Francis Neat

Professor Francis Neat holds the Nippon Foundation Chair in Sustainable Fisheries Management, Ocean Biodiversity, and Marine Spatial Planning at World Maritime University. With a PhD from the University of Glasgow and BSc from the University of Edinburgh, he previously served as Head of Strategic Research at the Marine Stewardship Council.

His research examines deep-sea ecosystems, fish migration patterns, high-seas fisheries, and human impacts on marine environments. Current interdisciplinary projects address IUU fishing, Caribbean Sargassum blooms, marine debris, and gender equality in ocean science. His teaching focuses on ocean processes and human impacts.

Professor Neat has published extensively on elasmobranch conservation, biodiversity monitoring, and sustainable fisheries. Recent work analyzes defaunation of deepwater sharks, gender barriers in Kenyan ocean science, and seafood traceability methods. His studies consistently inform marine protected area design and international fisheries policy.