Joana
Vasconcelos

Laboratory Sampling of Trachurus mediterraneus

On 29 April 2026, students from the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master in Islands and Sustainability participated in a laboratory sampling session using Trachurus mediterraneus, within the courses Biological, Population and Fish Parameters (51303) and Ecological Modelling and Conservation Strategies (51302). The activity allowed students to practise key biological sampling procedures and collect data commonly used in fisheries science, linking theoretical concepts with hands-on laboratory experience. It was also a lively and collaborative session, showing that careful scientific sampling can be both rigorous and enjoyable.

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Visit to the Cofradía de Pescadores de Arguineguín

On 4 March 2026, students from the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master in Islands and Sustainability visited the Cofradía de Pescadores de Arguineguín as part of the courses Biological, Population and Fish Parameters (51303) and Ecological Modelling and Conservation Strategies (51302).

The visit offered a valuable opportunity to connect classroom learning with the realities of small-scale fisheries, local management, and the role of fishers’ knowledge in building more sustainable island systems.

We warmly thank Patrón Mayor Jesús David Vega Medina for welcoming us, and Ricardo Ortega, former Patrón Mayor of the Cofradía de Pescadores de Arguineguín, for the generous reception and guided tour of the facilities.

A meaningful experience for our students, and an excellent example of how universities and local fishing communities can learn from one another.

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Shell Shots in Focus: Juan Carlos’s Phorcus sauciatus Adventure

The Master student Juan Carlos is racing toward the finish line of his full-shell photography registry for Phorcus sauciatus, snapping every twist and whorl from Gran Canaria’s North, East, and Southeast shores. Now, he’s leveled up with the Stereomorph R package —mapping both precise landmarks and graceful curves—to tease out the tiniest shape secrets. Stay tuned: these high-resolution images and cutting-edge morphometric tools promise fresh insights into how local currents and coastlines sculpt mollusk form.

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Fieldwork Beginnings for Master's Student Juan Carlos

External practicals and Master's thesis of Juan Carlos de la Rosa Valdivia

On April 5th, Master's student Juan Carlos commenced his fieldwork as part of his external practicals and final Master's project.

This research involves the collection of the sea snail Phorcus sauciatus, carried out under the authorization of the local authorities (Dirección General de Pesca; Consejería de Agricultura, Ganadería, Pesca y Soberanía Alimentaria).

We extend our gratitude to them for their invaluable support.

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Trip to Cape Verde with Master's Students

Erasmus Mundus Master's Program in Islands and Sustainability

We took our international studens from the Erasmus Mundus Master's Program in Islands and Sustainability to camp at Ervatão in Boa Vista, Cape Verde, where they helped monitor sea turtles alongside Cabo Verde Natura 2000.

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External Practicals and Final Degree Thesis

Pablo Jesús Angulo Falcón

On October 4th, we welcomed Pablo Jesús Angulo Falcón, a student at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. He will be doing his externship and final degree work on "Fecundity regulation of the blue Jack mackerel, Trachurus trachurus, from the NE Atlantic" under the supersivison of Dr. Joana Vasconcelos.

Today we carried out biological sampling of Trachurus trachurus captured in the Gulf of Cádiz (FAO Zone 27, ICES IXa) to collect gonads. He also helped his colleague María Cirera remove the otoliths from all the specimens sampled to date.

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External Practicals and Final Degree Thesis

Student María Cirera Díaz

On September 26th, we initiated laboratory practical work as part of the external practicals and final degree project for María Cirera Díaz, a student at the University of Las Palmas of Gran Canaria. She will be working with her supervisor, Dr. Joana Vasconcelos, on the project titled "Application of Morphometry and Shape Analysis in Coastal Stock Identification".

We have initiated our photographic record and biological sampling of Trachurus trachurus captured in the Gulf of Cádiz (FAO Zone 27, ICES IXa).

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Field and Laboratory Work

External practicals and Master's thesis of Olivia Martínez Ruiz

On 19 September, we began the practical work in the field and laboratory as part of the external practicals and final Master's work of Olivia Martínez Ruiz, a student at the University of Coruña. The student recently joined the University of Las Palmas of Gran Canaria to work with her supervisors, Dr Rodrigo Riera and Dr Joana Vasconcelos.

In order to carry out this work, we had the authorisation of the local authorities (Dirección General de Pesca; Consejería de Agricultura, Ganadería, Pesca y Soberanía Alimentaria) to catch limpets of the species Patella aspera and P. candei.

We would like to thank them for all their support.

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An Experience for Curious Minds / UMa Experiência para Mentes Curiosas

With the aim of preparing and carrying out practical activities that mobilize knowledge from Biological Sciences, adapting them to the cognitive level of students and to the programs of the 1st and 2nd Cycles of Basic Education, students of the 3rd year of the Course in Basic Education at the University of Madeira (Curricular Unit Study of the Environment V), demonstrated their activities to students of the 2nd Cycle of the Basic School of the 2nd and 3rd Cycles Horácio Bento de Gouveia (HBG).

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Activity within the Subject Animal Physiology

MARE-Madeira

On November 15, the activity "Frequecy of beatings of cirri of barnacles of the spceies Megabalanus azoricus (Crustacea: CIRRIPEDIA) as a function of temperatureE" organized jointly with MARE-Madeira. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Dr. Patrício Ramalhosa in setting up the experience and providing support on the day of the activity.

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Field Work · Biosystematics

As part of the Biosystematics subject of the 1st year of the Biology Course at the University of Madeira, the students went to the Lota do Funchal (Regional Directorate of Fisheries) where they took photographs of fish of different species to analyze their body shape.

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Field Work · Zoology I

As part of the Zoology I course unit, some fieldwork was carried out on October 12th. In this activity, Dr. Rodrigo Riera, Professor at the Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and partner in the LAPACOM Project gave a small lecture and showed how to sample epifauna from algae.

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