Expert talk to explore impact of invasive marine species

A leading expert on invasive marine species will deliver a free public lecture in Oban this month. Professor Elizabeth Cottier-Cook, a marine biologist at the Scottish Association for Marine Science UHI, will discuss ‘alien invasions and the future security of our oceans.’
 
Speaking about the event, Professor Cottier-Cook explains: “As the number of invasive marine aliens continues to climb, now, more than ever, we need international cooperation to safeguard our most threatened marine environments and sea-based economies. Seeking inspiration from other agriculture and aquaculture industries and looking to try to predict which new aliens may be on the horizon, I’ll provide insights into what can be done to address the introduction and spread of marine aliens.”
 
Professor Cottier-Cook is an international authority on the impacts non-native species have on the marine environment who has collaborated with researchers across the globe. She is a member of the Scottish Government working group on non-native species, which produced the Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011, the Scottish Government working group on marine non-native species and the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea working group on introductions and transfers of marine organisms. She also heads up the £6m GlobalSeaweed STAR project, which aims to safeguard the global seaweed industry from pests and disease.
 
Professor Cottier-Cook’s inaugural professorial lecture, ‘The Day of the Triffids - Alien invasions and the future security of our oceans’ will take place at the Scottish Association for Marine Science UHI in Oban from 5.30pm to 7.30pm on Tuesday 18 September. It will also be available to view online.
 
To book and find out more, visit www.uhi.ac.uk/events