Short course300 h · Online · 5 modules

Seamounts Course: Science, Fisheries and Protection

This course introduces you to seamounts, volcanic features that concentrate biodiversity and attract pelagic and deep-sea species. You will study their geology, the oceanographic processes that make them hotspots of life, their coral and sponge communities, deep-sea fisheries and the tools used to manage and protect them.

Duration300 h
ModeOnline
Start1 December
Modules5
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About the program

What is the Seamounts Course: Science, Fisheries and Protection?

This short course introduces you to the study of seamounts, underwater volcanic features that concentrate biodiversity and attract both pelagic and deep-sea species. You will learn about their geological origin, the oceanographic processes such as Taylor columns and local upwelling that turn them into hotspots of life, their communities of cold-water corals and sponges, the history of deep-sea fisheries and their vulnerability to overfishing, and the international instruments for management and protection, from regional fisheries management organizations to marine protected areas.

What sets this course apart: an integrated view that brings geology, oceanography, biology and fisheries together in one program; real fisheries management, including vulnerable marine ecosystems and area closures; a conservation focus on protected areas and high-seas governance; concise, applicable content; and a practical case in which you draft a management proposal for a seamount.

Program typeShort course
ModeOnline
Duration300 hours
Modules5
Start1 December

Program highlights

  • Integrated view: geology, oceanography, biology and fisheries in a single course.
  • Real fisheries management: vulnerable marine ecosystems and area closures.
  • Conservation: marine protected areas and governance of the high seas.
  • Deep-sea species: long-lived, slow-growing fish and their sensitivity to fishing.
  • International framework: regional fisheries organizations, UNCLOS and FAO guidelines.
  • Practical case: a management and protection proposal for a seamount.
Syllabus

Syllabus of the Seamounts Course: Science, Fisheries and Protection

5 modules. Select a module to see its content.

Module 1

Geology of seamounts

  • 1.1. What a seamount is
  • 1.2. Volcanic origin and hotspots
  • 1.3. Guyots and submerged islands
  • 1.4. Global distribution
  • 1.5. Mapping and bathymetry
At this stage
60 hestimated workload
5 wkweeks at your pace
Module 2

Oceanography and productivity

  • 2.1. Interaction with currents
  • 2.2. Taylor columns and retention
  • 2.3. Local upwelling
  • 2.4. Prey aggregation
  • 2.5. Effects on pelagic species
At this stage
60 hestimated workload
5 wkweeks at your pace
Module 3

Associated biodiversity

  • 3.1. Cold-water corals and gorgonians
  • 3.2. Sponge aggregations
  • 3.3. Deep-sea fish
  • 3.4. Pelagic visitors: tuna, sharks and cetaceans
  • 3.5. Endemism and connectivity
At this stage
60 hestimated workload
5 wkweeks at your pace
Module 4

Deep-sea fisheries

  • 4.1. History of fishing on seamounts
  • 4.2. Long-lived, slow-growing species
  • 4.3. Impact of bottom trawling
  • 4.4. Stock assessment with limited data
  • 4.5. Regional fisheries management organizations
At this stage
60 hestimated workload
5 wkweeks at your pace
Module 5

Management and protection

  • 5.1. Vulnerable marine ecosystems
  • 5.2. FAO guidelines for deep-sea fisheries
  • 5.3. Marine protected areas on seamounts
  • 5.4. Monitoring and control
  • 5.5. Practical case: management proposal for a seamount
At this stage
60 hestimated workload
5 wkweeks at your pace
Plan your pace

Duration and format of the Seamounts Course: Science, Fisheries and Protection

It is 300 hours. Tell us how many you can study each week and we will tell you when you will really finish.

4 h30 h
With 12 h per week
6
months to finish
25 weeks
weeks in total

This is the pace at which most students finish. It fits well with the installment plan.

Faculty

Academic leadership and faculty

The Navalis teaching team: working professionals who teach and supervise the programs.

Dra. Marina AlcoverDr. Marina AlcoverAcademic Director and Head of Quality Assurance
Ing. Diego CifuentesEng. Diego CifuentesSenior Lecturer in Naval Welding and Non-Destructive Testing; Head of QA/QC for Welded Joints
Cap. Javier Abaroa (MCA)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 FerrerDr. Pau FerrerSenior Lecturer in Naval Architecture and Simulation; Director of the Hydrodynamics and CFD Laboratory
Dra. Nuria LlobregatDr. Nuria LlobregatSenior Lecturer in Marine Meteorology, SAR and Operational Safety; Navigation Risk Management Coordinator
Ing. Javier BañulsEng. Javier BañulsSenior Lecturer in Electrical Engineering, Automation and ETO Engineering; Electronic Integration and Engine Alarms Coordinator
Ing. Sofía MarquinaEng. Sofía MarquinaSenior Lecturer in Materials, Composites and Corrosion Protection; Coordinator of the Advanced Paints and Coatings Line
Ing. Tomás RieraEng. Tomás RieraSenior Lecturer in Propulsion, Alternative Energy and Hybrid Systems; Energy Performance and Vibration Coordinator
Objectives

Objectives of the Seamounts Course: Science, Fisheries and Protection

01Explain the geology of seamounts.
02Analyze their oceanography.
03Describe their biodiversity.
04Understand deep-sea fisheries.
05Apply management instruments.
06Propose protection measures.
Careers

Career opportunities after the Seamounts Course: Science, Fisheries and Protection

01Fisheries management technicianassessment and management of deep-sea fisheries.
02Marine conservation techniciandesign and monitoring of protected areas.
03Ocean policy analystgovernance of the high seas.
04Science communicatoroutreach on deep-sea ecosystems.
Frequently asked questions

Questions about the Seamounts Course: Science, Fisheries and Protection

Many of their species grow very slowly and reproduce late, and their benthic communities of corals and sponges take a very long time to recover from damage.

No. It depends on each area; the course analyses closures, management measures and marine protected areas.

No. The basic concepts of fisheries biology and stock assessment are explained during the course.

Yes, including regional fisheries management organizations and the UNCLOS framework.

You draw up a management and protection proposal for a seamount, drawing on the geology, ecology and fisheries content of the course.

Fully online, through a virtual campus available 24/7, with live sessions that are recorded and tutorials with the teaching staff.

The course comprises 300 hours of study across 5 modules of about 60 hours each and ends with an applied practical case. You can progress at your own pace within the schedule set when you enroll.

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Online admission

Admission process

No waiting for a call back. If your documents are in order, you can enroll in the same session.

Entry requirements
  • Profile: aimed at students and graduates in marine sciences, biology, environmental sciences or related fields, fisheries management technicians, conservation and NGO professionals, public administration staff involved in ocean policy, and educators interested in the open ocean.
  • 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.
  1. 01
    Application
    Your details, background and documents.
  2. 02
    Instant review
    We check that everything is complete and in order.
  3. 03
    Enrollment
    Choose full payment or instalments and reserve your place.
Start my applicationFrom $180 deposit

Admission is provisional until the committee validates the documents provided. If you do not meet the requirements, the full amount is refunded.

Any questions?

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.

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