CIRCULAR OCEAN - Key Persons

Dr Nina O'Hanlon, Post-doctoral Research Assistant, the Environmental Research Institute, North Highland College UHI, Scotland. Nina O'Hanlon is a seabird ecologist (post-doctoral research assistant) with a particular interest in seabird ecology and conservation. She is currently a post-doctoral researcher at the Environmental Research Institute (University of the Highlands and Islands), based in Thurso, Scotland, where she is looking at the impacts of plastic and oil pollution on seabirds in the Northeast Atlantic. As part of Circular Ocean, Nina was involved in research to establish what we currently know about seabirds and marine plastic in Northern Europe and the Arctic region, highlighting knowledge gaps and recommendations for future research and monitoring. This work revealed that we know very little about nest incorporation of plastic by seabirds across this region, therefore this summer Nina, and hopefully many volunteers, will be collecting data on this issue across the UK.

Job Titles:

• Senior Researcher, Norut Northern Research Institute, Norway

Dr. Heidi Rapp Nilsen specializes in Ecological economics and applied ethics, which incorporates the principles of a circular economy. In her research she focuses on the very start of the circularity; the need to reduce the use of primary resources into our economy. Ecological integrity is threatened not only by our pollution, as from lost and discarded fishing gear, but also by land-use change and the massive use of primary resources. How to construct and use fishing gear to enhance the gear's lifespan, how to avoid fishing gear become discarded or lost, how to avoid debris entering our oceans and ecosystems? These are central questions which must be answered to make a circular economy ecological sustainable. Heidi currently works as a senior researcher in Norut Northern Research Institute in Norway. She has previously worked in the United Nations Industrial Organization and at the Arctic University of Norway. In August 2018 she will commence as a researcher at NTNU, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, to work on NTNU Oceans Pilot programme on Responsible Ocean Research and Innovation (HAVANSVAR). This research programme addresses ethical, cultural, communicative, narrative and historic dimensions of ocean related research and innovation (https://www.ntnu.edu/oceans/havansvar)

Job Titles:

• Global Ghost Gear Initiative Secretariat, Global Campaign Manager World Animal Protection, UK / Canada

Joel is the Secretariat for the Global Ghost Gear Initiative (GGGI), a collective impact alliance started by World Animal Protection in 2015. The GGGI brings together NGOs, fishing industry, private sector, academia and governments to build evidence, define best practice and inform policy, and catalyse and replicate sustainable solutions to the problem of lost and abandoned fishing gear worldwide. The GGGI currently has 68 unique participant organisations and is supported by 12 governments and 6 high level affiliates, including the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), the International Whaling Commission (IWC), and the European Commission Directorate General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (EU DG MARE). Prior to taking on the role of GGGI Secretariat, Joel worked for 20 years in the Canadian fishing industry, 13 of which were as Operations Supervisor for Steveston Harbour Authority, Canada's largest commercial fishing harbour. During his time at Steveston Harbour, Joel started an end of life net recycling program to find a sustainable way to dispose of end of life fishing nets. In 3 years, his program managed to recycle some 150,000 kg of end of life nets. Joel is also a recipient of the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans Prix d'Excellence (2016) and a 2017 Canada's Clean50 Honouree in relation to his net recycling work. He is also a current director of the Emerald Sea Protection Society as well as a past co-Chair for the City of Richmond's Advisory Committee on the Environment, and a past President of the Harbour Authority Association of British Columbia.

Keiron Phillips has worked for the EPA for eleven years and is its most experienced Sustainability Expert, previously working in consultancy and in the UK Environment Agency. He developed the Green Business Initiative suite of programmes from scratch, developing them into a programme worth tens of millions to the Irish economy. Latterly, he has also taken over the Management of the Green Enterprise Programme, incorporating a much wider range of stakeholders with a particular emphasis on the social and circular economy.

Job Titles:

• Head of Enterprise, Local Enterprise Office South, Cork, Ireland

Responsible for the delivery of Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Support Services to the Micro enterprise community within South Cork, Ireland. Other positions held include Chairman of Macroom E, Chairman of SMILE Resource Exchange, Founding Advisory Board Member of UCC IGNITE Graduate Business Programme.

Job Titles:

• Sector Manager - Reprocessing, Zero Waste Scotland, Scotland

Pen pr Tim has 15 years experience of engineering design, process installation management and project management in the packaging industry and 10 years' at BPTA supporting developments in the plastics processing industry. Following 10 years in economic development developing and implementing waste and environmental projects Tim was head of Sustainable development at the West Midlands RDA in 2010/11 during which time studied for a Masters in Environmental Management for Business at Cranfield University. Tim Joined Zero Waste Scotland in Stirling Scotland in June 2011, His role helps deliver the Circular Economy Programme, with is focused on developing reprocessing infrastructure for plastics and dry recyclables, and increasing demand for recycled products in Scotland, Tim can help SME's access funding through the Circular Economy Investment Fund (CEIF) with a particular emphasis on Plastics.

Job Titles:

• Fisheries Engineer & Project Manager, MARELITT Baltic

Vesa has held a range of roles related to fishing gear: manager, South Baltic FLAG; Fisheries Consulant, Iconex Ltd; technological research assistant, Swedish National Board of Fisheries; research assistant, Finnish Game and Fisheries Research Institute. Vesa trained as an engineer in fishing gear & technology at Institute for Fisheries and Environment.