Stakeholders panel

Ana Isabel de Melo Azevedo Neto

Auxiliary Professor at CIIMAR, University of Porto

Specialized in Marine Algae ecology and taxonomy. Principal Investigator of the Aquatic Insular Research group of the CIIMAR - Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research. Coordinator of the Investigation Center of Natural Resources, heading as PI the Biodiversity group.

António Frias Martins

Professor at the University of the Azores

Specialized in Systematics and Evolution in Molluscs, and also interested in biodiversity and conservation in the Azores. Coordinator of the research group Island Biogeography and Conservation of CIBIO-Azores. CIBIO is a Research Unit in Biological Sciences which conducts basic and applied research on the three main components of biodiversity: genes, species and ecosystems also, CIBIO is part of InBIO Research Network in Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology.

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Mario Pinho

Specialized in Fisheries resource management and Sustainable development

Participating in a number or regional and European level projects on evaluation and management of fisheries resources. Azores representative in ICES workgroups.

Tomás Dentinho

Coordinator of the Group for Nature Conservation and Management at the Azores University, and member of the Research Centre for Applied Economics of the Atlantic based in Ponta Delgada

Tomás Dentinho research group undertake studies on regional sustainable development, integrated water management, marine resources’ economics, agricultural economics and cost-benefit analysis. Chair-man of the Portuguese Association for Regional Development. Member of the European Organizing Committee of the European Regional Science Association and he is Executive Director of the Regional Science Association International.

Paulo A.V. Borges

Specialized in Ecology of Arthropods and Island Biogeography, and also interested in biodiversity and conservation in the Azores.

Coordinator of the research group Azorean Biodiversity Group of CE3C – Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes. He is using Azorean Islands as a model for understanding animal community structure in island ecosystems. His ongoing research focuses on the study of Biodiversity of Azorean Arthropods, with emphasis on taxonomy, ecology (Macroecology), biospeleology and biogeography.

Frederico Cardigos

Specialized in Marine Biology

Researcher of the University of the Azores (Department of Oceanography and Fisheries  and IMAR. Regional director for the Maritime Affairs of the Regional Government of the Azores (2006-2013). Was Steering Committee member of the NetBiome ERA-Net 1st Call.

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Alexandre Pereira

Representative of the company EEG Lda - EDA Group, Electrical company Azorean renewables.

Carla Melo

Founder and Manager of Simbiente Azores - Environmental Engineering and Management, Ltd., company of the Simbiente world, also focused on research, development, innovation and services related to environmental engineering and biotechnology areas.

Diogo Caetano

President of the Ecological Association Amigos dos Açores

An organisation whose main goal is to defend and value the environment, as well as to promote the conservation of nature, privileging, for that matter, methods of non-violent work and intervention, through cultural, pedagogical, scientific, sportive, recreational, social or any other similar activities.

Joaquim Teodósio

Project Manager in SPEA - Sociedade Portuguesa para o Estudo das Aves

Coordinator of conservation projects related to bird species and habitats including the LIFE Priolo and LIFE+ Laurissilva Sustentável projects.

Juana Maria Gonzalez Mancebo

Principal investigator of the research group Plant Conservation and Biogeography at the Faculty of Biology, University of La Laguna

The research group coordinated by Juana Mancebo focuses on the conservation, vegetation dynamics and biogeography of island plants, in particular the Canary Islands.

Ricardo Haroun

Director of Biodiversity and Environmental Management Centre University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Marine Biologist,expert on Systematics, Sustainable Uses and Conservation of Marine Biota

Currently working on Integrated Coastal Zone Management and Environmental Assessment of Coastal Ecosystems in the Canarian Archipelago and nearby coastal areas. Scientific Director of 5 Interreg Projects on Sustainable Use of Coastal Resources in the Macaronesian archipelagos (PARQMAR, MARMAC, COPRANET, DESTILINK, SUSTAIN). At present, actively working on climate change and its effects on benthic communities (ECOLIFE), aquaculture and environment interactions (Prevent Escapes), ecological services of marine communities (i.e., seagrass meadows) and the effects of marine alien species.

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Victor Martin

Professor of Organic Chemistry Universidad de La Laguna

Research on Asymmetric Synthesis, Methodology and Total Synthesis of Natural Product. Former Director of the Instituto Universitario de Bio-Orgánica "Antonio González" of Universidad de La Laguna.

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Jose Luis Guersi

President of the Technological Centre of Marine Sciences – CETECIMA. Counsellor of the Tinamenor group in Canaries

Former General Director of PROCRIA – Breeding Products S.L., was Director of the company ADSA dedicated to aquaculture production. Former CEO of DyLCAN –Canary Islands Golden and Sea Bass Breeding S.L.. Was President of APROMAR - Business Association of marine culture producers of Spain and Member of the APROMAR Board of Directors - Business Association of marine culture producers of Spain. Also former President of the ACEA – canary Islands Association of Aquaculture Companies. OTHER POSITIONS: Member of the Fisheries  Advisory Council of the Government of the Canary Islands. Member of the R&D Advisory Board of the Government of the Canary Islands. Coordinator of the APROMAR Observatory for Marketing. Member of the Marine Products Committee of AECOC – Spanish Association of Commercial Codification.

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Evandro Lopes

Assistant Professor at University of Cape Verde (UniCV). Secretary of the Zoological Society of Cape Verde

Rui Freitas

Assistant Professor in the Department of Engineering and Sea Science of University of Cape Verde

President of the Zoological Society of Cape Verde and Member of the Editorial Board of peer-review Zoologia Caboverdiana.

Claudie Pavis

Coordinator of the SafePGR research project, funded by NetBiome JointCall; Researcher in INRA Antilles-Guyane

Franck Gourdin

Project manager of the Regional Activity Centre of the SPAW Programme

An engineer in environment and water management, now working for six years as the project manager of the Regional Activity Center of the SPAW Programme coordinated by UNEP and its Caribbean Environment Programme (CEP). He knows well the Caribbean region and he provides support to UNEP CEP and to Caribbean countries, with Protected Areas related activities (design, reinforcement and best practices, sustainable management) and with issues related to Invasive Alien Species (including lionfish control). He has a leading role in specialized networks and in the elaboration of projects with and for Caribbean partners (institutions, scientists, NGOs, managers, international agencies), the development and elaboration of shared tools, educational materials and the organization of workshops, conferences, training sessions and numerous partnerships of stakeholders. He has been involved in several activities and projects related to marine resources management regional policy, including the lionfish regional strategy, the Caribbean Challenge initiative, the marine mammal action program, CaMPAM training workshops, grants awarding, etc.

Cecile Debitus

Coordinator of the POMARE research project, funded by NetBiome JointCall

Researcher in Institute of Research for Development, Environment and Resources Department , Marseille, France.

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Stephane Garnier

Coordinator of the FRAG&BIV research project, funded by NetBiome JointCall

Researcher in UMR CNRS, Biogéosciences Université de Bourgogne, France.

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Harry Archimede ()

Researcher in Unit of research in animal science in tropical area of INRA

Former Director of Unit of research in animal science in tropical area of INRA (Guadeloupe, French West Indies). Project manager in the Unit of research in animal science in tropical area of INRA (Guadeloupe, French West Indies).

Nathalie Minatchy (Guadaloupe)

Professor in the Université des Antilles et de la Guyane – IUT Pôle Guadeloupe.

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Emmanuel Coutures 

Head of the “Biodiversity conservation” service of the Direction of Environment of the Southern province

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Luën Iope 

Biodiversity Project Officer, responsible for World Heritage Site and protected area

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Regis Etaix-Bonnin 

Person in charge of EEZ beyond territorial waters (fisheries and MPA’s)

Suzana Fontinha

Team member of ISOPlexis Genebank - University of Madeira

Former Director of the Botanical Garden of Madeira and former Director of the Natural Park of Madeira Service. Currently team member of ISOPlexis Genebank, a research unit at the University of Madeira devoted to the study of agro-biodiversity, genetic resources and agrosystems. Has experience in biodiversity studies, conservation, sustainable use and knowledge dissemination concerning the natural habitats of the Madeira Archipelago.

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Paulo Oliveira (Madeira)

Director of the Natural Park of Madeira Service, the institution responsible for biodiversity conservation and management of natural protected areas in Madeira Archipelago. Signatory of a support letter to the NetBiome-CSA project.

Ruben Heleno

Professor and investigator in Coimbra University,in the area of  Invasion Ecology and Biotic Interactions

Expert member of IUCN Red List Authority for Birds and Species Survival Commission, Member of Actual British Ecological Society, Member of  Liga para a Protecção da Natureza, Scientific committee member of the project LIFE-Laurisilva sustentável and Member from the Scientific committee of the project LIFE Recuperação do habitat do Priolo na ZPE do Pico da Vara e Ribeira do Guilherme.

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Dominique Strasberg

Reunion University

Coordinator of several international overseas research projects, including NB 2010 Moveclim and chair of several scientific and advisory board.

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Hippolyte Kodja 

Researcher in Plants and  Vegetal Pests in Tropical Environments, Faculty of Sciences and Technologies, University of La Réunion

Former head of Biology department in university of La Réunion.

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Brent Emerson (also in Canaries)

Coordinator of the Island-Biodiv research project, funded by NetBiome JointCall

Researcher in Island Ecology and Evolution Research Group. Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología (IPNA-CSIC).

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Christiane Albert

Representative of the Cluster GREEN (in Environment field)

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Janice Panton

Representative of Montserrat Government UK Office.

Manuela Sim-Sim

Head of the research group Plant Diversity and Conservation of the Centre of Environmental Biology / National Museum of Natural History (MNHNC), University of Lisbon

The research group focuses on the biodiversity and conservation of plants and fungi in Iberian Peninsula, Macaronesian Archipelagos (Madeira, Açores, Canary Islands and Cabo Verde) as well as São Tomé e Príncipe Archipelago, and tropical/equatorial Africa and Brazil. MNHNC is signatory of a support letter to the NetBiome-CSA project.

Johan Stapel

Director, Caribbean Netherlands Science Institute (CSNI)

The CNSI is a multidisciplinary knowledge center on the islands of St. Eustatius, intended to be a starting point for research and monitoring in the region and to play an educational role for the local community. NWO, the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research, has asked the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ) to set up this centre, which opens this fall. Dr. Johan Stapel was recently appointed as its director. Dr. Stapel formerly worked at IMARES (Institute for Marine Research and Ecosystem Services) of Wageningen University, and is coordinator of the Wageningen interdisciplinary research programme Triple P @ Sea Caribbean Netherlands. He is also the coordinator of the Dutch platform for Tropical Marine Biology, AcroporaNet.

Julia Horrocks

University of West Indies Barbados

She has extensive knowledge on regional policies, best practices and conservation tools and more.

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Hélène Souan (Caribbean)

Director SPAW-RAC (Regional Activity Center for the Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife Protocol of the Wider Caribbean)

The SPAW Protocol implements the CBD at the regional level and is a legal instrument coming out of the UNEP Regional Seas program for the Caribbean.  SPAW, ratified by 16 Caribbean Countries, focuses on protection of special areas and threatened or endangered species, through strengthening and developing guidelines for management of protected areas, listing of species that have to be protected, and giving special attention to marine mammals, sea turtles, birds and invasive alien species (e.g. lionfish). Aside from the UNEP Secretariat of SPAW on Jamaica, The Regional Activity Center is a very active and dynamic institution hosted by France on Guadeloupe , which takes the lead in most of the activities of the SPAW work program. This active role is primarily due to its director Ms. Hélène Souan.

Rob Hendriks

Ecologist and member of the Knowledge Management Team for Biodiversity and Ecosystem services of The Ministry of Economic Affairs (Nederlands)

He is also an expert member of the Dutch IPBES delegation, with specific attention to the IPBES work programme and capacity building issues. Actively involved in EU and WEOG IPBES coordination. CBD-CHM national focal point. IPBES science-policy liaison. In depth knowledge of biodiversity science and biodiversity policy. Experience in working with local knowledge holders. Hands on experience with, and scientific knowledge of the organizational and conceptual aspects of Communities of Practice (CoP's) on biodiversity and ecosystem management. Experience in programming of and commissioning for research-, assessment- and capacity building projects in the field of biodiversity and ecosystem management. Experience in the use of ICT tools for community involvement. This experience is gained both within the Netherlands, Europe and different other countries worldwide and a.o. relates to ecological restoration of protected areas, population management of threatened species, biodiversity of productive landscapes and community involvement in biodiversity action plans.

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Kalli De Meyer 

Director, Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA)

DCNA is a non-governmental umbrella organization uniting the protected area management organizations and species oriented conservation organizations of all six Dutch Caribbean islands, Aruba, Curaçao, St. Maarten, Bonaire, St. Eustatius, and Saba.  Aside from managing building a future endowment  fund for nature management , it undertakes joint biodiversity research and monitoring projects and capacity building activities such as staff exchanges between the different islands and various training programs. Its director from the start in 2005, Mrs. De Meyer has built DCNA into a well-organized and very effective instrument to strengthen and improve nature management on the islands and an important partner for the National government.

Ameenah Gurib-Fakim

General Manager of CEPHYR (Centre de Phytothérapie et de recherche) in Mauritius and Chair of the "Association African Medicinal Plants and standars AAMPS"

Research interests are ethnobotanical uses and ethnipharmacological potential plants used in the African pharmacopoeia and in the regions of the Indian ocean. Member of the evaluation Committee of NetBiome 1st Joint Call.

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Dhanjay JHurry (Indian Ocean)

National Research Chair, Mauritius Research Council/University of Mauritius

Also heads the Centre for Biomedical and Biomaterials Research (CBBR), a research centre set up at the University of Mauritius in April 2011. CBBR was designated in Oct. 2011 Centre of Excellence by the African Network for Drugs and Diagnostics Innovation (ANDI) and regional Centre of Excellence by COMESA in Dec. 2012. Founder of the Chemical Society of Mauritius in 2004 and has acted as President for the last 9 years. He was also Chairman of the Mauritius Accreditation Advisory Council (MAURITAS). He is presently Chairman of the R&D Committee of Mauritius Sugar-Cane Research Institute (MSIRI) and was appointed Vice-President of the COMESA Innovation Council.

Claude Payri (Indo-Pacific)

Researcher, Research Unity Director IRD – Institut de Recherche pour le Développement

Coordinator of the SEAPROLIF research project, funded by NetBiome JointCall; Former Coordinator of the PaceNet Initiative (Pacific Europe NetWork for Science and Technology);Still belongs to IRD that will coordinate PaceNet+ (the following of the PaceNet Initiative, stating 9th Oct 2013).

Juli Caujapé-Castells (Macaronesia)

Jardín Botánico Canario “Viera y Clavijo” – Unidad Asociada CSIC, Consejería de Medio Ambiente y Emergencias, Cabildo de Gran Canaria

The “Viera y Clavijo” Botanic Garden is a multi-disciplinary research and conservation center of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria that furnishes scientific-technical guidelines for the conservation of the Canarian terrestrial flora. Dr. Caujapé Castells is Head of the Department of Molecular Biodiversity and DNA Bank of the Canarian Flora, Associate Director of Research of the UNESCO-Unitwin chair ”Plant conservation and climate change in Macaronesia and NW África”, Co-founder of the Global Island Plant Conservation Network, and Delegate of the Scientific Committee of Gran Canaria’s Biosphere Reserve. He has been the Principal Investigator of 20 international and national research projects about population genetics, phylogeny, conservation and management of Macaronesian terrestrial plant lineages, and bioinformatics (DEMIURGE project).

Jean Raphael Gros-Desormeaux

Conservationist

Well know conservationist, who lives in Martinique and is involved in many research projects. Locally, Jean Raphael takes part in numerous programmes accompanying stakeholders such as the French ministry of environment, the University of Antilles and Guyane, the Regional council of Martinique. He is also involved with projects at the regional level.