Dr Deirdre Wilson

Deirdre joined CU UK in March 2022 as Fisheries Assessment Manager. Before joining CU UK, Deirdre worked with LRQA in the capacity of Senior Fisheries Technical Officer and later Fisheries Manager. With LRQA, Deirdre was responsible for the implementation of the MSC assessments as well as establishing LRQA activities related to the RFVS and Marin Trust. Prior to working on the CAB side of certifications, Deirdre gained experience on the client side while working with an Indonesian NGO (MDPI), whose focus was improvements and recognition for small-scale Indonesian fisheries (primarily handline yellowfin but also mud crab, pole and line and mini purse seine fisheries). As Program Director for the MDPI, she led activities related to FIP implementation, traceability developments, Fair Trade certification and MSC certification of small-scale fisheries as well as being responsible for ensuring communication and collaboration with a variety of stakeholders. Deirdre was also a consultant to IPNLF, developing a prototype policy scorecard for handline and pole and line fisheries. Deirdre was on the Steering Committee for the Asia-Pacific FIP Community of Practice 2019 workshop, on the Fair Trade Fisheries Advisory Council as well as the MSC Fish For Good council in Indonesia.

Deirdre obtained a PhD from Queen’s University Belfast in 2014 (Fisheries Management), an MSC from Plymouth University in 2010 (Applied Marine Science) and a BSC from NUI Galway in 2008 (Marine Science). She is fluent in French, with a working proficiency in Bahasa Indonesia. Deirdre has also completed the required MSC online modules.