Meet the Team
Members of the project team have a range of skills and experience. The team works closely with the stakeholders to assist them in the process that will culminate in recommendations for Marine Conservation Zones, and is responsible for the day-to-day running of the project.
The core team is based in the project office at the University of Kent and comprises:
Project Manager – Sue Wells
Sue grew up on Chichester Harbour and learnt to sail in her father’s home made dinghy. She has extensive experience in marine protected area management. Recently, she spent five years in East Africa, working on projects that involved local communities, fishermen and other stakeholders in marine protected area planning. Many of the issues she encountered are similar to those faced by stakeholders in south-east England and she will bring this experience to the MCZ work. Sue can be contacted on 07584 020775
MPA Planner – Hannah Thomas
Hannah spent several years in biodiversity research and protected area management before joining Balanced Seas. Her background is in Conservation Biology and she gained experience of conservation planning processes and decision support tools in South Africa’s Western Cape.
GIS/Data Officer – Greg Vaughan
Greg is a GIS specialist who has worked on a variety of scientific, government and commercial projects both in the UK and overseas. Most recently before joining the Balanced Seas team Greg was working on the Thames Estuary 2100 project for the Environment Agency. Greg’s role is to manage and analyse the geographical information for the project to support the planning process.
Communications Coordinator - Sally Moore
Sally’s lengthy work experience and marketing studies have provided her with a comprehensive understanding of the tools and techniques essential for effective communication. New to the marine world, she feels one of her strengths is to challenge difficult language and convert technical jargon to plain English – she promises to make sure she understands something before asking others to do so!
Economist – Bernard Morizet
Bernard is the most recent recruit to the team, has had a long career at the World Bank and extensive experience of impact assessments and evaluating economic costs and benefits of projects. He is French and has a doctorate in Economics. Bernard has settled near Canterbury with his family.
Balanced Seas has three Project Liaison officers who are hosted by other organisations in the project area:
Liaison Officer - Amy Pryor
Amy Pryor - hosted by the Thames Estuary Partnership, University College London (general stakeholder engagement and help with fisheries work); can be contacted on 07584 020771
With a background in Marine Biology, Amy first went to sea in 2000 as a fisheries observer and scientific sampler working on board deep sea fishing vessels in the North and South Atlantic. After seven years, she moved to London to work for the Zoological Society of London as the project coordinator for the Marine and Freshwater Conservation Programme. Amy is based in London, where she is well placed to help Balanced Seas engage with sea users throughout Kent, Essex and the Thames Estuary.
Liaison Officer - Kate Mills
Kate Mills – hosted by the River Hamble Harbour Authority, Hampshire (co-ordinator for engagement with the recreational sectors); can be contacted on 07584 020761
Kate is a keen sailor and enjoys getting out on the water around the South East Coast as much as possible. A commercially endorsed Yachtmaster, with several years experience in the commercial sailing business and a degree in Environmental Sciences from Southampton University, Kate is well suited to engage with recreational users throughout the South East. Based on the Solent, Kate is right at the heart of one of the UK’s busiest centres for recreation.
Liaison Officer - Jules Martin
Jules Martin –hosted by East Sussex County Council, Lewes (co-ordinator for engagement with the fisheries sectors); can be contacted on 07584 020752
Jules, a master fisherman, began his fishing career in Sussex. He has skippered vessels and worked in the industry all over the world. At the age of 22 he was running a prawn trawler off West Africa.
Following a break from the sea to obtain a degree in Fishery Science he conducted a 2 year survey of the fish stocks around the Falkland Islands for the F.C.O., resulting in the establishment of the Falklands Interim Conservation & Management Zone, and the Fisheries Department in November 1986.
Jules then worked for J. Marr Ltd. in Hull, and more recently as a self-employed marine fisheries adviser. He was a member of the Cefas ‘Applied Fisheries Science & Technology’ team, based in Newlyn, Cornwall, before returning to Sussex to join Balanced Seas.