For more than three decades Skúli Skúlason has devoted his research activity to asking some of the most fundamental questions in biology. How does diversity arise? What are the mechanisms that drive the very earliest stages of divergence? A combination of

elegantly crafted laboratory based experimental studies and a comparative approach in the field use naturally rapidly diverging fish populations to understand the evolutionary patterns found in nature, most notably using Arctic charr and the three-spined stickleback from his native Iceland. Skúli’s theoretical framework, and empirical testing of that framework, contributed considerably to the general shift in the acceptance that evolutionary divergence can occur in sympatry.

Peter has had a major impact on fish conservation globally over the last 30 years. Through his role as an environmental consultant for NGOs including the Natural Resources Defence Council (NRDC), the Sierra Club, and Surfers against Sewage, he has helped protect fish populations and provided expert advice to many local conservation organisations concerned about impacts of power plants, dams, desalination plants, water extraction and sewage discharges. He has acted as an expert witness on energy and port industries in both Europe and North America, and in the Peruvian Amazon he supported indigenous tribal nations whose rivers and streams were being exploited for mining. He played a pivotal role in the establishment of the Mamirauá Sustainable Development reserve in the Upper Amazon in Brazil (https://mamiraua.org/ ) which is now the largest freshwater nature reserve in the world, and he has played a pivotal role in training future generations of fish biologists through multiple books.

Michael Grant’s research focuses on conservation of threatened species in low income developing nations. Michael research uses a range of fisheries, conservation, and social science methods to understand the conservation status, threats, and uses and values of threatened species to local resources users in complex livelihood contexts. Of particular interest to Michael is the conservation of non-marine sharks and rays. Michael has conducted major research expeditions in Papua New Guinea and Indonesia to collect information for future conservation planning of these overlooked species. Recently, Michael’s research has explored the use of vertebral chemistry to better understand the life history of non-marine sharks and rays, providing promising results for improved ageing and ecological applications. Within the shark conservation community, Michael is an active member of the IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group and is vice president of the Sawfish Conservation Society. 

Joris is an evolutionary ecologist working on the speciation of the Arctic charr. He has been working on the Arctic charr since 2019 where he studied their behavioural ecology in what is known to be the most famous Arctic charr system, Lake Thingvallavtn in Iceland. His journey in the field of evolution have been inspired by Beverton and FSBI medal winners, Prof. Skuli Skulason, Prof. Colin Adams and Prof. Kathryn Elmer. His PhD research focuses on the genetic basis and molecular mechanisms of parallel evolution in the Arctic charr in Scotland. He uses replicated Arctic charr ecotypes as a model system to unravel the contribution of different gene regulatory processes to alternative phenotypic evolution and investigate their underlying genetic basis. Furthermore, Joris integrate a multi-taxa approach in order to determine the regulatory mechanisms underlying parallel phenotypic plasticity responses across salmonid species. Overall, he is interested in addressing the overarching question in ecological speciation by trying to connect evolutionary genomics, behavioural ecology and quantitative genetics to do so.

Claudio is a Portuguese/South African researcher investigating visual systems in fish. The aquatic light environment is unique because water differentially absorbs light spectra relative to depth, with a corresponding decrease in light intensity due to water molecules and dissolved particles, causing a scattering effect. Changes in genes associated with visual systems have the potential to disproportionately drive evolutionary change because they can simultaneously contribute to ecological adaptation and reproductive isolation in species where mate choice is based on nuptial colours (“magic traits”). With the development of CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing and the significant genomic data available on fish visual systems, Claudio has been able to test hypotheses regarding the adaptive significance of specific genomic changes and their ecological and reproductive consequences, while also defining visual plasticity. Haplochromine cichlids provide an ideal system for this research. The East African Great Lakes are home to several thousand endemic cichlid species, shaped by both natural and sexual selection.

As a PhD student at the University of East Anglia (UEA), Maisie is collaborating with the Centre for Environment, Fisheries, and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) to assess impacts of commercial fisheries on sharks and rays listed on the Convention for the Conservation of Migratory Species. Aiming to aid species management in British waters, Maisie is working to determine bycatch levels, assess mortality rates, and determine future habitat suitability of the UK shelf, extending to British Overseas Territories, under different climate scenarios. Whilst working with Cefas, Maisie has gained experience on the RV Cefas Endeavour collecting stock assessment data in the English Channel and North Sea. Prior to her PhD, Maisie worked as a Tutor with the Field Studies Council, in finance for Operation Wallacea, and as Volunteer Coordinator at their field site in Honduras. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Conservation from Nottingham Trent University and a Master’s degree in Ecology and Conservation from UEA.