Porcupine Marine Natural History Society

Annual Conference and AGM
16th-18th March, 2007
Newcastle upon Tyne


Second Announcement


`SIGNS OF CHANGE' IN THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT

The reality of climate change and its consequent effects on the
marine environment is now widely accepted. But what changes are
occurring and what is the evidence? What other factors have caused
significant change to marine species and communities? What other
causes of change are being masked by, or blamed on, climate change?
How has our approach to the study of the marine environment been
modified? What technological developments are altering our
understanding of marine ecological processes, or enabling new
insights? The theme of this conference will address these sorts of
questions.

Venue: The meeting is to be held in the Great Hall, Henderson Hall,
Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne. There will be two days of
talks (Friday 16th and Saturday 17th ) followed by a field trip based
at Newcastle University's Dove Marine Laboratory at Cullercoats on
Sunday 18th.

Costs: The conference fee, which includes coffee and tea, is £30
(£10 for students and unwaged) for members. Non-Porcupine members
may join the Society at a special introductory rate of £5 (a 50%
reduction!). If you wish to take advantage of this offer the total
fee will be £35 (£15).

Annual Dinner: There will be a dinner on the evening of Friday 16th
at an approximate cost of £20-£25. A £10 deposit is required.

Posters: There will be a poster display available for viewing during
the conference. If you wish to submit a poster please give details
of approximate area required. Poster submissions can be accepted up
to the end of February.

Details including location maps, travel details, accommodation lists,
provisional programme and membership form (where appropriate) will be
sent on completion of the attached booking form.

Parking: There should be ample parking at Henderson Hall and also
near to the Dove Marine Laboratory for those who wish to travel by
car.

Contact: For offers of posters, or for booking, or general, enquiries
contact the conference organiser, Judy Foster-Smith (judy.foster-
smith@...). Delegates with special needs should make this clear
on booking.

Continued.
The Provisional Programme is as follows:-


Friday 16th March 2007

9.15 -9.45 ARRIVE and COFFEE

9.45 -10 Welcome

10-10.30 Julia Nunn (Marine biologist, Chairman Porcupine)
The species of Porcupine

10.30-11.00 Ivor Rees (Menai Bridge Marine Lab [retrd.])
Sporadic recruitment of long-lived molluscs at range fringes
as evidence for change.

11.00-11.30 COFFEE


11.30-12.00 Jon Moore (Tνcara)
Long-term impacts of oil spills.

12.00-12.30 Stuart Jenkins (School of Ocean Sciences, University
of Wales Bangor)
Using long-term data sets to investigate anthropogenic
impacts in the marine benthos.

12.30-2.00 LUNCH

2.00-2.30 Doug Herdson (National Marine Aquarium, Plymouth)
Rare Fish - Are they indicators of climate change?

2.30-3.00 Frances Dipper (Author and Marine Biological
Consultant)
Diver observations of 'new' fish records.

3.00-3.30 Keith Hiscock (MarLIN, Marine Biological
Association, Plymouth)
Linking natural history observations to environmental change.

3.30-4.00 TEA

4.00-4.30 Mark Burton (Skomer MNR)
Trends in the long-term monitoring at Skomer MNR.

4.30-5.00 Gill Bishop
Monitoring Rocky Shores in Sherkin (Title to be confirmed).

7 for 7.30 DINNER


Saturday 17th March

9.30 -10.00 Alix Cage (School of Geography and Geosciences,
University of St Andrews)
The present is the key to the past: understanding how modern
processes infuence benthic foraminifera in Loch Sunart, a sea loch in
NW Scotland.

10-10.30 Paul Butler (School of Ocean Sciences, University of
Wales Bangor)
The Tree of the Sea: The shell of the bivalve mollusc Arctica
islandica as a natural archive of the marine environment.

10.30-11.00 Brian Morton OBE (University of Hong Kong [retd.])
The historical ecology of the River Arun at Littlehampton,
West Sussex: a 1000 years of change.

11.00-11.30 COFFEE

11.30-12.00 Paul Kay (Marine Wildlife Photo Agency)
The virtues of digital photography as a recording tool.

12.00-12.30 Porcupine MNHS Annual General Meeting

12.30-2.00 LUNCH

2.00-2.30 Carolyn Heeps (The Crown Estate)
Renewable energy at sea (Title to be confirmed).

2.30-3.00 Martin Davis (Fawley Biofouling Services,
Southampton)
The hitchhiker's guide to rapid range expansion.

3.00-3.30 Jon Houghton (Department of Biological
Sciences,University of Wales Swansea)
Leatherback Turtles, Jellyfish and Climate Change.

3.30-4.00 TEA

4.00-4.30 Richard Lord (Marine Photographer, Guernsey)
(Title to be confirmed).

4.30-5.00 Photographic Species Identification Session


Sunday 18th March

Field session at the Dove Marine Laboratory, Cullercoats

Low Tide: 9.00am (0.9m)


Porcupine Marine Natural History Society
www.pmnhs.co.uk

2007 Conference Booking Form

Block Capitals Please

(Title &) Name:

Address:

Postcode:


E-mail:

Telephone No. :


Please tick as appropriate:-

• I would like to offer a paper, provisionally
entitled…………………..
……………N.B. No more speakers required …………………
• I would like to offer a poster entitled………………………………….
(Please state approximate size of display …………..…………….…..)

• I would like to attend the dinner on Friday 16th March

• I would like to attend the field meeting on Sunday 18th March

• I enclose a cheque, payable to `Porcupine Marine Natural
History Society' for:-
•
Please enter relevant amount (£)
Full Conference fee @ £30
Student/Unwaged conference fee @ £10
Introductory membership @ £5
Dinner deposit @ £10
Total
• I require a receipt for this payment

• I require accommodation details

Please send this form, together with your payment to:-

Dr Judy Foster-Smith, The Old School, Newton-by-the-Sea, Alnwick,
Northumberland, NE66 3EE