Adela Belackova, a PhD student and researcher at CCMAR, has won a Euromarine Fellowship that allows early career researchers to attend a professional development activity of their choice.

Through the award, Adela attended a training course in “Species Distribution Modelling in R” about marine protected areas that should provide a greater protection effect for marine species and ecosystems and promote more sustainable fisheries. The knowledge acquired will contribute to her PhD project which focuses on the efficiency of zonation and fishing practices in marine protected areas. “The selected training will improve my skills in the analysis of habitat mapping data, and contribute to my successful career as a researcher. In the future, modelling expertise within a research project team can render high-quality maps of conservation features and fishing resources, which are tools that best support decisions on conservation priorities but have been missing in most marine protected areas worldwide. I am thankful for this training opportunity and support from EuroMarine.”