge in fisheries management.. Anthropology in Action 2006, 13(3), 77-86.
• Stead SM, McGlashan DJ. A Coastal and Marine National Park for Scotland in partnership with Integrated Coastal Zone Management. Ocean and Coastal Management 2006, 49(1-2), 22-41.
• Stead SM. Changes in Scottish coastal fishing communities - Understanding socio-economic dynamics to aid management, planning and policy. Ocean and Coastal Management 2005,48 9-10 670-692.
• Stead SM. A comparative analysis of two forms of stakeholder participation in European aquaculture governance: self-regulation and integrated coastal zone management. In: Gray, T.S, ed. Participation in Fisheries Governance. Dordrecht: Netherlands: Springer, 2006, pp.179-192.
• Stead SM. Plenary paper. Marine aquaculture governance, human perceptions, ICZM and socio-economic baselines. In: Gateway to sustainable mariculture in SE Asia. 2006, Singapore.
• Stead S, Cinner J, Daw T, McClanahan T. Perceptions and future scenarios of people’s dependence on coral reef fisheries in the western Indian Ocean. In: One World, One Conservation, One Partnership. Society for Conservation Biology Annual Conference.. 2007, Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
• Cinner J, Daw T, McClanahan T, Stead S. The poverty trap: how socioeconomic factors influence exit from a declining fishery. In: One World, One Conservation, One Partnership. Society for Conservation Biology Annual Conference. 2007, Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
• Hatchard JL, Stead SM. EFIMAS WP5 UK Focus Groups Report. York University, 9-11 August 2006. Newcastle, UK,2006.
• Stead S. Outcomes from the workshop, “Our Vibrant Coast”. The way forward for integrated coastal management in North East England. Sunderland Science Park, 18th July 2006. Newcastle, UK: University of Newcastle, 2007. Natural England. In Press.
• Stead SM. Effects of socio-economic drivers on unchanging coastal governance in Mauritius and Seychelles. In: The Fifth meeting of the Marine Science for Management (MASMA) Grantees.2006,Zanzibar, Tanzania
• Envision, Newcastle University. Integrated Coastal Zone Management in the North-East of England: a regional review. 2006.
• Bown NK, Stead S, Gray T, Coles T, Ritchie E. Socio-economic and ecological indicators for analysing the success of the Cayos Cochinos Marine Protected Area (CCMPA) objective for fisheries management.. In: Annual Reef Conservation UK Conference. 2006, Zoological Society of London.
• Stead SM. Socio-economic consequences, ICZM trends and governance options for marine aquaculture. In: Aquaculture Europe and World Aquaculture: Linking Tradition & Technology.2006,Florence, Italy
• Mühlig-Hofmann A, Stead S, Polunin NVC. Three to tango for community-based marine resource mangement in Fiji. In: International Society for Reef Studies (ISRS).2006,Bremen, Germany
• Stead SM, Daw T, Graham NAJ, Gray TS, Polunin NVC, Robinson J, McClanahan TR. Trends in climate change, coastal governance, coral reef ecology and socio-economic variation in the Seychelles. In: World Maritime Technology Conference.2006,London:The Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST)
• des Clers S, Stead SM. Fishermen’s knowledge and participation to improve fisheries governance. In: Coastal Futures 2005: Review & Future Trends.2005,University of London, UK
• Stead SM. Integrating stakeholder knowledge into interdisciplinary science: lessons from fisheries for aiding the development of sustainable management and policy for aquaculture. In: Proceedings of the 23rd EIFAC Symposium.2005,Wierzba, Poland
• Burbridge PR, Stead SM. Keynote paper.Integrating social sciences into stakeholder-driven planning: the European experience. In: Navigating forward: new directions for food safety, quality and social diversification.2005,St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada
• Stead SM. Socio-economic aspects of Aquaculture. In: Freshwater Aquaculture and the Environment.2005,Szarvas, Hungary:Research Institute for Fisheries, Aquaculture and Irrigation
• Stead SM. Three’s a crowd: fishermen, government and scientists.. In: Fishing Vessels, Fishing Technology and Fisheries.2005,Newcastle upon Tyne, UK:The Royal Institution of Naval Architects
• Stead SM. Applying interdisciplinary approaches to management of sustainable aquaculture development. In: European Aquaculture Workshop.2004,SEEC, Glasgow, UK
• Mühlig-Hofmann A, Veitayaki J, Polunin NVC, Stead SM, Graham NAJ. Community-based marine resource management in Fiji – from yesterday to tomorrow. In: 10th International Coral Reef Symposium.2004,Okinawa, Japan
• Stead SM. Role of stakeholders (fishers) in advancing management, policy and science: an interdisciplinary case study. In: FAO EIFAC Symposium on Aquaculture and Development: Partnership Between Science and Producer Associations.2004,Wierzba, Poland
• Rossiter T, Stead SM. Days at sea: from the fishers’ mouths. Marine Policy 2003, 27(3), 281-288.
• Stead SM. Role of ICZM in fisheries governance. In: Fisheries Governance. 2003, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
• Rossiter T, McLay HA, Stead SM. The application of fishermen’s knowledge to fisheries management. Aberdeen, UK: The Scottish Executive, Fisheries Research Services Marine Laboratory Aberdeen, 2003. Internal Report.
• Stead SM. The legislative puzzle – aid or barrier to integration. In: Beyond Monoculture. 2003, Trondheim, Norway.
• Stead SM, Burnell G, Goulletquer P. Aquaculture and its role in Integrated Coastal Zone Management. Aquaculture International 2002, 10(6), 447-468.
• Stead SM, Burnell G, Goulletquer P. Aquaculture and its role in Integrated Coastal Zone Management. In: Seafarming: Today and Tomorrow. 2002, Trieste, Italy.
• Allmendinger PA, Barker AJ, Stead SM. Delivering Integrated Coastal Zone Management through land-use planning. Planning, Practice and Research 2002, 17(2), 175-196.
• Stead SM, Laird LM. Handbook of Salmon farming. UK: Springer, 2002.
• Stead SM. Integrated management of salmon farming areas. In: Stead, S.M., Laird, L.M, ed. The Handbook of Salmon Farming. London: Springer, 2002, pp.437-464.
• Barker, A.J., Allmendinger, P.A., and Stead, S.M. Scottish coastal socio-economic scoping study. 2002.The Stationary Office, Edinburgh.
• Kaiser M, Stead SM. Uncertainties and values in European aquaculture: communication, management and policy issues in times of “changing public perceptions”. Aquaculture International 2002, 10(6), 469-490.
• Stead SM. Aquaculture and its role in Integrated Coastal Zone Management – addressing the gaps in knowledge and communication. In: New species. New technologies. 2001, Trondheim, Norway.
• Kaiser M, Stead SM. Communicating uncertainties and values in aquaculture: policy and management issues in times of ‘… changing public perceptions’. In: Aquaculture and its role in Integrated Coastal Zone Management. 2001, Oostende, Belgium: European Aquaculture Society.
• Stead SM, Barker AJ, Allmendinger PA. Local Authorities and the Co-ordination of Management and Spatial Planning with regard to Atlantic Salmon, Salmo salar L. UK: Inverness College, 2001. Report for the EU funded project 'Salmon Rivers'.
• Stead SM, Barker AJ, Allmendinger PA. Management of salmon by local governments in Scotland. In: Salmon Rivers, Inverness, Scotland. 2 March 2001. 2001.
• Burnell G, Goulletquer P, Mees J, Seys J, Stead S. Proceedings of Aquaculture and its role in Integrated Coastal Zone Management. European Aquaculture Society. In: Aquaculture and its role in Integrated Coastal Zone Management. 2001, Oostende, Belgium: European Aquaculture Society.
• Kjørsvik E, Stead SM. Proceedings of New species. New technologies. European Aquaculture Society Special Publication. In: New Species, New Technologies, International Conference Aquaculture Europe 2001. 2001, Trondheim, Norway.
• Stead SM, Houlihan DF, McLay HA, Johnstone R. An individual approach to monitoring effects of environmental factors on feed intake and growth of Atlantic salmon. In: International Congress on Fish Biology. 2000, University of Aberdeen, Scotland: American Fisheries Society.
• Shaha MdA, Stead SM, Houlihan DF. Effects of salinity on food consumption and growth performance of Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus. In: International Congress on Fish Biology. 2000.
• Shaha MdA, Stead SM, Houlihan DF. Influence of environmental factors on growth of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus. In: Responsible Aquaculture in the new millennium. 2000, Nice, France.
• Stead SM. Management of Scotland’s salmon resource – advances in aquaculture. Periodicum biologorum 2000, 101, 557-563.
• Stead SM. Managing Scotland’s salmon resource – advances in aquaculture. In: Požar-Domac, A, ed. Responsible coastal zone management – the challenge of the 21st Century. Croatia: Eurocoast, 2000, pp.557-563.
• Stead SM. Research based on individual fish, a tool for better management of farmed salmon. In: AQUA 2000: International Conference on Responsible Aquaculture in the New Millennium. 2000, Nice, France: European Aquaculture Society.
• Stead, S.M., Houlihan, D.F., McLay, H.A., and Johnstone, R. Food consumption and growth in maturing Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L.. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 1999, 56, 2019-2028.
• Stead, S.M., McLay, H.A., Houlihan, D.F., and Johnstone, R. Effect of environmental factors on food consumption and growth of individual Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L. In: First (Cost 827) workshop on voluntary food intake in fish. 1997, Aberdeen, UK.
• Stead, S.M., Houlihan, D.F., McLay, H.A., and Johnstone, R. Effect of ration and seawater transfer on food consumption and growth of Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., smolts. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 1996, 53, 1030-1037.
• Gourlay, D., Stead, S.M., and Sutherland, R. Fish farming: status, prospects and opportunities for investment. Confidential report for British Sugar.. 1996.
• Stead, S.M., Houlihan, D.F., McLay, H.A., and Johnstone, R. Effects of sea water transfer and maturation on feeding and growth in Atlantic salmon. In: Quality in Aquaculture. 1995.
• Stead, S.M., Houlihan, D.F., McLay, H.A., and Johnstone, R. 1995. Individual growth performance of Atlantic salmon in freshwater and sea water. In: Society for Experimental Biology Annual Meeting. 1995, St Andrews, UK.
• Stead, S.M., Houlihan, D.F., McLay, H.A., and Johnstone, R. Do dominant fish grow the fastest?. In: High Performance Fish Symposium. 1994, Vancouver, Canada..
• Bown N, Gray T, Stead S. Contested Forms of Governance in Marine Protected Areas: a Study of Co-Management and Adaptive Co-Management. London: Earthscan, 2012. Submitted.
• Bloomfield HJ, Sweeting CJ, Mill AC, Stead SM, Polunin NVC. No-trawl area impacts: fishers' perceptions, compliance and fish abundances. Environmental Conservation 2012. In Press.
• Turner RA, Gray T, Polunin NVC, Stead SM. Territoriality as a driver of fishers' spatial behaviour in the Northumberland lobster fishery. Society & Natural Resources 2012. In Press.
• Al-Bisher H, Stead S, Gray T. The concept of integrated national maritime policy and its application to Saudi Arabia. Maritime Policy and Management 2012. In Press.
• Daw TM, Cinner JE, McClanahan TR, Brown KB, Stead SM, Graham NAJ, Maina JM. To Fish or Not to Fish: Factors at Multiple Scales Affecting Artisanal Fishers’ Readiness to Exit a Declining. PLoS One 2012, 7(2), e31460.
• Cinner JE, McClanahan TR, Graham NAJ, Daw TM, Maina J, Stead SM, Wamukota A, Brown K, Bodin O. Vulnerability of coastal communities to key impacts of climate change on coral reef fisheries. Global Environmental Change 2012, 22(1), 12-20.
• Turner R, Fitzsimmons C, Forster J, Mahon R, Peterson A, Stead S. Resource User Perceptions of Marine Governance and Coral Reef Management in The Bay Islands, Honduras. In: 64th International Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute (GCFI) Conference. 2011, Puerto Morales, Mexico.
• Peterson AM, Stead SM. Rule breaking and livelihood options in marine protected areas. Environmental Conservation 2011, 38(3), 342-352.
• Al-Bisher H, Stead S, Gray T. Saudi Maritime Policy: Integrated Governance. London, UK: Routledge, 2011.
• Fitzsimmons C, Forster J, Mahon R, Peterson A, Stead S, Turner R. Setting future scenarios for management, stakeholder usage, and the health of Caribbean reef ecosystems. In: 64th International Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute (GCFI) Conference. 2011, Puerto Morales, Mexico.
• Peterson A, Fitzsimmons C, Forster J, Mahon R, Stead S, Turner R. The Role of Different Actors in Caribbean Coral Reef Governance Through Multi-level Social Networks. In: 64th International Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute (GCFI) Conference. 2011, Puerto Morales, Mexico.
• Slater MJ, MacDonald CLE, Stead SM. The value of the sea cucumber Holothria forskali as a novel species in integrated multitrophic aquaculture systems. In: Marine Resources and Beyond. 2011, Bremerhaven, Germany: IMARE, Bremerhaven.
• Turner R, Fitzsimmons C, Forster J, Mahon R, Peterson A, Stead S. FORCE: an ecosystem approach to managing Caribbean reefs in the face of climate change. In: 63rd International Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute (GCFI) Conference. 2010, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
• Stead SM, Slater MJ. Linking Attitudes, Perceptions and Socio-economics to Aquaculture Governance. In: Aquaculture Europe. 2010, Porto, Portugal: European Aquauculture Society.