Andrew WILLSON

After completing a BSc in Marine Geography Andrew spent his early career developing practical skills in marine environmental monitoring and wildlife conservation, including coral reef monitoring, animal husbandry, oceanographic and fisheries assessments between Australia and the Arabian Gulf. His work as a senior consultant since 2007 focused on managing endangered species field research and marine resource assessment projects including oil spill contingency planning, protected areas management, national scale resource mapping for master plans and conducting critical habitat and population status assessments for marine megafauna. 

Andrew completed a PhD in 2021 where satellite telemetry data from Arabian Sea humpback whales was used to investigate the risk of ship strikes to the population. In the same year Andrew also founded 'Future Seas', a marine research and conservation company based in the Sultanate of Oman. The company is focused on improving ecological knowledge of marine megafauna and using this evidence to conduct risk assessments and help produce strategic conservation action plans with the public and private sectors. 

Andrew has almost two decades of long standing commitments to recovery efforts of the Critically Endangered Northwest Indian Ocean loggerhead population focused on population monitoring, bycatch and beach management and similar efforts for ongoing population status and health of Arabian Sea humpback whales with a focus on interactions with fisheries and commercial shipping actives.