Contracted by FAO of the United Nations to co-instruct a workshop on deep-sea chondrichthyans at the Albion Fisheries Research Centre on the island of Mauritius in June 2014 following his latest trip to the Southern Indian Ocean to further study chondricthyan biodiversity in the area. The workshop included, but was not limited to, teaching other scientists methods of research and data collect on deep-sea sharks as developed and written by Paul Clerkin.
Paul J. Clerkin is a researcher with a master’s degree from Moss Landing Marine Laboratories currently working on his PhD at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. Clerkin specializes in rare and deep-sea chondrichthyans and focuses on new species descriptions, taxonomy, life histories, genetics, and tagging of poorly understood shark species. His outside-the-box approach combines working with local fishers and high-tech innovative research techniques such as remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), specialized deep-sea cameras, and satellite archival tags. His research has granted him a variety of opportunities including leading workshops for the United Nations, serving as a shark expert for a Food and Agriculture Organization’s research cruise, and producing several shark documentaries. He has conducted research projects aboard ships in the Indian, Atlantic, and Pacific oceans. Clerkin has discovered over a dozen new species of sharks and has gotten in the water to tag some of the rarest sharks on the planet including the ultra-rare Megamouth Shark. Paul Clerkin is currently describing new species that he has discovered, preparing a workshop for the Republic of Mauritius regarding their National Plan of Action for sharks, and organizing an international research program for sharks. His research interests include: shark taxonomy, robotics, artificial intelligence, eDNA, biologgers, and marine conservation policy. Find him @ deepblueresearchfoundation.org https://pauljclerkin.com/ Twitter: @PaulJClerkin Instagram: paul_j_clerkin Facebook: @PaulJClerkin View more posts
Paul J. Clerkin