Modern Tools for Fisheries Management: eDNA & Stable Isotopes in Practice

Event Details

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8th May at 1pm - 2pm - online via Zoom

Join the IFM Early Career Group for an engaging webinar exploring how cutting-edge techniques are being applied in real-world fisheries science and management.

What will be covered?

This session will combine practical insight with real-world case studies, including:

Environmental DNA (eDNA) is transforming how we detect and monitor species in aquatic environments, offering a powerful, non-invasive approach to understanding biodiversity. Meanwhile, stable isotope analysis provides deeper insight into ecological processes — revealing where organisms come from, what they eat, and how they interact within food webs.

Together, these complementary approaches allow us to move beyond simply identifying what species are present, to understanding how ecosystems function.

eDNA (Buffy – The eDNA Consultancy)

• What eDNA is and how it is collected and analysed in aquatic environments
• Applications including single-species (qPCR) and metabarcoding approaches
• Case studies: detecting rare, invasive, and commercially important species
• How eDNA compares to traditional survey methods (e.g. electrofishing, trawling)

Stable Isotopes (Dr Brian Hayden – Atomic Ecology)

• Introduction to stable isotope ecology: what it is and why it matters
• Case study: understanding diet and variation within a species (e.g. perch)
• Case study: exploring energy flow and resource use within food webs
• Applications of isotope analysis in fisheries management and consultancy

Who should attend?

This webinar is aimed at:

• Students
• Early-career professionals
• Anyone interested in fisheries, aquatic ecology, and environmental management

Why attend?

• Gain insight into modern tools used in fisheries science
• Understand how ecological data is used to inform management decisions
• Explore potential career pathways in consultancy and research
• Learn how combining methods provides a more complete picture of aquatic ecosystems

Speakers

Buffy – The eDNA Consultancy
Dr Brian Hayden – Atomic Ecology