Alejandro Espada-Pastor

PhD Student

Alejandro holds a BSc in Marine Sciences from the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and an MSc in Biostatistics from the University of Valencia. During his time at the BIOCON research group (ECOAQUA), he developed a strong interest in intertidal ecology, marine biodiversity, and conservation. His early research focused on understanding the ecological processes shaping coastal ecosystems, with an emphasis on spatial patterns and the factors driving biodiversity across intertidal habitats.

Following his master’s degree, Alejandro became increasingly interested in applying quantitative methods and spatial modelling to ecological questions. His current research focuses on integrating vessel tracking data, statistical modelling, and geospatial analyses to improve fishing effort estimation and assess the risk of illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the Eastern Central Atlantic. His work aims to support ecosystem-based fisheries management through innovative data-driven approaches.

Key Words: spatial ecology · biostatistics · ecological modelling · fisheries · fishing effort · AIS/VMS · marine conservation