Jose M. Fariñas-Franco

@drjosemfarinas.bsky.social

Marine ecologist working with biogenic habitat forming species: horse mussels, oysters, seaweed, seagrass. Conservation and Restoration. Lecturer at ATU Galway. Dad of two. Diver.

In this #newpaper I joined 24 other colleagues across 18 countries to say nuance is needed in licensing marine ecological restoration projects. We don't advocate deregulation but they can't be subjected to same licensing framework as extractive and commercial activities. www.cell.com/cell-reports...

Rethinking marine restoration permitting to urgently advance efforts

The decline in marine biodiversity necessitates the urgent restoration of our oceans; however, these efforts face unique technical, financial, and regulatory challenges. Unlike terrestrial work, metho...

cell.com

One week left to apply to this postdoc opportunity I'm offering in native oyster restoration in Ireland. Get your applications in before the 9th May 12 pm deadline! Any questions contact me. Details in the application documents, link below.

Jose M. Fariñas-Franco@drjosemfarinas.bsky.social · last yr.

#jobalert 📢 Delighted to offer a 3-year postdoctoral position in my research group at ATU Galway, Ireland. This is an exciting role in the new and ambitious native oyster reef restoration #BRICONS Project funded by the Marine Institute. To apply www.atu.ie/connect/jobs.... Deadline: 9 May 2025 12pm

🧵Commercial fishing is the most damaging thing we do to the ocean. In addition to killing lots of fish and other organisms, it also kills >300k dauphins and whales annually. For a fishing company to oppose research on marine CO₂ removal because it might harm the environment is ironic. 1/n 🌊

Old habits are hard to break and I have defaulted to the old site for posting lately. I need to transition proper and will start posting more here. I'll start with news of two successful collaborative project proposals for shellfish reef restoration projects due to start in 2025. Cue these photos 👇

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More BRUV footage with unexpected species. Following that Atlantic salmon, here we have a pair of common squid (Loligo vulgaris) gliding in front of the camera. The footage is part of our ongoing study of fish utilisation of seaweed farms but as it happens there is a #seagrass meadow nearby.

It's not just shellfish reefs we study in my group, I have a lot of love for seagrass. A new found, serendipitous love as a result of a completely different project on seaweed farming. Some of the nicest dives I have ever done are on seagrass beds. Esp. summer, with all the juvenile fish thriving.

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Sharing this photo of a native oyster bed in one of our survey sites here for the first time. This was my coelacanth moment, especially as many deny these oyster habitats even exist. Same as eels, Ostrea edulis (the species and the habitat) are threatened and yet we keep managing them as a fishery.

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I left the hellsite that is X in the wake of this summer's UK riots, and started a Threads account. Here I am again! I am interested in, and will follow or post about: Ecology Conservation Marine Biology Social Psychology Politics Science in general Would be great to connect 🙏💚

Looking at some photos from an old Modiolus survey off Shetland I ended up in Jakobsen's Norn dictionary and I'm on a weird rabbit hole because I love this stuff. Then I remembered horse mussels were called 'Yaug' in Shetland but never found the reference, and it's here: øg or jog, old Norse Aða.

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On way back from the Netherlands from a very stimulating workshop on rewilding the North Sea. What better airport read than 'Cod'. I'm excited for what can happen thanks to conservationists with vision. The difficulty is resisting the push for industry technofixes, we don't need more of the same.

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About time I inaugurated my presence on this cielo azul. Feels like the old 🐦 many familiar faces. I'm a Spanish marine ecologist based in the west of Ireland, where I've spent half my life. My passion is nature conservation, and that is how I frame my group's research on biogenic habitats.Talk soon

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