Research interests

I currently study the ecology and behaviour of high latitude fish and how these are influenced by oceanographic processes, fisheries interactions, competition and predation. I use underwater acoustics and scientific nets for my research which involves fieldwork in the Antarctic onboard scientific research ships and fishing vessels. My current projects include:

1. The ecology and trophodynamics of myctophid fish in the Scotia Sea
2. Schooling behaviour of mesopelagic fish and zooplankton around South Georgia
3. Niche partitioning of myctophid fish in the Scotia Sea
4. Temperature effects on the distribution and population ecology of Southern Ocean myctophids
5. Satellite-linked tagging of porbeagle sharks in the northeast Atlantic
6. Population genetics of Southern Ocean skates

Saunders RA, Royer F, Clarke MW (2011) Winter migration and diving behaviour of porbeagle shark, Lamna nasus, in the Northeast Atlantic.  ICES Journal of Marine Science, 68:166-174

Heath, M.R., Rasmussen, J., Ahmed, Y., Allen, J., Anderson, C.I.H., Brierley, A.S., Brown, L., Bunker, A., Cook, K., Davidson, R., Fielding, S., Gurney, W.S.C., Harris, R., Hay, S., Henson, S., Hirst, A.G., Holliday, N.P., Ingvarsdottir, A., Irigoien, X., Lindeque, P., Mayor, D.J., Montagnes, D., Moffat, C., Pollard, R., Richards, S., Saunders, R.A., Sidey, J., Smerdon, G., Speirs, D., Walsham, P., Waniek, J., Webster, L., Wilson, D., 2008. Spatial demography of Calanus finmarchicus in the Irminger Sea. Progress in Oceanography 76, 39-88.

Saunders RA, Ingvarsdottir A, Rasmussen J, Hay SJ, Brierley AS (2007) Regional variation in distribution pattern, population structure and growth rates of Meganyctiphanes norvegica and Thysanoessa longicaudata in the Irminger Sea, North Atlantic. Progress in Oceanography, 72:313-342

Saunders, R.A., Watkins, J.L., Reid, K., Murphy, E.J., Enderlein, P., Bone, D.G., Brierley, A.S., 2007. Intra-annual variability in the abundance of Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) at South Georgia, 2002-2005: within-year variation provides a new framework for interpreting previous ‘annual’ krill density estimates. CCAMLR Science 14, 27-41.

Brierley, A.S., Saunders, R.A., Bone, D.G., Murphy, E.J., Enderlein, P., Demer, D., Conti, S.G., 2006. Use of moored acoustic instruments to measure short-term variability in abundance of Antarctic Krill. Limnology and Oceanography: Methods 4, 18-29.

Publications from NERC Open Research Archive

• Stowasser, G., Fielding, S., & Tarling, G. (2026). The taxonomic composition, abundance and wet weight of macrozooplankton and micronekton captured by an RMT8 net during surveys of the Western Core Box (South Georgia), 2009-2019 (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/967411bd-0a07-49fd-ad52-2bec65781ce7

• Saunders, R., Fielding, S., & Tarling, G. (2025). Body length and maturity stage measurements of Antarctic krill caught during the South Orkneys science cruise JR15004 (2016) (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/2733f2ad-e111-4b21-b695-c9452e4548a1

• Workman, E., Dornan, T., & Saunders, R. (2024). Raw acoustic data collected by an EK80 echo sounder in Stromness Bay, South Georgia during the cruise DY158 on 5 January 2023 (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://doi.org/10.5285/b00474cf-1a78-4775-8ec9-343cf1e62fb4

• Tarling, G., Stowasser, G., Fielding, S., Saunders, R., Fowler, V., & ten Hoopen, P. (2021). Epi- and mesopelagic mesozooplankton depth-discrete distribution and abundance across Polar Frontal Zone in Southern Ocean Atlantic sector (Version 1.0) [Data set]. UK Polar Data Centre, Natural Environment Research Council, UK Research & Innovation. https://doi.org/10.5285/f8058937-5b63-49a1-b445-cf60707b8b65

• Collins, M., Piatkowski, U., & Saunders, R. (2021). Distribution of mesopelagic fish in the Scotia Sea from RMT25 and pelagic trawls deployed from RRS James Clark Ross and RRS John Biscoe (Version 1.0) [Data set]. UK Polar Data Centre, Natural Environment Research Council, UK Research & Innovation. https://doi.org/10.5285/f4dfc0ee-4f61-47c5-a5a8-238e02ff2fdd

• Lopez-Lopez, L., Genner, M., Tarling, G., Saunders, R., & O’Gorman, E. (2020). Pelagic trophic network in the Scotia Sea (2006-2009) (Version 1.0) [Data set]. UK Polar Data Centre, Natural Environment Research Council, UK Research & Innovation. https://doi.org/10.5285/9f615353-c621-4216-865e-7d38a9b21e2c

• Stowasser, G., Fielding, S., Belcher, A., Mayor, D., Cook, K., Hubot, N., Saunders, R., & Tarling, G. (2020). Macrozooplankton and nekton vertical distribution and abundance in the Benguela Current region, May-June 2018 (Version 1.0) [Data set]. UK Polar Data Centre, Natural Environment Research Council, UK Research & Innovation. https://doi.org/10.5285/bfd7eb53-d07a-46e0-a185-54d7c4a829e2

• Collins, M., Shreeve, R., Stowasser, G., Foster, E., & Saunders, R. (2020). Conventional stomachs contents data for mesopelagic fish collected from the Scotia Sea between 2004-2009 (Version 1.0) [Data set]. UK Polar Data Centre, Natural Environment Research Council, UK Research & Innovation. https://doi.org/10.5285/1f70d2a9-b0d7-4403-bcb9-2cd884222a9c

• Belcher, A., Saunders, R., & Tarling, G. (2019). Length, weight and abundance data of fish species captured in RMT-25 net surveys in the Scotia Sea, Southern Ocean in 2006, 2008, and 2009 (Version 1.0) [Data set]. UK Polar Data Centre, British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, UK Research & Innovation. https://doi.org/10.5285/5798742d-dd5f-480b-8298-2c2b449cbab3

• Dornan, T., Fielding, S., Saunders, R., & Stowasser, G. (2019). Acoustic backscatter data and RMT25 abundance and biomass data for Scotia Sea, Southern Ocean 2006, 2008, 2009, 2015, 2016 and 2017 (Version 1.0) [Data set]. UK Polar Data Centre, Natural Environment Research Council, UK Research & Innovation. https://doi.org/10.5285/e15d622c-5c7e-45e9-b127-f27def94bbe8

• Tarling, G., Enderlein, P., Fielding, S., & Saunders, R. (2017). Shallow and deep Western Core Box mooring data collected during multiple marine cruises in the Southern Ocean north of South Georgia from October 2002 onwards (Version 1.0) [Data set]. NERC EDS UK Polar Data Centre. https://data.bas.ac.uk/full-record.php?id=GB/NERC/BAS/PDC/00948

1. Conservation and leadership in Southern Ocean ecosystems

   CONSEC explores how climate change and human activity are transforming the Southern Ocean, guiding global science and conservation.

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2. South Georgia Pelagic Biodiversity

   Zooplankton are a vital part of the Scotia Sea food web. The project aims to improve the way we manage and monitor the pelagic ecosystem around South Georgia.

   Read more of: South Georgia Pelagic Biodiversity

   

3. Biogeochemical processes in polar ecosystems

   BIOPOLE studies how climate change is affecting the release of nutrients from the polar regions, and their redistribution around the world’s oceans.

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4. Scotia Sea open-ocean biological laboratories

   SCOOBIES makes long-term observations of key Earth system indicators in the Southern Ocean. These observations are vital for both UK and global science.

   Read more of: Scotia Sea open-ocean biological laboratories

   

5. Krill Hotspots

   The aim of this project is to understand the biological and physical factors that produce the very large swarms of krill, or “krill hotspots” that are found in the South Orkneys region.

   Read more of: Krill Hotspots

   

1. Mysterious lives of sharks and rays revealed  

   Scientists have unlocked the mysteries of how shark and ray species move up and down the ocean water column, in efforts to better understand them and protect their future.    […]

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2. Lanternfish reveal how ocean warming impacts the twilight zone

   A new study from the British Antarctic Survey shows how lanternfish, small bioluminescent fish, are likely to respond to the warming of the Southern Ocean. Lanternfish are one of the […]

   Read more of: Lanternfish reveal how ocean warming impacts the twilight zone