AQUAFIN offers ecological and socio-economic research, assessment and monitoring to inform environmental management and policy. Our work is focussed on biodiversity, ecology, livelihoods, economics, ecosystem services and natural capital accounting; it straddles marine, estuarine, freshwater and terrestrial realms; and it addresses decision-making, planning, policy and strategy regarding conservation, rural and urban development, resource allocation and management, and climate change. We take pride in our ability to see the bigger picture, by integrating our expert understanding of biodiversity, ecosystems, socio-ecological systems and economics, we provide advice on the status, use and strategic management of biodiversity and natural capital, to the benefit of society as a whole.

• Biodiversity and ecology
• Fisheries and aquaculture; and
• Natural capital and ecosystem services

The type of work we do includes ecological research and baseline studies, accounting and monitoring, scenario and cost-benefit analysis, strategy and planning. We draw on a variety of frameworks and approaches, including natural capital accounting (NCA), strategic environmental assessment (SEA), environmental and social impact assessments (ESIA), environmental management plans (EMPs), and environmental flow assessments (EFA).

Ecosystem research and assessment

We describe the status and functioning of ecosystems based on historical data, field studies and remote sensing data analysis, using state of the art methods, models and technologies. We undertake specialist marine and estuarine field studies on oceanography, water quality, invertebrates, fish and birds, as well as problem species. We also co-ordinate field studies of wetland and terrestrial biodiversity.

Environmental Impact and Strategic Environmental Assessment

We provide specialist input to environmental impact studies on marine and estuarine biodiversity, including invertebrates, fish and birds, as well as socio-economic studies such as tourism.

Conservation and management plans

We bring a rare multidisciplinary perspective to conservation planning that takes account of economic and social opportunities and constraints as well as ecological targets. We prepare management plans for marine protected areas and estuaries, starting from a situation assessment and consultation with stakeholders to devising ecologically, socially and economically sound strategies for achieving the desired objectives. We devise workable action plans. We also produce environmental management and monitoring plans to assist industry in mitigating the potential impacts of development and in meeting their environmental policy objectives.

Monitoring, resource status assessments and management plans

We assist clients in assessing the status of natural resources, sustainability of existing use, and the design of optimal harvesting strategies which take the socio-economic context into account. We have also managed long term fisheries monitoring programmes.

Feasibility, risk and impact assessments

We provide advice and assistance to new entrants and existing operators in biodiversity business such as mariculture, helping them to maximise their economic returns

Examples of our Eco Conservation Projects

• Restoration of Pulicat lake biodiversity
• Garbage to Gold from Pallikaranai Marshlands
• Marine Turtle Conservation in the east coast waters
• Coastal - cleaning projects in Chennai beaches