Coastal and Marine Environment Research Unit
Researchers involved
Dr Steve Morris - Coastal Zone Management - Brief portrait
Powell Strong - Marine mammals and research unit contact person - Brief portrait - Contact
Stephen Thompson - Fisheries and aquaculture
Malcolm Barradell - Cetacean field work
Richard Joseph - Taxonomy
Steve Quinton - GIS
Mike Farleigh - IT and GIS
Current research activity
- Impact of tidal stream energy generators on marine mammals.
- Economic valuation of marinas within Wales.
- Management of Ramsey sound.
- Wildlife tourism, impacts, economics and management.
- Harbour porpoise, relative abundance and distribution.
- Grey seal population dynamics and behaviour.
Research unit Overview
- The Research Unit was established in 1992 to co-ordinate the increasing involvement of Coastal and Marine Environment Studies staff in external projects and academic research activity.
- Since this time a portfolio of exciting and relevant research involvements with local organisations has been built up.
- Our main aim is to keep projects relevant and appropriate to current and likely future activities on the coast, with a principal focus on the Pembrokeshire and west Wales area. Research projects are undertaken in many aspects of Coastal and Marine Studies, ranging from marine and fisheries science to coastal zone management.
- We encourage student involvement in our research projects.
- Recent concentration on sustainable wildlife tourism, impacts tidal energy stream generation, management of Ramsey Sound.
Publications
- Strong, Powell and Morris, Steve Richard (2010) 'Grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) disturbance, ecotourism and the Pembrokeshire Marine Code around Ramsey Island', Journal of Ecotourism, 9: 2, 117 — 132 The definitive version was published in Journal of Ecotourism, Volume 9 Issue 2, June 2010. doi:10.1080/14724040903019869
- Morris S.R. and Jones S.D. (2007) Willingness of Stakeholders to become involved in coastal management . (In prep)
- James A. Griffiths and Steve Morris(2001) Identifying barriers to community participation within ICM in Pembrokeshire, UK. Proceedings of the fifth international conference on the Mediterranean Coastal environment Vol 1 49-59.
- Steve Morris, Stephen J. Thompson and Jeremy Percy. (2001) “A wish for fish” Sustainability in Action.
Conference Presentations
- Powell Strong and Steve Morris. Pembrokeshire Marine SAC Grey Seal Monitoring 2005. CCW Marine Monitoring Workshops 2005 & 2006.
- Steve Morris. The Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum. Presentation to the CZMnet/Coconet meeting, National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth. 2004.
- Valerie Morse. Education in the Pembrokeshire Darwin Science Festival. The Pembrokeshire Darwin Festival Marine Science and Innovation Conference. September 2002.
- Steve Morris. The Evolving Role of FE Colleges in Science Education Provision and Technology Transfer. The Pembrokeshire Darwin Festival Marine Science and Innovation Conference. September 2002.
- Valerie Morse. Educational programme for Pembrokeshire Darwin Science Festival and Crest Science projects in Florence. November 2001.
Poster Presentations
- Strong P. and Morris S.R. (2006) Wildlife Disturbance, Ecotourism and the Pembrokeshire Marine Code around Ramsey Island. CCW Marine Monitoring Workshop Dec 2006.
- Ziggy Otto, Phil Coates, Bill Sanderson, Andy Woolmer and Clare Eno (2006) Intertidal shellfish fisheries in the Carmarthen Bay and Estuaries Marine Site, S.W. Wales UK.
Reports
- Strong P., Lerwill J. and Morris S.R. (2006) Pembrokeshire Marine SAC Grey Seal Monitoring 2005. CCW Marine Monitoring Report 26.
- Watt L, Morris S.R. and Tidmarsh G(2005) Pembrokeshire Recovery of Energy form Tidal Streams (PRETS). Project Report for Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority.
- Forsyth T, Morris S.R and Burton S. (2003) The Use of Coastal Surgeries as a tool for increasing stakeholder participation in issues identification for the Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum. Report for the Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum.
- Rutt G., Bishop M., Morris S.R., Brown P. and Edwards J. (2003) Ecological Surveys undertaken of the Pembroke Millponds EAW report EATW_03_03.
- Powell Strong (2002) Boat Activity in southern part of Ramsey Sound. Preliminary data report for the RSPB.
- James Griffiths (2002) A preliminary review of economic contributions to the Pembrokeshire Coastal Zone. Report for the Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum.
- Steve Morris (2001) Technical report on ozone levels in enclosed spaces created by a commercial air freshener. Report for Consort-Claudgen Ltd. Milford Haven.
Examples of past student research activity include:
- Morphographical Analysis of the Burry Inlet Salt Marshes. Report compiled by M.R. Farleigh for the Countryside Council for Wales and for submission as the Honours Module for the award of a degree in Coastal and Marine Environmental Studies.
- The Distribution of Sargassum muticum on the Pembrokeshire coastline. BSc Hons project by David Jones, (June 2008).
- The Cardigan Bay Palaemon serratus Prawn Fishery. BSc Hons project by Richard Huxley, (June 2008).
- Impact of Coasteering on Fucus vesiculosus in St Non's Bay. BSc Honours Project by David Thomas, (June 2007).
- Hazelbeach Kerosene Spill. HND project by Richard Joseph, (June 2007)
- Bull Dominance Behaviour Patterns for the Grey Seal, Halichoerus grypus, at South Haven, Skomer Island. BSc Hons project by Elizabeth Coutts, (May 2006).
- Pembrokeshire Recovery of Energy from Tidal Streams by Lee Watt, Steve Morris and Glynne Tidmarsh, (April 2005)

