Carl O'Brien

Carl joined Cefas' Lowestoft Laboratory in February 1995; after a period of nearly four years in the Brazilian Amazon where he taught mathematical ecology and undertook statistical consultancy in the natural sciences.

He has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals, has co-ordinated a wide range of science-based contracts, and has published non-specialist articles, too. Within ICES, he has been Chair of the Resource Management Committee [RMC 2001-2004], and a member of both the Consultative Committee [CONC 2001-2004] and the Advisory Committee on Fishery Management [ACFM 2001-2006]. He has chaired numerous ICES' science and advisory groups; as well as being a member of a number of other specialist scientific groups.

Besides leading the Fisheries Division as its Director he is the Senior Fisheries Science Advisor at Cefas where he leads on the provision of scientific advice for the management of marine fin-fisheries for Defra. He is the lead scientist responsible for monitoring and assessing the main fin-fish stocks of concern to the UK, developing and interpreting high-level advice on fisheries management through ICES, providing representation and advice on fisheries management and related policy to the principal Defra customers in support of national and international negotiations, and communicating that advice to stakeholders.

He is a member of the International Advisory Board - Marine Research Division - AZTI, Spain and has recently been appointed ICES ACOM Vice-chair (fisheries). Carl is a Chartered Statistician (CStat), Chartered Scientist (CSci) and Fellow of the Linnean Society of London (FLS).