Bertarelli-Annual-Report-2024-LR - Flipbook - Page 32
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Bertarelli Foundation
Prof. Nicole Esteban
Associate Professor in Marine Biology,
Swansea University, UK
“Our satellite tracking
research in the Chagos
Archipelago has led to
incredible discoveries of
extensive seagrass meadows
on the Great Chagos Bank at
unexpected depths of 25-30
metres – providing critical
habitats for juvenile 昀椀sh
populations and foraging
green turtles.”
Nicole is a marine ecologist interested in
developing our understanding of animal
movements within marine and coastal
habitats, and applying that knowledge to the
development of appropriate conservation
policies for effective protection of species
and their habitats. Her research includes use
of satellite telemetry and other technologies
such as drones and loggers to increase our
understanding of key nesting and foraging
grounds for immature and adult stages of both
green turtles and the critically endangered
hawksbill turtle in the Western Indian Ocean.
She is also conducting long-term monitoring of
sea turtle nesting and foraging populations in
the Chagos Archipelago, including long-term
records of sand temperature to assess likely sea
turtle hatchling sex ratios and hatching success.
Senior
Researchers
Prof. Divya Karnad
Assistant Professor of Environmental
Studies, Ashoka University, India
“ Working with 昀椀shing
communities (and not
against them) is the key to
long term sustainability and
conservation of ocean life.”
Divya’s research focuses on understanding
fishing practices, fisheries governance, and
the conservation of threatened marine species
from both social and ecological perspectives.
She is working on understanding illegal,
unregulated, and unreported fishing, as well as
understanding drivers of shark and ray fisheries
across South Asia. With her colleagues, she
surveys and interviews hundreds of consumers
of shark and ray meat and analyses their
motivations for consumption. Alongside this
work, she has co-founded InSeason Fish,
a sustainable seafood initiative designed
to educate consumers and provide better
livelihoods to fishers who commit to
sustainable fishing.
