Senior Fisheries Stock Assessment Specialist

Job Title:

Senior Fisheries Stock Assessment Specialist

Location: United Arab Emirates (Remote)

Employment Type: Full-Time

Work Arrangement: 100% Remote - Work From Home

Level: Senior

The Senior Fisheries Stock Assessment Specialist provides advanced analytical expertise in evaluating fish population dynamics, estimating stock abundance, and assessing the sustainability of fisheries resources. The role focuses on reviewing fisheries survey data, analysing catch and effort records, developing population assessment models, and interpreting biological and ecological indicators to support evidence-based fisheries management. Working entirely remotely, the specialist collaborates with marine scientists, fisheries agencies, research institutions, conservation organizations, and fisheries management teams to provide technical assessments and recommendations for responsible resource utilization.

• Analyse fisheries-dependent and fisheries-independent datasets to assess the status and trends of commercially and ecologically important fish stocks.
• Review catch, landings, fishing effort, catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE), and survey data for completeness, consistency, and analytical suitability.
• Develop, apply, and review quantitative stock assessment models to estimate population abundance, biomass, fishing mortality, and recruitment.
• Evaluate population dynamics, including growth, natural mortality, age structure, length composition, and reproductive characteristics.
• Interpret stock indicators and assess changes in population productivity, exploitation levels, and biological reference points.
• Apply appropriate assessment approaches, including surplus production models, age-structured models, length-based methods, and data-limited assessment techniques.
• Review fisheries survey reports, biological sampling records, catch statistics, and historical monitoring datasets.
• Evaluate uncertainty, model assumptions, parameter sensitivity, and data limitations affecting stock assessment outcomes.
• Conduct scenario analysis to examine the potential effects of alternative fishing mortality levels, harvest strategies, and management measures.
• Assess the implications of fishing pressure, environmental variability, habitat changes, and other ecological factors on fish population trends.
• Support the development and evaluation of harvest control rules, catch limits, and fisheries management strategies.
• Analyse stock status against relevant biological reference points, conservation objectives, and sustainability indicators.
• Prepare technical reports, model documentation, assessment summaries, and evidence-based management recommendations.
• Coordinate remotely with fisheries scientists and qualified local survey teams to clarify sampling protocols, field observations, and data collection methods.
• Review data quality procedures and recommend improvements to fisheries monitoring, biological sampling, and reporting systems.
• Support regional and international fisheries research projects through quantitative analysis and technical collaboration.
• Contribute to the preparation of scientific publications, management briefings, and fisheries resource assessment documents.
• Maintain reproducible analytical workflows, model records, data dictionaries, and traceable technical documentation.
• Monitor developments in fisheries science, stock assessment methodologies, and internationally recognized fisheries management practices.

• Master's degree in Fisheries Science, Marine Biology, Fisheries Management, Quantitative Ecology, Applied Statistics, or a closely related discipline; a PhD is an advantage.
• Significant professional experience in fisheries stock assessment, population modelling, marine resource analysis, or quantitative fisheries research.
• Strong understanding of fish population dynamics, fisheries biology, ecological processes, and sustainable resource management.
• Experience analysing catch and effort statistics, CPUE indices, age and length composition, and biological survey data.
• Practical knowledge of stock assessment methods, including age-structured, length-based, and surplus production models.
• Familiarity with assessment tools and software such as R, Stock Synthesis, AD Model Builder, FLR, or equivalent analytical platforms.
• Strong statistical skills, including parameter estimation, uncertainty analysis, model diagnostics, and sensitivity testing.
• Understanding of biological reference points, fishing mortality, spawning…