2014_09: Postdoctoral Position, Ifremer Nantes

Deadline 8 Septembre 2014
Postdoctoral Position at IFREMER in Nantes, France
Research Unit Ecology and Models for Fisheries (EMH)
01 November 2014 – 30 April 2016
Science contact: Pierre Petitgas <pierre.petitgas@ifremer.fr>

Assessing fish stock status with a coupled oceanographic-fish population coupled model : anchovy in the bay of Biscay

Coupled oceanographic-fish population models are useful tools for fish stock management with an ecosystem approach because they resolve the many needed interactions across the appropriate variety of spatial and temporal scales. Individual-based full life-cycle fish models are now coupled with physical-biogeochemical models. Such models can realistically hindcast fish population reponses to “bottom-up” forcings in the ecosystem. They provide vast amounts of information, which need be summarized in a way that can contribute to assessing fish populations in their ecosystem context. The objective of this innovative postdoc is to develop a generic methodology to assess fish population status using hindcasts of coupled oceanographic-fish population models. A list of indicators will be defined in the different life stages and methods developed for calculating them. The indicators will be designed to extract relevant information characterizing fish condition, habitats favorable to growth, reproduction, larval survival, as well as larval dispersal. Building on existing indicator methodology, the series of indicators will be jointly analysed to assess historical variations in the fish population. The case study application will be the anchovy in the Bay of Biscay for which larval and full life cycle models are available and coupled to a physical-biogeochemical model for the area. Hindcast runs of these models will be available for the work. The postdoctoral work will contribute to the EU project SEAMAN of the ERANET SEASERA.

 

Applicants should have a background on the following:

Statistics, Spatial statistics, Programming in R, Knowledge of fisheries advice context

 

How to apply:

Send the following documents to scientific contact :

  • CV
  • Letter of intent
  • Two recommendation letters
  • Summary of results since Doctorate (PhD)
  • List of publications