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Dr Andy Richardson

Marine Science Experimental Officer

Faculty and Department

  • Faculty of Science and Engineering
  • School of Environmental Sciences

Qualifications

  • BSc (University of Hull)
  • PhD / DPhil
  • PGCert (University of London)

Summary

Andy is a marine ecologist with an interest across a range of marine environments, ranging from the poles to the tropics. Andy was the Senior Marine & Fisheries Scientist, and later Chief Scientist, at the Ascension Island Government, running marine research into pelagic megafauna, coastal ecosystems and fisheries., being the local science lead for the 2019 designation of the Ascension Island Marine Protected Area.

Andy also worked in enforcement and management of a pelagic tuna fishery, later going on to work in monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS) of fisheries and other maritime activities across the globe.

A SCUBA diver for nearly two decades, Andy is a dive instructor and serves as the Diving Supervisor for the School of Environmental Sciences, leading the dive training for undergraduate students and overseeing research diving operations.

Dive training

Marine Benthic Ecology

Aquatic Resource Management

Marine Conservation Ecology

Recent outputs

View more outputs

Journal Article

The Former Pelagic Longline Fishery of a Large‐Scale Marine Protected Area

Kerry, C., Metcalfe, K., Brown, J., Richardson, A., Laptikvoksky, V., Reeves, S., Weber, N., & Weber, S. (2025). The Former Pelagic Longline Fishery of a Large‐Scale Marine Protected Area. Aquatic conservation : marine and freshwater ecosystems, 35(2), Article e70076. https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.70076

Shallow seamounts are "oases" and activity hubs for pelagic predators in a large-scale marine reserve

Weber, S. B., Richardson, A. J., Thompson, C. D., Brown, J., Campanella, F., Godley, B. J., Hussey, N. E., Meeuwig, J. J., Rose, P., Weber, N., Witt, M. J., & Broderick, A. C. (2025). Shallow seamounts are “oases” and activity hubs for pelagic predators in a large-scale marine reserve. PLoS Biology, 23(2 February), Article e3003016. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3003016

Direct evidence of a prey depletion "halo" surrounding a pelagic predator colony

Weber, S. B., Richardson, A. J., Brown, J., Bolton, M., Clark, B. L., Godley, B. J., Leat, E., Oppel, S., Shearer, L., Soetaert, K. E., Weber, N., & Broderick, A. C. (2021). Direct evidence of a prey depletion "halo" surrounding a pelagic predator colony. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 118(28), Article e2101325118. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2101325118

Water column structure defines vertical habitat of twelve pelagic predators in the South Atlantic

Madigan, D. J., Richardson, A. J., Carlisle, A. B., Weber, S. B., Brown, J., & Hussey, N. E. (2021). Water column structure defines vertical habitat of twelve pelagic predators in the South Atlantic. ICES journal of marine science : journal du conseil, 78(3), 867-883. https://doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fsaa222

Extremes in Benthic Ecosystem Services; Blue Carbon Natural Capital Shallower Than 1000 m in Isolated, Small, and Young Ascension Island's EEZ

Barnes, D. K., Sands, C. J., Richardson, A., & Smith, N. (2019). Extremes in Benthic Ecosystem Services; Blue Carbon Natural Capital Shallower Than 1000 m in Isolated, Small, and Young Ascension Island’s EEZ. Frontiers in Marine Science, 6, Article 663. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2019.00663

Research interests

Andy's research areas focus around marine ecology, particularly where marine communities and human activities interact. Examples include fisheries, marine plastics and infrastructure.

Andy also works to develop and enhance technological approaches in marine research, such as deepwater camera systems, ROVs and wildlife tracking solutions.

Co-investigator

Project

Funder

Grant

Started

Status

Project

Great Yorkshire Kelp Forest

Funder

ERYC East Riding of Yorkshire Council

Grant

£62,405.00

Started

1 April 2024

Status

Ongoing

Project

Threats and Risks to Arctic Habitats- Watching Plastic Litter

Funder

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

Grant

£74,526.00

Started

1 July 2024

Status

Ongoing

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