Seas Ltd, Oban, Scotland

Seas Ltd is a private consultancy and research company operating from the premises of the Dunstaffnage Marine Laboratory. The Company specialises in the analysis of marine benthic samples and R&D activities in the fields of polychaete taxonomy, benthic community structure and successional change, carbon flux and eutrophication effects and adaptive responses of benthic organisms to stress.

The Company has wide expertise in the environmental effects of pulp and paper mill wastes, sewage discharges, alginate wastes, oil industry developments, fish farm impacts and development of environmental impact assessment techniques. SEAS have extensive survey and research experience relevant to this project, including a many baseline and monitoring surveys in the vicinity of salmonid farms on the west coast of Scotland.

Recent relevant research has included studies on successional change in benthic communities impacted cage farm wastes, distinguishing between natural and anthropogenic responses and the influence of organic enrichment on sedimentary bioturbation. Work has also been carried out on the evaluation and development of statistical methods for biological and environmental surveys. There have been a number of marine biogeochemistry projects carried out including transfer of contaminants through enriched areas influenced by cage farms for MAFF, and sedimentary recovery rates following organic pollution from aquaculture activities.

The Company has a close working relationship with Akvaplan-niva AS, the Co-ordinator of the MERAMED project. Two companies have co-operated in undertaking many projects in Norway and the UK. The Scientific Director of Seas Ltd also holds a part-time post as research co-ordinator in Akvaplan-niva AS.

Principal scientific and technical personnel

Dr T. H. Pearson, PhD, DSc, DHC. Director. Basic research on polychaete taxonomy, benthic community structure and successional change, carbon flux and eutrophication effects, adaptive responses of benthic organisms to stress and the marine ecology of Fjords and Arctic Seas. Applied research on environmental effects of pulp and paper mill wastes, sewage discharges, alginate wastes, oil industry developments, fish farm impacts and development of environmental impact assessment techniques. Author of over 80 scientific papers in these areas.
J.A.R. Duncan, BSc, MSc, C Biol.,M.I.Biol., Marine Scientist. Employed by SEAS Ltd since 1990. Many years of practical experience of marine survey work and in using a wide range of sampling equipment. Has organised and participated in many of the marine environmental surveys undertaken by SEAS Ltd, and has attended Comprehensive Marine Studies Surveys as engineer's representative. Has Certificate of Competence in Radio Telephony (VHF) and is a BSAC Advanced Diver. Previously employed as a Higher Scientific Officer at the Dunstaffnage Marine Laboratory, Oban (1969-90) in research into growth, fecundity and ageing of inshore, continental shelf and deep sea fish.

Relevant recent references

TYSON, R.V. & PEARSON, T.H. 1991. Modern and ancient continental shelf anoxia: an overview. In Modern and Ancient Continental Shelf Anoxia, edited by R.V. Tyson & T.H. Pearson, Geological Society Special Publication No 58, pp. 1‑24.
PEARSON, T.H., 1992. The benthos of soft sub-littoral habitats. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, 100B, 113-122.
REES, H.L. & PEARSON T.H., 1992. An approach to the setting of environmental quality standards at marine waste disposal sites. International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, Marine Environment Quality Committee, ICES CN 1992/E: 33, 10pp plus 5 figs.
FIELER, R., GREENACRE, M.J. and PEARSON, T.H., 1994.Evaluation and development of statistical methods. A Report to Phillips Petroleum Company, Norway. 71pp + Appendices.
PEARSON, T.H., 1995. Environmental quality assurance in aquaculture. In Proceedings of the Fifth International Tasmanian Aquaculture Exchange, 1995, Edited by F. Ryan.
PEARSON, T.H & BLACK, K.D. 2000. The environmental impact of marine fish cage culture. In Environmental Impacts of Aquaculture, edited by K.D. Black. Sheffield Academic Press, Sheffield. pp.