Mr Nicholas Flores Martin BSc (Hons), MSc
CDT-SIS Research Student
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Mr Nicholas Flores Martin is a Postgraduate Research Student within Engineering and Physical Sciences at the University of Southampton, CDT-SIS
Nicholas graduated from the University of Malta with a BSc (Hons) in Chemistry and Biology (2004 – 2008), and studied Oceanography to Masters level (2010 – 2011) at the University of Southampton.
Following graduation, he worked for the Maltese Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture (2013 – 2015) where he coordinated fisheries data collection efforts to meet EU obligations with respect to the Data Collection Multi-Annual Programme (DC-MAP) under the Common Fisheries Policy. He was also involved in developing and giving feedback for proposed Good Environmental Status (GES) definitions, indicators, and monitoring programmes to meet Malta’s obligations with respect to the MSFD, and managed Malta’s Gap 2 case study on trawler fisheries management.
In 2015 he began an Integrated PhD in Sustainable Infrastructure Systems (CDT-SIS). His project involves helping to develop a behavioural guidance system for fish which face several barriers to their migration such as weirs and hydroelectric plants.
Research to date includes:
Using formant analysis to identify airflow direction during humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) phonation;
- Investigating the impacts of barotrauma and parasites on the physiology of migratory fish;
- The use of ambient noise by the East Pacific grey whale (Eschrictius robustus) for navigation and foraging;
- Mapping nursery and spawning grounds for key species targeted by Maltese bottom trawlers within Malta's 25 NM Fisheries Management Zone.