Ciarán McLaverty
@ciaranmc.bsky.social
Marine & Historical Ecology | Ecosystem Effects of Fishing | Seabed Ecology | Human Pressures
Postdoctoral Research Fellow at University of Exeter @exetermarine.bsky.social
Dad of 2 🙉s | 🇮🇪
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=FB5YjQIAAAAJ&hl=e
Postdoctoral Research Fellow at University of Exeter @exetermarine.bsky.social
Dad of 2 🙉s | 🇮🇪
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=FB5YjQIAAAAJ&hl=e
Pinned
Ciarán McLaverty
@ciaranmc.bsky.social
· Nov 20
Time for a change!
Hey👋 I'm Ciaran and I research the effects of human activities on marine ecosystems
I collect ecological data to examine how bottom trawling impacts seabed communities 🦀🐛🐟 & I now work with historical data to estimate human disturbance to shelf sea sediments back in time 🌍
Hey👋 I'm Ciaran and I research the effects of human activities on marine ecosystems
I collect ecological data to examine how bottom trawling impacts seabed communities 🦀🐛🐟 & I now work with historical data to estimate human disturbance to shelf sea sediments back in time 🌍
Reposted by Ciarán McLaverty
Honeycomb Reef - built by Honeycomb Reef worms (Sabellaria alveolata) along the intertidal zone. Once the tide comes in they emerge from their burrows to feed on plankton that drifts by.
County Clare, Ireland.
County Clare, Ireland.
January 15, 2026 at 9:57 AM
Honeycomb Reef - built by Honeycomb Reef worms (Sabellaria alveolata) along the intertidal zone. Once the tide comes in they emerge from their burrows to feed on plankton that drifts by.
County Clare, Ireland.
County Clare, Ireland.
Reposted by Ciarán McLaverty
Plans to protect 'treasure trove' of marine life
The waters around Sark host a range of habitats including eelgrass beds, reefs, seabirds, and marine mammals. The proposed MPA would strengthen measures on trawling within inshore waters.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
The waters around Sark host a range of habitats including eelgrass beds, reefs, seabirds, and marine mammals. The proposed MPA would strengthen measures on trawling within inshore waters.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Plans to create Marine Protected Area around Sark
Marine habitats around Sark could be getting extra safeguards through a new protection order.
www.bbc.co.uk
January 3, 2026 at 7:28 PM
Plans to protect 'treasure trove' of marine life
The waters around Sark host a range of habitats including eelgrass beds, reefs, seabirds, and marine mammals. The proposed MPA would strengthen measures on trawling within inshore waters.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
The waters around Sark host a range of habitats including eelgrass beds, reefs, seabirds, and marine mammals. The proposed MPA would strengthen measures on trawling within inshore waters.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Ciarán McLaverty
🌊New paper🐚 Seabed status varied strongly across Europe: the Black, Baltic, and Aegean–Levantine Seas generally showed high seabed community status, while the Western, Central, Ionian and Adriatic Mediterranean were most severely impacted by bottom trawling.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
January 14, 2026 at 9:00 AM
🌊New paper🐚 Seabed status varied strongly across Europe: the Black, Baltic, and Aegean–Levantine Seas generally showed high seabed community status, while the Western, Central, Ionian and Adriatic Mediterranean were most severely impacted by bottom trawling.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Reposted by Ciarán McLaverty
Opportunities for Master of Science by Research (MScRes) study at the @sosbangor.bsky.social at Bangor University.
Get in touch and I can send you the full descriptions.
Get in touch and I can send you the full descriptions.
January 8, 2026 at 8:54 AM
Opportunities for Master of Science by Research (MScRes) study at the @sosbangor.bsky.social at Bangor University.
Get in touch and I can send you the full descriptions.
Get in touch and I can send you the full descriptions.
Reposted by Ciarán McLaverty
📢New paper!
🐟📚Using fish stomach contents spanning over a century, we reveal long-term diet shifts (from larger bivalves to smaller opportunistic prey) in demersal fish species in the western North Sea.
🔗 Open access in Fish & Fisheries: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10....
🐟📚Using fish stomach contents spanning over a century, we reveal long-term diet shifts (from larger bivalves to smaller opportunistic prey) in demersal fish species in the western North Sea.
🔗 Open access in Fish & Fisheries: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10....
December 10, 2025 at 11:20 AM
📢New paper!
🐟📚Using fish stomach contents spanning over a century, we reveal long-term diet shifts (from larger bivalves to smaller opportunistic prey) in demersal fish species in the western North Sea.
🔗 Open access in Fish & Fisheries: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10....
🐟📚Using fish stomach contents spanning over a century, we reveal long-term diet shifts (from larger bivalves to smaller opportunistic prey) in demersal fish species in the western North Sea.
🔗 Open access in Fish & Fisheries: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10....
Reposted by Ciarán McLaverty
Here’s what would happen if we replaced all the protein humans get from fishing with land-based farming for meat.
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
🧪🦑🌎🐠
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
🧪🦑🌎🐠
Biodiversity Consequences of Replacing Animal Protein From Capture Fisheries With Animal Protein From Agriculture
Replacing animal protein sourced from marine capture fisheries with animal protein from agriculture will likely increase the threats to biodiversity given current human diets. Approximately half th...
www.tandfonline.com
November 27, 2025 at 12:26 AM
Here’s what would happen if we replaced all the protein humans get from fishing with land-based farming for meat.
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
🧪🦑🌎🐠
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
🧪🦑🌎🐠
Reposted by Ciarán McLaverty
📢 Paper Alert
Impacts of #offshore #wind on ecosystems and marine biodiversity 🌊⚡ 🌬️
Our latest publication from the #SamSkag project is out. It is a systematic review and meta-analysis (2003–2024) on the ecological impacts of offshore wind farms.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Impacts of #offshore #wind on ecosystems and marine biodiversity 🌊⚡ 🌬️
Our latest publication from the #SamSkag project is out. It is a systematic review and meta-analysis (2003–2024) on the ecological impacts of offshore wind farms.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Case-dependent impacts of offshore wind farms on ecosystems: A systematic review and meta-analysis
The need for diversification of energy sources is driving the expansion of offshore wind farms, which is, in turn, amplifying their impact on marine e…
www.sciencedirect.com
December 8, 2025 at 4:26 PM
📢 Paper Alert
Impacts of #offshore #wind on ecosystems and marine biodiversity 🌊⚡ 🌬️
Our latest publication from the #SamSkag project is out. It is a systematic review and meta-analysis (2003–2024) on the ecological impacts of offshore wind farms.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Impacts of #offshore #wind on ecosystems and marine biodiversity 🌊⚡ 🌬️
Our latest publication from the #SamSkag project is out. It is a systematic review and meta-analysis (2003–2024) on the ecological impacts of offshore wind farms.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Reposted by Ciarán McLaverty
PhD opportunity! "Benefits & impacts of use of light in UK #fisheries & their wider effect on the marine environment" (aka #scallopdiscos!) Supervision by me @thembauk.bsky.social Tom Davies @plymbiomarsci.bsky.social Tim Smyth @pml.ac.uk @fishtekmarine.bsky.social www.plymouth.ac.uk/study/resear...
Benefits and impacts of use of light in UK fisheries and their wider effect on the marine environment
Applications are invited for three 3.5 year PhD studentships: Benefits and impacts of use of light in UK fisheries and their wider effect on the marine...
www.plymouth.ac.uk
December 2, 2025 at 6:02 PM
PhD opportunity! "Benefits & impacts of use of light in UK #fisheries & their wider effect on the marine environment" (aka #scallopdiscos!) Supervision by me @thembauk.bsky.social Tom Davies @plymbiomarsci.bsky.social Tim Smyth @pml.ac.uk @fishtekmarine.bsky.social www.plymouth.ac.uk/study/resear...
Reposted by Ciarán McLaverty
Webinar alert!
Join us for a project introduction, some early findings & find out how you can get involved.
When: Fri 5th Dec, 10am (GMT)
Where: Online (Teams)
Schedule: 20-30 minute presentation + Q&A
Interested? DM for a link to join!
Join us for a project introduction, some early findings & find out how you can get involved.
When: Fri 5th Dec, 10am (GMT)
Where: Online (Teams)
Schedule: 20-30 minute presentation + Q&A
Interested? DM for a link to join!
December 1, 2025 at 12:48 PM
Webinar alert!
Join us for a project introduction, some early findings & find out how you can get involved.
When: Fri 5th Dec, 10am (GMT)
Where: Online (Teams)
Schedule: 20-30 minute presentation + Q&A
Interested? DM for a link to join!
Join us for a project introduction, some early findings & find out how you can get involved.
When: Fri 5th Dec, 10am (GMT)
Where: Online (Teams)
Schedule: 20-30 minute presentation + Q&A
Interested? DM for a link to join!
Reposted by Ciarán McLaverty
🦑 🧵 A fascinating find at the Ythan Estuary! Last night a friend contacted me with videos of large cephalopod appendages found here in Newburgh, today I went to go and take a closer look.
#cephalopod #marinelife #marinebiology #beachfinds #ythanestuary #scotland #scicomm
🌊 🤿
#cephalopod #marinelife #marinebiology #beachfinds #ythanestuary #scotland #scicomm
🌊 🤿
December 1, 2025 at 5:38 PM
🦑 🧵 A fascinating find at the Ythan Estuary! Last night a friend contacted me with videos of large cephalopod appendages found here in Newburgh, today I went to go and take a closer look.
#cephalopod #marinelife #marinebiology #beachfinds #ythanestuary #scotland #scicomm
🌊 🤿
#cephalopod #marinelife #marinebiology #beachfinds #ythanestuary #scotland #scicomm
🌊 🤿
Reposted by Ciarán McLaverty
... just look at these 👀 Just a handful of the incredible new #PhD opportunities at the lab.
Visit our website to see them all, and apply!
🔗 pml.ac.uk/Working-with...
#PhDs #PhDopportunities #hiring #Plymouth #PhDlife
Visit our website to see them all, and apply!
🔗 pml.ac.uk/Working-with...
#PhDs #PhDopportunities #hiring #Plymouth #PhDlife
November 21, 2025 at 5:03 PM
... just look at these 👀 Just a handful of the incredible new #PhD opportunities at the lab.
Visit our website to see them all, and apply!
🔗 pml.ac.uk/Working-with...
#PhDs #PhDopportunities #hiring #Plymouth #PhDlife
Visit our website to see them all, and apply!
🔗 pml.ac.uk/Working-with...
#PhDs #PhDopportunities #hiring #Plymouth #PhDlife
Reposted by Ciarán McLaverty
What can we learn from a stranded whale? 🐋🧪
This female fin whale stranded in Cornwall and sadly didn't survive. Since then, she has been buried in a @cornwall.exeter.ac.uk research field, until now...
@exetermarine.bsky.social @uniexecec.bsky.social
Learn more: news.exeter.ac.uk/environment-...
This female fin whale stranded in Cornwall and sadly didn't survive. Since then, she has been buried in a @cornwall.exeter.ac.uk research field, until now...
@exetermarine.bsky.social @uniexecec.bsky.social
Learn more: news.exeter.ac.uk/environment-...
November 18, 2025 at 1:05 PM
What can we learn from a stranded whale? 🐋🧪
This female fin whale stranded in Cornwall and sadly didn't survive. Since then, she has been buried in a @cornwall.exeter.ac.uk research field, until now...
@exetermarine.bsky.social @uniexecec.bsky.social
Learn more: news.exeter.ac.uk/environment-...
This female fin whale stranded in Cornwall and sadly didn't survive. Since then, she has been buried in a @cornwall.exeter.ac.uk research field, until now...
@exetermarine.bsky.social @uniexecec.bsky.social
Learn more: news.exeter.ac.uk/environment-...
New study warning of the decline in taxonomic skills and what it means for conservation and management.
"Taxonomy is a foundation of marine science, and it is in trouble"
authors.elsevier.com/a/1lsTbEs4JV...
"Taxonomy is a foundation of marine science, and it is in trouble"
authors.elsevier.com/a/1lsTbEs4JV...
authors.elsevier.com
October 18, 2025 at 5:42 AM
New study warning of the decline in taxonomic skills and what it means for conservation and management.
"Taxonomy is a foundation of marine science, and it is in trouble"
authors.elsevier.com/a/1lsTbEs4JV...
"Taxonomy is a foundation of marine science, and it is in trouble"
authors.elsevier.com/a/1lsTbEs4JV...
Reposted by Ciarán McLaverty
Dear OPI community! We’re thrilled to announce that the Call for Abstracts and ECR Funding Award submissions are now open for the OPI XI Conference, hosted by the University of Victoria on beautiful Vancouver Island, Canada 🇨🇦, 15–19 June 2026!
tinyurl.com/3cjhzf4h
#marineecology #conference
tinyurl.com/3cjhzf4h
#marineecology #conference
Oceans Past XI: Abstract and Funding Award Submission
The Oceans Past Initiative connects scholars and practitioners interested in documenting and understanding changes in marine systems and human-ocean interactions in past decades, centuries and millenn...
tinyurl.com
October 8, 2025 at 8:17 PM
Dear OPI community! We’re thrilled to announce that the Call for Abstracts and ECR Funding Award submissions are now open for the OPI XI Conference, hosted by the University of Victoria on beautiful Vancouver Island, Canada 🇨🇦, 15–19 June 2026!
tinyurl.com/3cjhzf4h
#marineecology #conference
tinyurl.com/3cjhzf4h
#marineecology #conference
📣Opportunity to join the Convex Seascape Survey as Postdoctoral Research Associate 🧪
▶️Collate and map data on seabed disturbing impacts from offshore industry. Analyses will aim to estimate effects of disturbance on organic carbon stored within seabed sediments.
jobs.exeter.ac.uk/hrpr_webrecr...
▶️Collate and map data on seabed disturbing impacts from offshore industry. Analyses will aim to estimate effects of disturbance on organic carbon stored within seabed sediments.
jobs.exeter.ac.uk/hrpr_webrecr...
Powered by MHR
jobs.exeter.ac.uk
October 6, 2025 at 2:01 PM
📣Opportunity to join the Convex Seascape Survey as Postdoctoral Research Associate 🧪
▶️Collate and map data on seabed disturbing impacts from offshore industry. Analyses will aim to estimate effects of disturbance on organic carbon stored within seabed sediments.
jobs.exeter.ac.uk/hrpr_webrecr...
▶️Collate and map data on seabed disturbing impacts from offshore industry. Analyses will aim to estimate effects of disturbance on organic carbon stored within seabed sediments.
jobs.exeter.ac.uk/hrpr_webrecr...
Reposted by Ciarán McLaverty
New research from Queens University shows the critically endangered flapper skate continues its slide to extinction. The lead author, Patrick Collins, told me that it's not too late but decisive action is needed.
www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/ou...
www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/ou...
One of the largest Irish animals is at imminent risk of further decline — new report
The flapper skate is critically endangered and are top predators and their absence, like taking wolves from a forest, can lead to impacts cascading through the ecosystem. It is hard to imagine that a ...
www.irishexaminer.com
September 9, 2025 at 8:09 AM
New research from Queens University shows the critically endangered flapper skate continues its slide to extinction. The lead author, Patrick Collins, told me that it's not too late but decisive action is needed.
www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/ou...
www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/ou...
Reposted by Ciarán McLaverty
Fresh off the press! Our perspective in @natrevbiodiv.nature.com discusses the wealth of information on biodiversity contained in historical sources, and its integration for long-term ecological knowledge and biodiversity conservation. A thread on the paper and what led to it:
rdcu.be/eEcIt
rdcu.be/eEcIt
September 5, 2025 at 1:53 PM
Fresh off the press! Our perspective in @natrevbiodiv.nature.com discusses the wealth of information on biodiversity contained in historical sources, and its integration for long-term ecological knowledge and biodiversity conservation. A thread on the paper and what led to it:
rdcu.be/eEcIt
rdcu.be/eEcIt
Reposted by Ciarán McLaverty
The #ConvexSeascapeSurvey is in Canada! A collaboration between @ulaval.ca @exetermarine.bsky.social and @unisouthampton.bsky.social is investigating the role of animals that live in mud on the #seafloor in helping bury #BlueCarbon and keep our #climate healthy.
August 10, 2025 at 8:30 PM
The #ConvexSeascapeSurvey is in Canada! A collaboration between @ulaval.ca @exetermarine.bsky.social and @unisouthampton.bsky.social is investigating the role of animals that live in mud on the #seafloor in helping bury #BlueCarbon and keep our #climate healthy.
Reposted by Ciarán McLaverty
This verified report of two sturgeon in Irish waters is pretty incredible considering the species is critically endangered & considered functionally extinct in Ireland due to no evidence of breeding. share.google/jyn5MHKpQHjT...
Caviar-producing sturgeon found in Irish waters for first time in 40 years
Fishermen off Valencia Island have astonished marine experts by catching a fish long thought extinct in Irish waters.
share.google
July 13, 2025 at 3:55 PM
This verified report of two sturgeon in Irish waters is pretty incredible considering the species is critically endangered & considered functionally extinct in Ireland due to no evidence of breeding. share.google/jyn5MHKpQHjT...
Reposted by Ciarán McLaverty
Sustainable seafood guide🐟 🦑🦞🐚: 1883 edition
"Crack on - herring🐟 stocks cannot be impacted by human activity"
(They collapsed in the ~mid 20th century)
Thankfully, we now have robust science-based management @icesmarine.bsky.social
@projectfishistory.bsky.social @oceanspast.bsky.social
"Crack on - herring🐟 stocks cannot be impacted by human activity"
(They collapsed in the ~mid 20th century)
Thankfully, we now have robust science-based management @icesmarine.bsky.social
@projectfishistory.bsky.social @oceanspast.bsky.social
July 4, 2025 at 1:05 PM
Sustainable seafood guide🐟 🦑🦞🐚: 1883 edition
"Crack on - herring🐟 stocks cannot be impacted by human activity"
(They collapsed in the ~mid 20th century)
Thankfully, we now have robust science-based management @icesmarine.bsky.social
@projectfishistory.bsky.social @oceanspast.bsky.social
"Crack on - herring🐟 stocks cannot be impacted by human activity"
(They collapsed in the ~mid 20th century)
Thankfully, we now have robust science-based management @icesmarine.bsky.social
@projectfishistory.bsky.social @oceanspast.bsky.social
Reposted by Ciarán McLaverty
We're meeting today to kick off our new NERC-funded project on the 'Impacts of bottom trawling on seabed carbon storage'. It's a consortium project to establish how the disturbance associated with bottom trawling modifies C storage, cycling and air/sea CO2 fluxes.
gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref...
gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref...
June 9, 2025 at 7:41 AM
We're meeting today to kick off our new NERC-funded project on the 'Impacts of bottom trawling on seabed carbon storage'. It's a consortium project to establish how the disturbance associated with bottom trawling modifies C storage, cycling and air/sea CO2 fluxes.
gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref...
gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref...
Reposted by Ciarán McLaverty
NEW in @science.org Global tracking #MarineMegafauna shows <8% of areas used overlap w/ existing MPAs, while >75% of important areas overlapped by threats like #fishing #shipping & ocean warming - 30x30 goal will be insufficient for their conservation www.megamove.org @thembauk.bsky.social
Global tracking of marine megafauna space use reveals how to achieve conservation targets
The recent Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) sets ambitious goals but no clear pathway for how zero loss of important biodiversity areas and halting human-induced extinction of thre...
science.org
June 5, 2025 at 6:41 PM
NEW in @science.org Global tracking #MarineMegafauna shows <8% of areas used overlap w/ existing MPAs, while >75% of important areas overlapped by threats like #fishing #shipping & ocean warming - 30x30 goal will be insufficient for their conservation www.megamove.org @thembauk.bsky.social
Reposted by Ciarán McLaverty
For West Cork locals and lovers: A mussel farm, which would bottom-dredge a massive 23 hectares within the precious Kinsale harbour, has been granted a licence. Meeting this Sunday to organise appeals.
June 6, 2025 at 9:48 AM
For West Cork locals and lovers: A mussel farm, which would bottom-dredge a massive 23 hectares within the precious Kinsale harbour, has been granted a licence. Meeting this Sunday to organise appeals.
Reposted by Ciarán McLaverty
Great talk by @ciaranmc.bsky.social at #OOSC about his ongoing Convex Seascape Survey work on mapping the expansion of trawling and associated sediment disturbance 🌊🌊 @exetermarine.bsky.social @ruththurstan.bsky.social @profcallum.bsky.social
June 5, 2025 at 9:08 AM
Great talk by @ciaranmc.bsky.social at #OOSC about his ongoing Convex Seascape Survey work on mapping the expansion of trawling and associated sediment disturbance 🌊🌊 @exetermarine.bsky.social @ruththurstan.bsky.social @profcallum.bsky.social