Michael Breen
Arbeidsområde
Mike Breen has been a fisheries scientist since 1993, initially in the Marine Laboratory in Aberdeen, Scotland, then from 2012, in the Institute of Marine Research in Bergen, Norway. In this time his research has focused mostly on investigating the causes, magnitude and implications of stress and mortality among animals encountering and being released from fishing gears. Initially, much of his work centred on trying to quantify “collateral” or “unaccounted” fishing mortality (e.g. discard and escape mortality), with the objective of better understanding the impact of fishing activities on fished populations. In the course of this work, Mike became more interested in why these mortalities occurred, as well as how to mitigate them, by understanding how these animals behaved and interacted with the fishing gear during the capture process. A key feature of this work was developing and maintaining international cooperation in this research field, which he did as a member and chair of several expert groups in ICES and FAO. Most recently, Mike has been working with colleagues to develop a strategy to introduce welfare conscious practices to commercial fisheries. One important element of this strategy is providing empirical evidence for the link between capture related stressors and the survivability of released animals, as well as the impact upon meat quality in the retained catch. This would demonstrate that good welfare practices in commercial capture fisheries is not just ethically responsible, but has the potential to make fisheries more sustainable (by reducing unwanted catches, collateral mortality and food wastage) and productive (by improving meat quality and product shelf-life).
Curriculum Vitae
Education
1998-2004 PhD Investigating the mortality of fish escaping from towed fishing gears - a critical analysis. Zoology Department, Aberdeen University, Scotland, UK.
1991-1992 MSc in Marine Resource Development and Protection at the Institute of Offshore Engineering, Herriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.
1987-1990 BSc (Joint Honours) in Marine Biology and Chemical Oceanography, School of Ocean Sciences, University of Wales, Bangor, Wales, UK.
Positions - current and previous
2019 - Senior Scientist (1183), Capture Group, Institute of Marine Research, Norway.
2016-2019 Scientist (1110), Capture Group, Institute of Marine Research, Norway.
2012-2016 Scientist (1109), Capture Group, Institute of Marine Research, Norway.
2012 Head of Research (Fish Welfare), Morpol, Norway.
2011 Scientific Consultant. Clean Sea, Bergen, Norway.
1993-2011 Scientist, Marine Scotland – Science (Formerly: Fisheries Research Services, FRS), Marine Laboratory, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK.
Other relevant professional experiences
2024 - present European Partnership on Animal Health & Welfare (EUPAHW) - General Assembly
2024 - present EUPAHW National Mirror Group (Norway) – IMR Representative
2024 Co-convenor (with Hans van der Vis and Sebastian Uhlmann) Theme session: Welfare Conscious & Sustainable Fishing in the 21st Century. ICES Annual Science Conference, Gateshead, UK.
2024 External examiner for PhD defence, Carleton University, Canada.
2023 External examiner for PhD defence, University of Glasgow, Scotland, UK.
2023 - present Guest lecturer at University of Bergen’s MSc Fisheries module on Responsible Harvesting (Topic: Catch Welfare in Wild Capture Fisheries).
2022 External examiner for PhD defence, University of Tromsø, Norway.
2019 External examiner for PhD defence, University of Aalborg, Denmark.
2017 Co-convenor (with T. Catchpole) Theme session: Assessing and promoting the survival of released catches and the implications of modified survival rates on aquatic systems, ICES Annual Science Conference, Florida, USA.
2014-2020 Member of ICES Working Group on Methods for Estimating Discard Survival.
2014-2016 Co-chairman of the ICES Expert Group on Methods for Estimating Discard Survival.
2014-2016 Co-chair (with T. Catchpole) of six separate ICES Workshops on Methods for Estimating Discard Survival (in Belgium, Denmark, France and UK).
2012-2014 Co-chair of three separate ICES/FAO Topic Group meetings on the Use of Artificial Light in Fishing (in France, Thailand and USA).
2009-2011 Secretary for the Marine Scotland Diving Coordination Group, Scotland, UK.
2005-2011 Diving Officer, Marine Scotland – Science, Marine Laboratory, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK.
2005 Chair of the Workshop on Unaccounted Fishing Mortality, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK.
2004-2005 Chair of the Study Group on Unaccounted Fishing Mortality.
2002 Co-convenor (with Aud Vold and Alain Frechet) Theme session: Unaccounted Fishing Mortality, ICES Annual Science Conference, Copenhagen, Denmark.
2000 Chair of the Topic Group on Unaccounted Mortality in Fisheries. ICES Fishing Technology and Fish Behaviour Working Group Report, Ijmuiden, The Netherlands, April 2000.
1998 - present Referee for several academic journals, including: ICES Journal of Marine Science, Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, Fisheries Research, Fisheries Science, Marine Policy, Peer J and PLOS One.
1997-2011 Member of the national steering group for scientific diving in the UK: The Scientific Diving Supervisory Committee.
1997-2005 Chief Diver, Fisheries Research Services, Marine Laboratory, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK.
1997 Member of the Study Group on Unaccounted Mortality in Fisheries. Hamburg Germany, April 1997.
1995-2011 Guest lecturer at Aberdeen University’s MSc in Applied Marine & Fisheries Ecology (on Fish Behaviour, Applied Fish Behaviour & Unaccounted Fishing Mortality).
1995 - present Member of ICES/FAO Working Group on Fishing Technology & Fish Behaviour.
1995 Member of the Study Group on Unaccounted Mortality in Fisheries. Aberdeen, Scotland, UK.
1993-2011 Member of Underwater Science Group, Society for Underwater Technology, UK.
Publikasjoner
Vitenskapelige artikler (NVI)
2024
Exploiting the “gold of the ocean”: Can live storage solve the paradox of the purse seine fishery for Atlantic bluefin tuna in Norway?
Marine Policy
172
2024
Guidelines for Evaluating Artificial Light to Mitigate Unwanted Fisheries Bycatch
Reviews in Fisheries Science & Aquaculture
2023
Effects of capture-related stress and pre-freezing holding in refrigerated sea water (RSW) on the muscle quality and storage stability of Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus) during subsequent frozen storage
Food Chemistry
405, Part B
p. 1-10
2023
Escape Survival and Scale Damage Assessment of Red Mullet (Mullus barbatus Linnaeus, 1758) during Bottom Trawling in the Central Mediterranean Sea
Biology (Basel)
12
2022
A catch limitation device to avoid excessive catches in the blue whiting (Micromesistius poutassou) Northeast Atlantic pelagic trawl fishery
Frontiers in Marine Science
9
2022
Effects of capture-related stress and pre-freezing holding in refrigerated sea water (RSW) on the muscle quality and storage stability of Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus) during subsequent frozen storage
Food Chemistry
405
p. 1-10
2022
Vitality as a measure of animal welfare during purse seine pumping related crowding of Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scrombrus)
Scientific Reports
12
2021
Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus) change skin colour in response to crowding stress
Journal of Fish Biology
p. 1-10
2021
ICES Guidelines on Methods for Estimating Discard Survival
ICES cooperative research report
351
2021
Physiological response and survival of Atlantic mackerel exposed to simulated purse seine crowding and release
Conservation Physiology
9
p. 1-19
2020
Seasonal variation in the survival of discarded Nephrops norvegicus in a NW Mediterranean bottom-trawl fishery
Fisheries Research
230
p. 1-8
2020
Physiological and flesh quality consequences of pre-mortem crowding stress in Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus)
PLOS ONE
15
2019
Assessing the effectiveness of an electrical stunning and chilling protocol for the slaughter of Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus)
PLOS ONE
14
2019
Behavioural and welfare implications of a new slipping methodology for purse seine fisheries in Norwegian waters
PLOS ONE
14
2019
Effects on individual level behaviour in mackerel (Scomber scombrus) of sub-lethal capture related stressors: Crowding and hypoxia
PLOS ONE
14
2018
By-catch species susceptibilities and potential for survival in Algarve (southern Portugal) deep-water crustacean trawl fishery
Scientia Marina
82
2018
Artificial light in baited pots substantially increases the catch of cod (Gadus morhua) by attracting active bait, krill (Thysanoessa inermis).
ICES Journal of Marine Science
2018
Effects of different slipping methods on the mortality of sardine, sardina pilchardus, after purse-seine capture off the Portuguese southern coast (Algarve)
PLOS ONE
13
2018
Behavioural responses of krill and cod to artificial light in laboratory experiments
PLOS ONE
13
2018
Comparing the catch composition, profitability and discard survival from different trammel net designs targeting common spiny lobster (Palinurus elephas) in a Mediterranean fishery
PeerJ
2018
2018
Recovery from exhaustive swimming and its effect on fillet quality in haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus)
Fisheries Research
197
p. 96-104
2017
Seasonal variation in mortality of red mullet (Mullus barbatus) escaping from codends of three different sizes in the Aegean Sea
Scientia Marina
81
p. 339-349
2017
The loss of schooling function in mackerel in response to crowding but not hypoxia
PLOS ONE
2017
Effects on schooling function in mackerel of sub-lethal capture related stressors: Crowding and hypoxia
PLOS ONE
12
p. 1-16
2017
Variacion estacional en la mortalidad post pesca del salmonete (Mullus barbatus), capturado con arrastre de fondo en el mar Egeo
Scientia Marina
81
p. 339-349
2016
Estimating seabed pressure from demersal trawls, seines, and dredges based on gear design and dimensions
ICES Journal of Marine Science
73
p. i27-i43
2016
Selective fishing and balanced harvesting
Fisheries Research
184
p. 2-8
2015
Survival and recovery of longline- and pot-caught cod (Gadus morhua) for use in capture-based aquaculture (CBA)
Fisheries Research
174
p. 103-108
2015
Survival and recovery of longlin- and pot-caught cod (Gadus morhua) for use in capture-based aquaculture (CBA)
Fisheries Research
174
p. 103-108
Faglige foredrag
2024
Catch quality and welfare in a live-delivery fishery in Norway for haddock
2024
Catch Welfare Platform - Developing Innovations in Catch Welfare in Commercial Fisheries.
2024
Catch Welfare Platform - Developing Innovations in Catch Welfare in Commercial Fisheries
2024
The value of welfare: What can we expect from consumers if we increase their exposure to more facts about animal welfare?
2023
Catch welfare in commercial fisheries
2019
Observations on the welfare of fish released from demersal trawls.
2019
Physiological and flesh quality consequences of pre-mortem crowding stress in Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus)
2019
CRISP - eight years of innovation in fisheries technology
2018
Use of artificial light in fishing, what we have learned from the previous ICES Topic Group
2017
From survival studies to management - Norwegian purse seine fisheries
2017
Behaviour of mackerel and herring during slipping from purse seines
2016
Beste praksis for slipping fra not
2014
Trawling impact on megabenthos and sediment in the Barents Sea: use of satellite vessel monitoring and video
Poster
2023
The catch welfare platform: a multidisciplinary approach for improving fish welfare in global fisheries
2019
Mackerel can be humanely slaughtered using electrical stunning and chilling
2018
Behavioural responses of krill and cod to artificial light in laboratory experiments
Rapporter og avhandlinger
2025
Distribution, catches and research on Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) in the Norwegian exclusive economic zone: updated and revised including 2024 data.
Rapport fra havforskningen
2024
Håndbok for levendefangst og levendelagring av fisk – bedre kvalitet og velferd
2024
Økt levendeleveranse av hyse fra snurrevadflåten : Faglig sluttrapport
Nofima rapportserie
2023
Pilot project for the short-time live storage of bluefin tuna — Trials onboard MS Vestbris 2023
Rapport fra havforskningen
2023
Seleksjon i reketrål: overlevelse til reker som selekteres ut i overflaten - Sluttrapport for FHF-prosjekt 901661
Rapport fra havforskningen
2023
Catch Control in the Blue Whiting Pelagic Trawl Fishery - Research Cruise Report [2022825]: FV “Vikingbank”
2021
Fangstkontroll i fisket etter kolmule med pelagisk trål
2021
Fangstkontroll i notfiske etter pelagiske arter: Fase 2 – Faglig sluttrapport
2018
Purse Seine Catch Control - Faglig sluttrapport
2017
Beste praksis for slipping fra not. Faglig sluttrapport for prosjekt «Utvikling av standard slippemetode for makrell og sild i fiske med not».
2016
Science, Technology, and Society Initiative to Minimize Unwanted Catches in European Fisheries - Final report
2016
Tester av «beste praksis for slipping fra not».
2016
Har testet beste praksis for slipping fra not
2016
Assessing mackerel behaviour following crowding-induced stress in purse seine fisheries
2016
The nature and degree of skin damage in mackerel (Scomber scombrus) following mechanical stress: Can skin damage lead to mortality following crowding in a purse seine?
2014
Låssetting av sommermakrell: Gjennomføring av låssetting og prøvetaking
2014
Using behaviour of herring (Clupea harengus L.) to assess post-crowding stress in purse-seine fisheries
2014
Sluttrapport for prosjekt #900514: "Utvikling av ressurs- og miljøvennlig notteknologi"
2013
Prøvetaking i notfiske etter sild, makrell og lodde. Forsøk med fastmontert prøvetakings- og observasjonsutstyr i ringnot
Nettrapporter
Nettrapporter
- Distribution, catches and research on Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) in the Norwegian exclusive economic zone
- Pilot project for the short-time live storage of bluefin tuna
- Seleksjon i reketrål: overlevelse til reker som selekteres ut i overflaten
- Catch Control in the Blue Whiting Pelagic Trawl Fishery
Nyheter
Nyheter
- (17.02.2025) Vil ha bedre dyrevelferd for både oppdretts- og villfisk
- (16.06.2023) HI får rundt 125 millionar til ny forsking
- (24.01.2023) Har funnet ny måte å måle fiskens velferd
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