New travel fellowship for SPI-ing

Dr Silvana Birchenough has just been awarded a Winston Churchill Travelling Fellowship to develop her technical expertise in the use of Sediment Profile Imagery (SPI).  Silvana will visit Chile, Sweden, Ireland and the USA to meet with other experts and exchange ideas in this relatively new area of science.

Sediment Profile Imagery (SPI) is a cost-effective technique which takes vertical profile images of the upper 20cm of the sediment system. These images are used to observe in-situ seafloor organisms and processes that cannot be observed using other techniques (eg, grabs, trawls and corers). One application is to monitor how activities, such as fish farming and dredged material disposal can impact the seafloor.

As a benthic ecologist, a significant part of Silvana’s work at Cefas is to provide scientific advice to government departments, industry and their consultants. This advice includes assessing the effects of dredged material disposal, aggregate extraction and construction projects (i.e. windfarms).

At present in the UK there is a lack of expertise in the application and interpretation of the SPI technology. Silvana’s forthcoming visit to worldwide centres of excellence will enable Cefas to fully utilise our SPI camera for the benefit of marine science in the UK.

Fact file

The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust (WCMT) was established as a living memorial to Sir Winston Churchill. Its aim is to enable men and women from all walks of life to acquire knowledge and experience abroad. In the process, they gain a better understanding of the lives and cultures of people overseas and, on their return, their effectiveness at work and their contribution to the community is enhanced. For more information about the Trust see www.wcmt.org.uk.

Previous Cefas scientists who were awarded a WCMT travelling fellowship include:

• Grant Stentiford, 2006: Disease in cultured prawns (Ecuador and Chile)
• Nicola Lower, 2004: Pheromone technology to increase the sustainability of aquaculture (Norway, Australia and Thailand)
• Geoff Arnold, 1976: Techniques of tracking, deflecting and counting fish (USA and Canada)
• Alan Jones, 1971: Techniques of fish culture (USA and Canada)
• John Ramster, 1970: Technology of meter networks for the benefit of the fishing industry (USA)