Lead Supervisor: Louisa Evans (louisa.evans@exeter.ac.uk)
2nd Supervisor: Mel Austen (melanie.austen@plymouth.ac.uk)
Associate Partner: DEFRA (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs) and Marine Management Organisation (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/marine-management-organisation

 

Project Description

The blue economy is expected to double in value to USD 3 trillion by 2030, globally. Rapid expansion of diverse sectors (aquaculture, coastal tourism, shipping, mining and offshore renewables) can displace or dispossess ‘traditional’ maritime sectors of the ocean resources they depend upon. In particular, (small-scale) fisheries are “subtly and overtly squeezed for geographic, political and economic space” with important implications for governance processes (e.g., trust, participation and compliance) and outcomes (livelihoods, food security and sustainable management of resources). In the UK, there is strong growth predicted in offshore renewables and aquaculture sectors alongside expanding conservation and protection of marine space through, for example, Marine Conservation Zones and Highly Protected Marine Areas all of which is escalating tensions within fisheries and marine governance. This doctoral research responds to a desire by fisheries and marine managers and policy-makers in the UK to re-set relationships with fisheries stakeholders and, in turn, improve levels of engagement and collaboration in policy development and implementation, particularly as impetus on nature recovery and net zero strengthens.

Aims and objectives

The aim of this research is to understand fishers’ and industry experiences of and responses to ‘spatial squeeze’ and potential displacement within the UK’s blue economy, and to identify opportunities for trust-building and improved collaboration in fisheries and marine governance. The research is guided by four objectives, to:

  • Create an evidence map of existing initiatives to document spatial squeeze of fisheries and its social, cultural, economic and ecological impacts in the UK.
  • Collect primary data on the social impacts and everyday experiences of spatial squeeze, including its implications for trust in marine governance processes at multiple levels.
  • Identify and analyse the governance processes and stakeholder strategies which mediate conflict and build trust.
  • Co-create a road-map to re-build and strengthen trust and collaboration in fisheries and marine governance.

Training

In addition to core interdisciplinary training the post-graduate researcher will undertake advanced training in evidence synthesis and mapping and creative approaches such as transformative scenario planning (see work by Adam Kahane).

Project Structure

Year 1: Review academic literature and UK policy documents, refining research design, and begin systematic evidence mapping to identify how spatial squeeze is currently being documented and evaluated in the UK.

Year 2: Secondments with DEFRA and MMO to understand existing policy challenges. Mixed-methods research using surveys and interviews in two multi-level case studies (Marine Spatial Prioritisation and Fisheries Management Planning) to evaluate: the social impacts and everyday experiences of spatial squeeze; levels of trust among stakeholders, and; the strategies and processes that can mediate conflict and build trust.

Year 3 and 4: Experiment with future-looking participatory and creative approaches to co-create a road-map towards more trusting collaboration in UK fisheries and marine governance. Write up and submit PhD thesis. Develop a publication strategy.

The project will be supervised by Dr Louisa Evans (University of Exeter), Professor Mel Austen (University of Plymouth), Dr Edward Hind-Ozan (DEFRA), Dr Aisling Lannin (MMO).

Information for Applicants

Applications for Cohort 2 of the CDT SuMMeR is now open, with PhD Studentships commencing from 1 October 2023.

How to apply
Please find below the list of PhD projects which will start from October 2023. Please click on the reference code of the project you are interested in for more information and the contact details of the Lead Supervisor. You are encouraged to contact the Lead Supervisor (stated in the description of the project) prior to the submission of your application to discuss any aspect of the project/s you are interested in. This will be informal and will have no impact on any applications that follow, other than showing your interest and enthusiasm.

To submit your application, please send to cdt-summer@plymouth.ac.uk:

  • A two-page curriculum vitae (CV) – please do not include personal information, such as your portrait photograph, age, marital status or nationality on your CV.. Let us know your education history from undergraduate, work experience, employment, research and publications and any other experience you consider relevant for the project. (Do contact the team at CDT SuMMeR if you have queries (CDT-SuMMeR-PGRS@plymouth.ac.uk);
  • A personal statement/covering letter (no longer than 1000 words) which explains why you consider yourself to be a suitable candidate for the PhD Project advertised, what qualifications, experience and skills you have that support your application, and what your aspirations are following on completion of this PhD. Our team is strongly committed to upholding equity, diversity, and inclusion. We expect candidates to uphold these same values and contribute to a positive, safe and inclusive environment. We invite candidates to include a statement about their experience of working across disciplines, cultures, countries or groups in their cover letter. Please ensure you state the PhD Project Reference Code for which you are applying for, on your personal statement/covering letter;
  • Complete the Diversity survey at the following link: CDT SuMMeR EDI Survey Please note this is for monitoring purposes only and is not linked to your application. The raw data is being collected independently of the CDT SuMMeR Programme Office by SERIO and is being collected because we want to check how well we are improving our recruitment processes year-on-year. We want to make sure we attract the best talent by recruiting candidates from many diverse backgrounds and experiences. Only the anonymised and aggregated data will be made available to the CDT SuMMeR programme office.
  • Optional: SuMMeR appreciates and values differences and seeks to attract, develop and retain a diverse mix of talented people that will contribute to and benefit from the CDT. If you wish to do so, please provide any contextual information that is relevant to your prior attainment and/or your educational pathway to this point. For example, if you are returning to the education system after a period of prolonged absence, you may, if you wish, list any relevant professional experience/qualifications that you have gained. Or, if your prior attainment was affected by extenuating circumstances that you wish to share with us, please do so (up to 500 words).

The closing date for applications is 16:00 BST on 17th January 2023.

Shortlisted candidates will be contacted by email and invited for interview, with interviews expected to take place from the week commencing the 6th of February 2023. We regret that we may not be able to respond to every applicant. Applicants who have not received a response by this date should consider their application has been unsuccessful on this occasion.

Eligibility

Applicants should have a first or upper second-class honours degree in an appropriate subject and either a relevant Masters qualification or a wider range of experience in a relevant career path (which is equally as important).

Each applicant may apply for a studentship on up to three projects. Where more than one project is applied for, the supervisors of all those projects will be made aware that other applications have been made

CDT SuMMeR studentships are partially funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), which applies the eligibility criteria laid down by its parent body, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), and co-funded by the respective Hosting Partner institutes. UKRI provides details on its training grants in its Terms and Conditions for Training Funding document, including its Training Grant Guide, which can be found on the UKRI website.

International students are eligible for all UKRI-funded postgraduate studentships but UKRI will normally limit the proportion of international students appointed each year through individual doctoral training programmes to 30% of the total.

The studentship is supported for 3 years and 8 months. All UKRI-funded PhD students (UK, EU, International) will be eligible for the full award – both the stipend to support living costs (currently £17,668 per annum pro rata at the 2022/23 rate), and fees at the research organisations’ UK rate. CDT SuMMeR’s funding will not cover international fees set by universities, applicants normally required to pay International fees may have to cover the difference between the Home and the International tuition fee rates (approximately £12,697 per annum).

Please enquire with the lead supervisor on the situation regarding international fees for the project you are interested in.  CDT SuMMeR’s funding will not cover costs associated with visa application or health surcharges, or additional costs associated with entry to, and living in the UK. For EU and international eligibility for UKRI studentships see UKRI’s guidance .

In case of uncertainty, the planned university of registration should be contacted for eligibility advice; or the CDT SuMMeR Programme Office: cdt-summer-students@plymouth.ac.uk

Find out more here.