Dr. Sophie Corrigan
Proteus, Postdoc
Seaweeds are an incredible marine resource that have provided for humans for centuries as food, fertilisers and, more recently, as diverse products such as bioplastics, cosmetics and medicines. The seaweed industry continues to expand, supporting millions of livelihoods worldwide through aquaculture and wild harvesting while holding deep cultural, social and economic importance to many coastal communities. My research examines the environmental impacts of this rapidly growing sector to inform responsible practices and legislation. Through this work, I aim to support the sustainable growth of the seaweed industry while safeguarding the marine ecosystems on which it depends.
My work on the PROTEUS project investigates the effects of kelp harvesting on marine biodiversity in Norway, focusing on benthic communities and fish populations. I will also examine the resilience of kelp forests to current harvesting…
Qualifications
2024: PhD, University of Exeter, UK
Thesis: Evaluating the environmental impacts of seaweed and shellfish farming in southwest UK
2019: MSci Marine Biology, University of Exeter, UK
Masters thesis: Quantifying the strength and variability of estuarine-atmosphere carbon dioxide fluxes using low-cost sensors.
Achievements and awards
2024: Irene Manton prize – British Phycological Society
2022: Devon Environment Fund – contributed to BIOME Algae winning £25k funding for sustainable farming
2022: Grant winner, Conference travel Award, British Phycological Society
2022: Runner Up Bright Future Award: Student Innovation – University of Exeter
2021: Best Talk & People’s Choice Poster – Marine Biological Association Postgraduate conference
2019: Highest MSci Project Mark – University of Exeter
2017 & 2019: Dean’s Commendation – University of Exeter
2019: College of Life and Environmental Science School’s Commendation– University of Exeter
2018: Students as Agents of Change Award for contribution to science communication – University of Exeter
Publications
Full list: Google Scholar
Corrigan S, Smale DA, Tyler CR, Brown AR (In press). Assessing the influence of seaweed and shellfish aquaculture on benthic communities in the western English Channel. Aquaculture Environment Interactions. https://doi.org/10.3354/aei00504.
Corrigan S, Smale DA, Tyler CR, Brown AR (2024). Quantification of finfish assemblages associated with mussel and seaweed farms in southwest UK provides evidence of potential benefits to fisheries. Aquaculture Environment Interactions, 11(16): 145-62. https://doi.org/10.3354/aei00478
Corrigan, S, Brown, AR, Tyler, CR, Wilding, C, Daniels, C, Ashton, IGC, & Smale, DA (2023a). Development and Diversity of Epibiont Assemblages on Cultivated Sugar Kelp (Saccharina latissima) in Relation to Farming Schedules and Harvesting Techniques. Life, 13(1): 209. https://doi.org/10.3390/life13010209
Corrigan S, Brown AR, Tyler CR, Wilding C, Daniels C, Ashton IG, Smale DA (2023b). Home sweet home: Comparison of epibiont assemblages associated with cultivated and wild sugar kelp (Saccharina latissima), co-cultivated blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) and farm infrastructure. Journal of Applied Phycology, 36(2): 611-625.
Corrigan S, Brown AR, Ashton IG, Smale DA, Tyler CR (2022). Quantifying habitat provisioning at macroalgal cultivation sites. Reviews in Aquaculture, 14(3): 1671-1694. https://doi.org/10.1111/raq.12669
Other Publications:
Corrigan S, Cottier-Cook EJ, Lim PE., Brodie J (2025). The State of the World’s Seaweeds. The Natural History Museum, London. https://doi.org/10.5519/4ln9oqk7.
Beattie S, Brodie J, Lim PE, Corrigan S, Kambey CSB, Poong SW, Cottier-Cook, EJ (2025). Recognising seaweeds: addressing gaps in international biodiversity frameworks for global seaweed protection. Sustainable Development. https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.3497.
Ford DJ, Shutler JD, Blanco-Sacristán J, Corrigan S, Bell TG, Yang M, Kitidis V, Nightingale PD, Brown I, Wimmer W and Woolf DK (2024). Enhanced ocean CO2 uptake due to near-surface temperature gradients. Nature Geoscience, 17(11): 1135-1140. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-024-01570-7.
Walker, C, Corrigan, S, Daniels, C, Wilding, C, Woodward, EMS, Widdicombe, CE, Smale, DA, Ashton, IGC and Brown, AR (2023). Field assessment of the potential for small scale co-cultivation of seaweed and shellfish to regulate nutrients and plankton dynamics. Aquaculture Reports, 33, p.101789. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aqrep.2023.101789.
Wilding C, Tillin H, Corrigan S, Stuart E, Ashton IGC, Felstead P, Lubelski A, Burrows M, Smale DA. (2021). Seaweed aquaculture and mechanical harvesting: an evidence review to support sustainable management. Natural England Commissioned Reports. Natural England Report NECR378.