I am employed at the NAFC Marine Centre as a Shellfish Scientist.  I completed my undergraduate honours degree in Zoology (Marine Biology and Fisheries) at the University of Aberdeen where I examined the effects of pressure detection in the dogfish, Scyliorhinus canicula, and the shore crab, Carcinus maenas.  I later completed a Masters of Research in “Marine and Fisheries Science: Sustainable Management of Living Marine Resources” at the University of Aberdeen.  My project was based at the Natal Sharks Board, South Africa, where I studied the biology of the African angel shark, Squatina africana, from net catches off the KwaZulu-Natal coast.  After my masters I moved to Oban, on the west coast of Scotland, to undertake a PhD at the Scottish Association for Marine Science on “Large scale forcing of coastal communities”.  This involved monitoring intertidal communities with respect to species abundance, recruitment, and growth rates, testing for differences between areas of contrasting pelagic primary production, wave exposure, and freshwater inputs.  I have also taken part in field research in the Okavango Delta, northern Botswana, where I looked at differences in fish catch and water qualities between flood plains.

 

Publications:

 

• Fraser P. J., Cruickshank S. F., Shelmerdine R. L., & Smith L. E. (2008); Hydrostatic pressure receptors and depth usage in crustacea and fish.  Journal of the Institute of Navigation 55(2): 159-165.
• Shelmerdine R., Clark L., & Leslie B. (2008); Shellfish environmental and biological monitoring programme: feasibility study.  NAFC Marine Centre Report 26p.
• Leslie B., Laurenson C., Shelmerdine R., Riley D., & Simmons S. (2008); Shetland Shellfish Stock Assessments 2008.  NAFC Marine Centre Report 94p.
• Leslie B., Laurenson C., Shelmerdine R., & Riley D. (2007); Shetland Shellfish Stock Assessments 2007.  NAFC Marine Centre Report 93p.
• Shelmerdine R. L., Adamson J., Laurenson, C. H., & Leslie B. (2007); Size variation of the common whelk, Buccinum undatum, over large and small spatial scales: Potential implications for micro-management within the fishery.  Fisheries Research 86(2-3):201 - 206.
• Leslie B. & Shelmerdine R. (2007); Scallop Fishing in the Firth of Lorn Marine SAC: Review of Scientific Literature.  SNH Contract no 19099.
• Shelmerdine R. L. & Cliff G. (2006); Sharks caught in the protective gill nets off KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. 12. The African angel shark Squatina africana (Regan).  African Journal of Marine Science 28(3-4): 581-588.
• Fraser P. J., Cruikshank S. F., & Shelmerdine R. L. (2003); Hydrostatic pressure effects on vestibular hair cell afferents in fish and crustacean.  Journal of Vestibular Research-Equilibrium and Orientation 13(4-6): 235-242.
• Fraser P. J., Shelmerdine R. L., Findlay R. F., Cruickshank S. F., Macdonald A. G., Tawse L., & Taylor G. G. (2002); Effects of gravity and hydrostatic pressure on angular acceleration coding sensory neurons in the crag and dogfish.  Proceedings of the European Symposium on Life in Space for Life on Earth 501: 269-270.
• Fraser P. J. & Shelmerdine R. L. (2002); Dogfish hair cells sense hydrostatic pressure.  Nature 415(6867): 495-496.
• Fraser P. J., Shelmerdine R., & Taylor G. G. (2001); Responses of interneurones in the crab, Carcinus, to rotation and hydrostatic pressure.  British Neuroscience Association Abstracts 16(24.02): 70.

 

NAFC Development Notes:

 

• Shelmerdine R., Clark L., & Leslie B. (2008); Variation in spawning and recruitment of the blue mussel, Mytilus edulis.  NAFC Marine Centre Fisheries Development Note No. 27.
• Shelmerdine R., Adamson J., Laurenson, C., and Leslie, B. (2006); Size variation in populations of the common whelk, Buccinum undatum.  NAFC Marine Centre Fisheries Development Note No. 24.

 

Conferences attended:

 

• 39th European Marine Biological Symposium, 21st to 24th July 2004 poster presentation on "Regional and local variation in mussel populations in western Scotland: Inferences of food supply and wave exposure."
• 6th European Elasmobranch Association Conference, 6th to 9th September 2002 oral presentation on the "Biology of the African angel shark, Squatina africana.”