Appendix 1 of Agenda item B8
Introduction
Salacia-Marine is a marine ecological consultancy operated by Dr Andrew Woolmer with a
particular focus on the management of fisheries and conservation interactions. Salacia-Marine
aims to provide high quality, independent marine ecological services to an expanding customer
base including UK government, nature conservation agencies, wildlife NGO’s, and the fishing
industry. Salacia-Marine is able to draw upon a wide knowledge base of associates and a pool of
skilled field workers.
Services provided include:
 Fisheries and Conservation Management Advice
 Fishing Activity and Habitat Mapping – GIS
 Development of Fisheries Management Approaches
 Marine Ecological Research
 Intertidal and Subtidal Survey
o Traditional grab and trawl methodologies
o Underwater video and acoustic surveys
 Preparation of environmental statements for aquaculture and fishing developers
We aim to promote a partnership approach to projects involving clients at every stage in order to
guarantee the product that they require.
Relevant Experience
This project will be led and carried out by Dr Andrew Woolmer.
Dr Woolmer originally studied marine biology at Swansea University then developing expertise
in benthic ecology and invertebrate biodiversity during his CCW funded PhD research on
Carmarthen Bay. His work in Carmarthen Bay continued with a project on Scoter duck feeding
ecology before working in the North Sea on EU projects on the effects of fishing on benthic
biodiversity. Dr Woolmer’s fishery expertise was developed during his employment as South
Wales Sea Fisheries Committee’s Conservation Officer/Biologist where he dealt with shellfishery
(cockle and mussel) management and conservation related issues.
Since forming Salacia-Marine Dr Woolmer has undertaken a variety of fishery and conservation
management related studies for UK government, NGOs, SNCAs and the fishing industry.
These have included involvement in early investigations cockle mortalities in the Burry Inlet,
South Wales working with Bangor University and Seafish. Dr Woolmer has remained engaged
in investigations and the development of management approaches dealing with affected fisheries.
He recently undertook, with Shellfish Association of Great Britain (SAGB), a review of existing
cockle fisheries management for the Environment Agency which included specific advice on
cockle management in the Burry Inlet. This work enabled the EA to rapidly implement
management measures during a mortality event. Dr Woolmer has worked closely with
Countryside Council for Wales and the EA to undertake mortality monitoring and has developed
standardised approaches for rapid assessment of mortality events.