Research output per year
Research output per year
Personal profile
Research interests
My research focuses on the sustainable management of marine resources, and the development of advanced underwater survey technologies, notably underwater acoustics, visual surveys and geostatistics, to study marine fauna. I was an early adopter in the use of uncrewed vehicles to study fish distributions, and am the inventor of the Smartrawl (patent pending), a technological device to reduce the wasteful practice of discarding fish at sea and eliminating bycatch. My work has spanned the globe from the Antarctic to the Arctic, from high altitude lakes, to tropical coral reefs, but most of it is centred around the fish and fisheries of the British Isles.
Biography
I joined Heriot-Watt University in June 2022 as a Bicentennial Research Leader, Chair in Fisheries Science and Technology
Previously I was at the University of Aberdeen, from 2018-2022, as Chair in Fisheries Science; and from 2011-2018 as MASTS Reader
1994-2011 Marine Scotland Science, Marine Laboratory Aberdeen: 2006-2011 Sea Fisheries group leader; 2001-2006 Fisheries Independent Methods Group Leader; 1998-2001 Senior Scientific Officer; 1994-1998 Postdoctoral Research Fellow (with University of Aberdeen).
1994 Fisheries Research Centre, Republic of Ireland
1992-1993 Overseas Development Administration (Bolivia)
External positions
Scottish Parliament
1 Aug 2022 → 31 Mar 2026
Keywords
- QL Zoology
- TC Hydraulic engineering. Ocean engineering
- SH Aquaculture. Fisheries. Angling
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
-
SDG 2 Zero Hunger -
SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being -
SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy -
SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth -
SDG 9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure -
SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities -
SDG 13 Climate Action -
SDG 14 Life Below Water -
SDG 15 Life on Land
Fingerprint
Dive into the research topics where Paul Fernandes is active. These topic labels come from the works of this person. Together they form a unique fingerprint.
- 1 Similar Profiles
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Recent external collaboration on country/territory level. Dive into details by clicking on the dots or
-
Applications of active-acoustic and complementary technologies in marine ecosystem science
Dornan, T., Smith, A. J. R., Bahlburg, D., Cariou, T., Christiansen, S., Demer, D. A., Fernandes, P. G., Haase, S., Hastie, G., Hornsby, R. L., Isaksson, N., Liszka, C. M., Sepp, E., Suter, L., Gjeitsund Thorvaldsen, K., Westergerling, T. & Wieczorek, A., Apr 2026, In: ICES Journal of Marine Science. 83, 4, fsag044.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile1 Link opens in a new tab Citation (Scopus) -
NatureScot Research Report 1390 - Local ecological knowledge from the Scottish fishing fleet on the critically endangered flapper skate (Dipturus intermedius)
Ashworth, R., Fernandes, P., Kaiser, M., Dodd, J. & Donnan, D. W., 13 Jan 2026, NatureScot. 15 p.Research output: Book/Report › Commissioned report
Open Access -
Sociality and seabird diving: lower dive effort for solitary gannets compared with those in groups and at fishing boats
Alexander, E., Clark, B. L., Atkins, K., Meinertzhagen, H., Langley, L., Arnould, J., Wells, M., Morgan, L., Morgan, G., Freeman, R., Miller, P., Fernandes, P. & Votier, S., 5 Feb 2026, In: Marine Ecology Progress Series. 778, meps15049.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile1 Link opens in a new tab Citation (Scopus)28 Downloads (Pure) -
Adjustable wind selectivity in shearwaters implies knowledge of the foraging landscape
Harris, S. M., Bishop, C. M., Bond, S., Fernandes, P. G., Guilford, T., Lewin, P. J., Padget, O., Robins, P., Schneider, W. T., Waggitt, J. J., Wilmes, S. B. & Cordes, L. S., 24 Feb 2025, In: Current Biology. 35, 4, p. 889-897 9 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile10 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus)44 Downloads (Pure) -
Fish Detection and Size Estimation Using Curved Ellipse Modeling and Voting-Based Matching
Moorhead, C. R., Hua, Y., Yi, D., Li, Y. & Fernandes, P. G., 16 Oct 2025, 2025 30th International Conference on Automation and Computing (ICAC). IEEE, 11196644Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution