Source: Angling Trust
Emily Smith starts work this month as the Trust’s Invasive Non-Native Species Manager and joins the freshwater section of angling’s governing body while studying for her PhD at University College London (UCL). The title of her thesis is ‘Conduits of Invasive Aquatic Species: The Angling Route’.
Emily’s research will investigate the risk of anglers inadvertently bringing invasive species to the UK from fishing trips to Europe. This valuable work will contribute to a better understanding of the potential risks and mitigating measures required to limit the real threats to our angling environment and biodiversity presented by invasive species.
Emily’s post is funded as part of the London Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) Doctoral training partnership, with the Angling Trust fulfilling the role of an ‘industrial CASE partner’. In this arrangement Emily will gain work experience while undertaking her PhD. As part of her employment Emily will be managing the Trust’s ‘Alien Attack’ Environment Agency contract from now on.
Emily comes from a family background in angling and has a great understanding of the issues which affect fishing’s sometimes fragile dependence on the aquatic environment.
Mark Owen, Head of Freshwater for the Angling Trust said:
“We welcome Emily to the Freshwater Team and look forward to benefitting from her background in science and angling, and the contribution this new post will make to our ongoing war on invasive non-native species.”
Emily may be contacted at: emily.smith@anglingtrust.net
