Master's in Sustainable Management of Marine Natural Resources
This master's prepares you to manage the ocean's natural resources using scientific, economic and social criteria. You will study fish stock assessment, the ecosystem approach, marine protected areas, marine spatial planning and the international legal framework, and you will learn to design management plans that balance conservation with blue economy activities, from fishing and aquaculture to tourism and energy.
Prior knowledge check
These are the skills this program gives you. Tick the ones you already master and we will tell you which part of the syllabus is for you.
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What is the Master's in Sustainable Management of Marine Natural Resources?
This master's prepares you to manage the ocean's natural resources using scientific, economic and social criteria. You will learn to apply stock and ecosystem assessment methods, design measures based on the ecosystem approach, use marine spatial planning to resolve conflicts between uses and involve communities and sectors in decision-making, opening the door to public administrations, international organizations and consultancies.
What sets this master's apart: an integrated perspective that applies ecology, economics, law and governance to the same resource; real tools, including stock assessment models, GIS and fisheries data analysis; the international framework of UNCLOS, the FAO, regional conventions and the 2030 Agenda; a professional focus geared towards administrations, NGOs, consultancies and maritime businesses; and a Final Project in which you prepare a management plan for a real marine resource or area.
Program highlights
- Integrated perspective: ecology, economics, law and governance applied to the same resource.
- Real tools: stock assessment models, GIS and fisheries data analysis.
- International framework: UNCLOS, the FAO, regional conventions and the 2030 Agenda.
- Professional focus: geared towards administrations, NGOs, consultancies and maritime businesses.
- Beyond fishing: protected areas, marine spatial planning and other uses of the sea.
- Final Project: a management plan for a real marine resource or area.
Syllabus of the Master's in Sustainable Management of Marine Natural Resources
11 modules. Select a module to see its content.
Ocean Ecosystems and Resources
- 1.1. Structure of marine ecosystems
- 1.2. Primary productivity and food webs
- 1.3. Living and non-living marine resources
- 1.4. Marine ecosystem services
- 1.5. Coastal and shelf habitats
- 1.6. Pelagic and deep-sea ecosystems
- 1.7. Biodiversity and ecological functioning
- 1.8. Human pressures on the ocean
- 1.9. Effects of climate change on resources
- 1.10. Global status of marine resources
Population Biology and Dynamics
- 2.1. Life cycles of exploited species
- 2.2. Growth and age
- 2.3. Reproduction and recruitment
- 2.4. Natural and fishing mortality
- 2.5. Population and stock structure
- 2.6. Migration and connectivity
- 2.7. Applied population genetics
- 2.8. Interactions between species
- 2.9. Biological indicators
- 2.10. Biological sampling at fish markets and on board
Fish Stock Assessment
- 3.1. Catch and effort data
- 3.2. Scientific research surveys
- 3.3. Surplus production models
- 3.4. Age-structured models
- 3.5. Biological reference points
- 3.6. Maximum sustainable yield
- 3.7. Data-limited assessment
- 3.8. Uncertainty and risk analysis
- 3.9. Harvest control rules
- 3.10. Interpreting scientific reports
Fisheries Management
- 4.1. Objectives of fisheries management
- 4.2. Total allowable catches and quotas
- 4.3. Fishing effort control
- 4.4. Technical measures and selectivity
- 4.5. Discards and bycatch
- 4.6. Use rights and co-management
- 4.7. Artisanal and small-scale fisheries
- 4.8. Control, surveillance and illegal fishing
- 4.9. Certification and ecolabels
- 4.10. Assessing management effectiveness
The Ecosystem Approach
- 5.1. Principles of the ecosystem approach
- 5.2. From single-species to ecosystem-based management
- 5.3. Ecosystem models
- 5.4. Effects of fishing on habitats
- 5.5. Vulnerable and protected species
- 5.6. Ecosystem indicators
- 5.7. Integrated ecosystem assessment
- 5.8. Adaptive management
- 5.9. Cumulative effects
- 5.10. Case studies applying the ecosystem approach
Marine Protected Areas
- 6.1. Types and objectives of protected areas
- 6.2. Site selection criteria
- 6.3. Designing networks of protected areas
- 6.4. Zoning and permitted uses
- 6.5. Management and monitoring plans
- 6.6. Reserve effect and spillover
- 6.7. Funding protected areas
- 6.8. Involving local users
- 6.9. Assessing effectiveness
- 6.10. Protected areas on the high seas
Marine Spatial Planning
- 7.1. Planning concepts and principles
- 7.2. Uses and conflicts in marine space
- 7.3. Mapping habitats and activities
- 7.4. Marine geographic information systems
- 7.5. Analyzing the compatibility of uses
- 7.6. Planning scenarios
- 7.7. Stakeholder engagement
- 7.8. Cross-border planning
- 7.9. Integration with coastal management
- 7.10. Monitoring and reviewing plans
Economics of Marine Resources
- 8.1. The blue economy and sustainability
- 8.2. Fisheries economics
- 8.3. Resource rent and overcapitalisation
- 8.4. Valuing ecosystem services
- 8.5. Cost-benefit analysis
- 8.6. Subsidies and their effects
- 8.7. Seafood value chains
- 8.8. Seafood markets and trade
- 8.9. Economic management instruments
- 8.10. Funding marine sustainability
Governance and the Law of the Sea
- 9.1. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
- 9.2. Maritime zones and jurisdiction
- 9.3. The role of the FAO and the Code of Conduct
- 9.4. Regional fisheries management organizations
- 9.5. The high seas biodiversity agreement
- 9.6. Convention on Biological Diversity
- 9.7. Sustainable Development Goal 14
- 9.8. Multi-level governance
- 9.9. Rights of coastal communities
- 9.10. Compliance and dispute resolution
Data, Monitoring and Participation
- 10.1. Designing monitoring programs
- 10.2. Onboard observers and electronic monitoring
- 10.3. Vessel positioning data
- 10.4. Remote sensing applied to resources
- 10.5. Databases and information management
- 10.6. Data analysis with open tools
- 10.7. Local ecological knowledge
- 10.8. Citizen science
- 10.9. Communicating with stakeholders
- 10.10. Resolving conflicts between uses
Final Project
- 11.1. Selecting the resource or area
- 11.2. Ecological diagnosis
- 11.3. Socio-economic diagnosis
- 11.4. Reviewing the regulatory framework
- 11.5. Analyzing available data
- 11.6. Defining management objectives
- 11.7. Designing measures
- 11.8. Monitoring plan and indicators
- 11.9. Writing the project report
- 11.10. Presentation to an assessment panel
Duration and format of the Master's in Sustainable Management of Marine Natural Resources
It is 1,500 hours. Tell us how many you can study each week and we will tell you when you will really finish.
This is the pace at which most students finish. It fits well with the installment plan.
Academic leadership and faculty
The Navalis teaching team: working professionals who teach and supervise the programs.
Dr. Marina AlcoverAcademic Director and Head of Quality Assurance
Eng. Diego CifuentesSenior Lecturer in Naval Welding and Non-Destructive Testing; Head of QA/QC for Welded Joints
Capt. Javier Abaroa (MCA)Senior Lecturer in Ship Handling, Electronic Navigation (ECDIS/Radar/ARPA) and GMDSS; STCW Compliance and Bridge Resource Management Coordinator
Dr. Pau FerrerSenior Lecturer in Naval Architecture and Simulation; Director of the Hydrodynamics and CFD Laboratory
Dr. Nuria LlobregatSenior Lecturer in Marine Meteorology, SAR and Operational Safety; Navigation Risk Management Coordinator
Eng. Javier BañulsSenior Lecturer in Electrical Engineering, Automation and ETO Engineering; Electronic Integration and Engine Alarms Coordinator
Eng. Sofía MarquinaSenior Lecturer in Materials, Composites and Corrosion Protection; Coordinator of the Advanced Paints and Coatings Line
Eng. Tomás RieraSenior Lecturer in Propulsion, Alternative Energy and Hybrid Systems; Energy Performance and Vibration CoordinatorObjectives of the Master's in Sustainable Management of Marine Natural Resources
Career opportunities after the Master's in Sustainable Management of Marine Natural Resources
Questions about the Master's in Sustainable Management of Marine Natural Resources
It is not essential. The program covers the fundamentals you need to understand and apply assessment models.
No. Fishing carries significant weight, but protected areas, marine spatial planning and other uses of the sea are also covered.
Yes. You use fisheries data, habitat mapping and public international databases.
No. Navalis teaches the subject; it does not replace the official qualifications or recruitment processes set by public administrations.
You prepare a management plan for a real marine resource or area, with a diagnosis, measures and monitoring indicators.
The master's is taught entirely online, with a virtual campus available 24/7, recorded live sessions and tutorials. It comprises 1500 hours of study across 11 modules of about 136 hours each, and you progress at your own pace within the schedule you are given on enrollment.
More programs in Biology and conservation
Admission process
No waiting for a call back. If your documents are in order, you can enroll in the same session.
- Profile: aimed at graduates in marine sciences, biology, environmental sciences or economics who wish to specialize in marine resource management, staff at fisheries and environmental administrations who design and implement management plans, NGO and foundation professionals working in marine conservation, environmental consultants who prepare studies for projects at sea, and fishing and aquaculture professionals seeking a strategic view of sustainability. A degree in marine sciences, biology, environmental sciences, economics, geography, engineering or a related field, or proven professional experience in the fisheries, environmental or maritime sectors, is recommended.
- Language: sufficient command of English to follow the classes and the technical documentation.
- Technical resources: a computer with a stable internet connection, an up-to-date browser and a camera for live sessions and project presentations.
- Admission: online application, review of your profile and a short interview with the academic team.
- 01ApplicationYour details, background and documents.
- 02Instant reviewWe check that everything is complete and in order.
- 03EnrollmentChoose full payment or instalments and reserve your place.
Admission is provisional until the committee validates the documents provided. If you do not meet the requirements, the full amount is refunded.
Ask us before you enroll
Leave your details and admissions will write to you to answer any questions. If you are already sure, you can apply and pay in the same session.