Interpreting and targeting NERC-funded research outputs to inform and influence marine policy

Knowledge exchange activities are often limited in funding, and the communication formats respected in the scientific community, such as peer-reviewed publications and scientific conference talks, are not appropriate to disseminate research to policy and decision makers. Policy makers and scientists communicate in their own jargon-centric languages, which leads to miscommunications and lack of understanding between the two groups. Consequently, scientific research may not be integrated in to the decision making process, with end users left either unaware of or not clearly understanding how science can support and inform management, adaptation and mitigation options. It is crucial that good scientific research supports the development of policy indicators and setting of environmental targets in order to successfully implement marine policy; the UK government could be held responsible for exceeding or not meeting these legally binding targets.

This project seeks to promote the use of CPR science, expertise and data to support UK, EU, and international decision-making while identifying new opportunities and policy-relevant applications for SAHFOS data and science. The fellowship will integrate science-policy expertise and CPR data into the UK and EU political processes through the involvement in national and international pelagic expert groups, including leadership of the implementation of the MSFD for pelagic habitats at the UK and OSPAR levels, and membership on key UK and international policy boards. CPR data and research will be transformed to targeted policy-relevant scientific advice for UK, EU and international policy and decision makers, with particular focus on under-disseminated NERC-funded CPR research. New end users of CPR research and data will be identified in order to cultivate new knowledge exchange links and applications. Policy advice gaps and future needs will be assessed in order to steer CPR research towards policy relevance. These steps towards the effective application and development of CPR science will result in better evidence to support marine management and conservation.

The applicant is experienced in engaging and communicating with UK, EU and international policy and decision makers, and drawing links between CPR research and policy needs and has a wide UK and EU science-policy network. However, her work is repeatedly constrained by funding limitations which have resulted in inefficiencies and boundaries to the effectiveness and reach of policy impact-generating activities. Many opportunities to create policy impact from CPR data are underfunded and revenue-earning contracts and projects are often necessarily prioritised. Although she is currently contributing to MSFD implementation and serving on evidence groups, the work is only partially and inconsistently funded and must be performed as limited resources allow. This KE Fellowship will remove the funding barrier to applying CPR science to policy implementation and facilitate the direct inclusion of CPR research and data into the UK and international policy process. The fellowship will enable the applicant to consistently and efficiently perform policy impact generating work in dedicated working time, and will allow her to better utilise her network of contacts to more effectively exploit CPR science. A key component will be the generation of policy impact for NERC-funded work which has never been disseminated - MSFD application of core contract microbial genetic research and international policy impact of the Global Alliance of CPR Surveys (GACS).