During the last two decades, changes in public attitude toward the natural environment and increased awareness of past losses and current threats have forced many industries and government agencies to evaluate the impacts of their activities on natural processes. Pollution, coastal development, dredging and habitat loss all impact natural resources in the coastal, near shore, and offshore ecosystems. Likewise, the direct and indirect impacts of fisheries are often overlooked, poorly recognised or inadequately understood. Fishing gear, methods of fishing, and poor fisheries management regimes can all have destructive impacts on marine habitats and both targeted and non-targeted species.

MRAG have developed considerable experience in the undertaking of environmental assessments. Projects include research to support the establishment of ecological reserves, assessment of pollution control, studies on the effects of flood control systems, identification of conflicts between fishing gear types, threats to non-target species, and design of guidelines to minimise the loss of biodiversity. Assessments have been conducted on behalf of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Global Environment Facility (GEF), UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the UK Department for International Development (DFID) and the European Commission.

Projects

Title Region End Date
Defining the geographic scale of fish species populations, for impact assessments of low carbon energy projects and marine spatial planning

There is currently no common understanding of how best to quantify the spatial scale…

Europe
Image by simone saponetto from Pixabay Improving environmental sustainability of deep sea fisheries with emphasis on the conservation of Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs)

In 2018 the European Commission commissioned a study aiming at providing a…

Europe
X-Press Pearl Assessment of fisheries

The MV X-Press Pearl (XPP) was a Singapore-registered Super Eco 2700–class container…

Indian Ocean
Wordmap Provision of literature review of fishing practices which have been adapted in commercial fisheries around the world in order to help mitigate the sector’s contribution to climate change

In response to mounting concern around climate change, the Scottish Government has set…

Global
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay Climate change and the Common Fisheries Policy: adaptation and building resilience to the effects of climate change on fisheries and reducing emissions of greenhouse gases from fishing

By 31 December 2022 the European Commission will prepare a report on the functioning…

Europe
Image by Quang Nguyen vinh from Pixabay Coordinated assessments of marine species and habitats under the Birds and Habitats Directives and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive

The study aim was to support the Commission’s work to better coordinate assessments of…

Europe
Study on circular design of the fishing gear for reduction of environmental impacts

MRAG was commissioned by the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science…

Europe
Image by M. Maggs from Pixabay Co-designing the principles for defining low impact fishing

The United Kingdom (UK) seafood fishing industry, despite its importance to both the…

Europe
Rapid assessment of evidence collation on abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear

MRAG was commissioned by the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science…

Europe
Fisheries assessment post Navion Gothenburg oil spill

This study was implemented in response to a request following a spill from an oil…

Latin America
Study on costs, benefits and nature of an extended European Ocean Observing System

The objective of this study was to provide evidence to help guide the options for the…

Europe
Tanzania Liquid Natural Gas Baseline Marine Study

In Phase I of this study, MRAG conducted marine and socio-economic surveys at a number…

Africa
South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands Fisheries Management.

The work undertaken by MRAG for Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich…

Atlantic Ocean
GEF Pollution control and other measures to protect biodiversity in Lake Tanganyika.

Lake Tanganyika is an international water body that is an important resource for the…

Africa