Nicholas Schmidt

MSc student

I have always had a passion and love for the ocean and am a keen surfer and fisherman. I have spent many hours snorkeling and exploring reefs and I feel strongly about the ecology of our marine habitats. I also have a passion for music and play various instruments.

Degree: MSc

Supervisors: Anthony Bernard (Rhodes University) and Albrecht Götz (SAEON Elwandle)

First registered for degree: January 2015

Registered at: Department of Ichthology and Fisheries Science, Rhodes University

Expected completion: November 2016

Thesis/project title: Optimising detection of fine-scale relationships between reef fish and invertebrate communities using remote imagery sampling techniques

Short abstract: Habitat information seen in stereo-BRUVs samples can be used as a covariate to explain observed variation in the fish community structure. This provides a measure of the habitat where the fish are being counted, however it ignores the facts that stereo-BRUVs attract fish from a broader area, not all of which is visible in the video footage, and that subtidal reef environments are complex and often patchy. This has the potential to hide the exact nature of the relationship between fish and their habitats, with knock-on effects for ecosystem based fisheries management initiatives. This study will measure the effect of the spatial coverage of habitat information around a stereo-BRUVs sampling point on the nature of the relationship between the fish and their habitat. It will then contrast this result against fish community data collected with unbaited stereo-RUVs to determine if the baited technique is suitable to measure fine-scale relationships between fish and their habitats.

Status: Fieldwork and data analysis

Umbrella programme:

Running cost funds:

Bursary:

Email: g10s4694@campus.ru.ac.za