Please click on this link to download a copy of our flyer: MRes Sustainable Aquaculture and Fisheries

Background Information

Aquaculture is one of the fastest growing food production sectors worldwide, providing food for millions of people and constituting an essential source of income for many rural economies.  The large scale and rapid growth rate of the aquaculture sector is inevitably accompanied by sustainability challenges.  Some farming practices lead to the depletion of natural resources and, significant negative impact aquatic ecosystems.  

This new MRes in Sustainable Aquaculture & Fisheries offers research training in the fields of sustainable aquaculture and fisheries.  The programme specifically focuses on the interface between aquaculture and fisheries and the sustainability issues surrounding the exploitation of aquatic resources.  The course will furnish students with the ability to engage on a piece of independent research leading to a dissertation written as a scientific research paper.  Students benefit from access to the University's fully resourced, state-of-the-art Centre for Sustainable Aquaculture Research, and from the position of the University at the cutting edge of aquatic biology research.

This course will appeal to graduates who want to engage in aquaculture and fisheries research.  It offers an excellent one-year platform for students wishing to pursue a PhD at a later stage.

Course Description

Compulsory Modules:

BIOM25 Science Skills & Research Methods (20 credits)
This lecture and practical based module covers science skills for students wishing to pursue postgraduate studies in Biological Sciences. It will teach students how to make good use of library and internet resources (including Web of Science, Voyager and Blackboard), to design and analyse their experiments, and to make presentations of their data during conferences and symposia. Lecture topics include Library and internet resources, including WoS, Voyager, e-mail, Blackboard + assignment, ethics and plagiarism, databases, spreadsheets, presentation skills, report writing. The module is taught in Teaching Block 1 (Sept-Dec).  Assessment for this module is 100% through continuous assessment. 

BIOM37 Conservation of Aquatic Resources (20 credits)
This module will provide an overview of management and conservation issues in aquatic resources.  Lecture topics include water management, as well as case studies in conservation of aquatic organisms. Some of the lectures/seminars will be given by invited experts in the field.  This module is taught in Teaching Block 1 (Sept-Dec). Evaluation is by continuous assessment (40% of mark) and a formal examination (60% of mark).

BIOM61 Literature Review (20 credits)
In this module, students will carry out a term paper (40% of mark) and a literature review (60% of mark) on Aquaculture and Fisheries on an aspect related to their intended dissertation topic.  The review will be written in a format suitable for publication in a peer review journal. This module is taught in Teaching Block 1.

Followed by a research project in Part Two:

BIOM74 Research Project in Sustainable Aquaculture & Fisheries (60 credits)
Research is an integral part of this MRes programme.  In this module students are given the opportunity to carry out an independent piece of research leading to a dissertation written as a scientific research paper.  An oral presentation on the project will be given in October after submission of the dissertation.

Career Prospects

Aquaculture offers excellent career prospects in one of the fastest growing sectors worldwide. During the course students will become acquainted with the aquaculture sector locally and abroad in order to facilitate their career prospects upon completion of the course. Graduates go on to work for government agencies such as CCW, Environment Agency, English Nature, Scottish Heritage, Fisheries Research Services, CEFAS.  Other organisations include Public Aquariums and Zoos, Sea Reserves, Hatcheries and Fish Farms, Fish Feed Manufacturers, Ornamental Fish Trade. 

What our Students Say

Before coming to the UK, Swansea University represented in my mind,  prestige, in terms of tilapia aquaculture research. Accepted in 2005 when the course initially started, I defered my acceptance until 2007 when I was privileged to be awarded one of seven Chevening scholarships by the British Council Jamaica. I really did not know what to expect but I was optimistic that the course would have been exactly what I was looking for……a taught programme with special emphasis on the advances made in aquaculture and the relevant and associated areas of interest such as conservation and environmental management.  Swansea University lived up to most of my expectations; it was situated in a quiet and intimate coastal community, a minute from the beach and three hours from hustle and bustle of London; perfect for student life, studying and meeting new people from all over the world and from all walks of life . The course in itself was a collection of modules seamlessly arranged to give students a wide yet in-depth understanding of aquaculture and important research skills necessary for studies at the Masters level. Based on specific experiences I thoroughly enjoyed lectures and practical exercises in fish pathology, genetics and aquaculture legislation. My research project gave me further insights into finfish nutrition and introduced me to the very interesting world of aquaculture engineering. I came here with hopes of becoming a well rounded aquaculturist and with confidence I can say that I am today. The next step for me is helping to facilitate legislative reform in Jamaica and in other parts of the Caribbean where aquaculture is now a thriving business and where there are hopes for expansion but in an environmentally sustainable way. [Janielle Wallace, MSc Aquaculture & the Environment, 2007/2008]