Mike Elliott is Emeritus Professor of Estuarine & Coastal Sciences at the University of Hull, UK, and Director of International Estuarine & Coastal Specialists (IECS) Ltd. He previously served as Director of the Institute of Estuarine & Coastal Studies (IECS) from 1996–2017, having joined the University in 1991 and progressing through Lecturer, Senior Lecturer and Professor before taking on long-term leadership of the Institute. A marine biologist by training, his work spans estuarine and coastal ecology, anthropogenic impacts, environmental policy, governance and management, with particular emphasis on ecosystem-based management, social–ecological systems, and the development of widely adopted conceptual frameworks such as DAPSI(W)R(M).
He has an extensive publication record, producing more than 400 scientific papers and co-authoring or co-editing 23 books and major volumes. These include The Estuarine Ecosystem: Ecology, Threats and Management (with DS McLusky, 2004), Ecology of Marine Sediments: Science to Management (with JS Gray, 2009), and Estuarine Ecohydrology: An Introduction (with E Wolanski, 2015). He was also an editor and contributor to Coasts and Estuaries: The Future (2019) and serves as Editor‑in‑Chief (with D. Baird) of the second edition of the Treatise on Estuarine & Coastal Science (2024).
Mike has held numerous national and international advisory roles, including membership of the UK Marine Science Coordinating Committee, the UN World Oceans Assessment II and III expert groups, the Marine Scotland Science Advisory Board, and the North Eastern Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (NEIFCA), where he became Chairman in 2024. He has contributed to advisory boards and scientific committees across Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia, and has provided expert input to governments, regulatory bodies, NGOs and industry on marine management, environmental assessment and policy implementation.
He is a past President of the international Estuarine & Coastal Sciences Association (ECSA) and has long served as Co‑Editor‑in‑Chief of Estuarine, Coastal & Shelf Science. His academic affiliations include Visiting or Adjunct Professorships at the University of Palermo (Italy), Klaipeda University (Lithuania), Aveiro University (Portugal), Xiamen University (China), and Murdoch University (Australia), as well as an Honorary Research Associateship with the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity.
His contributions to marine science have been recognised internationally, including the Honorary Winberg Medal of the Russian Hydrobiological Academic Society (2014) and the Lifetime Achievement Award of ECSA (2022). He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology, the Royal Geographical Society and the Marine Biological Association.
In the Research.com 2026 Ranking of Best Scientists in Ecology and Evolution, Mike was ranked #451 in the world and #62 in the United Kingdom, reflecting his sustained global influence and citation impact in the field.
BSc (Hons, Lond.), PhD (Stirling), FRSB, CBiol, FRGS, FMBA
Emeritus Professor in Estuarine & Coastal Sciences
School of Environmental Sciences
Marine protected areas as living labs? Lessons learned & future perspectives Journal Article
In: Ocean Sustainability, vol. 5, iss. 3, 2026.
Essentials of Research Integrity for Ecologists Journal Article
In: Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science, 2026.
The ‘triple whammy’ of threats to coasts and the ‘environment-tourism paradox’ - the DAPSI(W)R(M) unifying framework for coastal management Journal Article
In: Ocean & Coastal Management, vol. 273, iss. 108018, 2026.
Managing Marine Resources Sustainably: a transdisciplinary approach to the causes, consequences and responses to environmental challenges of ports, shipping and navigation Book Chapter
In: Shaw S (Ed.): SAGE Handbook on Logistics and Supply Chain Management, SAGE Publishing, 2026.
Drivers Chapter Book Chapter
In: World Ocean Assessment III, New York, 2026.
The practical application of Ecosystem-Based Management tools to marine ecological assessment: optimising tool selection for specific applications – the SEAS4GES Decision Support Tool Book Chapter
In: The Encyclopaedia of Ecology, 2026.
Twenty years of marine systematic conservation planning: a global scoping review for good practices Journal Article
In: PeerJ, 2026.
Priority research questions to generate decision-grade data to enable coastal ecosystems to mitigate the climate and nutrient crises Journal Article
In: Journal of Applied Ecology , vol. 63, iss. 4, no. 70373, 2026.
Policy brief: Healthy oceans for health societies Technical Report
2026.
Policy brief: Why tipping points are important when managing marine systems? Technical Report
2026.
Policy brief: Cumulative pressures at sea demand action: Tools to make management possible Technical Report
2026.
Synergizing scientific and local knowledge for ecosystem services assessments: a case study in northern Portugal Journal Article
In: People and Nature , vol. 8, iss. 3, pp. 633-649, 2026.
Policy brief on how to foster Ecosystem-Based Marine Spatial Planning in the Greek Aegean and Ionian Seas. Technical Report
Queen’s University Belfast 2025.
Policy brief on how to foster Ecosystem-Based Marine Spatial Planning in Campania Technical Report
Queen’s University Belfast 2025.
Policy brief on how to foster Ecosystem Based Marine Spatial Planning in the Western Mediterranean Sea Technical Report
Queen’s University Belfast 2025.
Policy brief on how to foster Ecosystem-Based Marine Spatial Planning in the Celtic Sea Technical Report
Queen’s University Belfast 2025.
Policy brief on how to foster Ecosystem-Based Marine Spatial Planning in the Bay of Biscay Technical Report
Queen’s University Belfast 2025.
Policy brief on how to foster Ecosystem Based Marine Spatial Planning in the Western Baltic Sea Technical Report
Queen’s University Belfast 2025.
Policy brief on how to foster Ecosystem-Based Marine Spatial Planning in the Azores Technical Report
Queen’s University Belfast 2025.
Policy brief on how to foster Ecosystem-Based Marine Spatial Planning in the Southern North Sea Technical Report
Queen’s University Belfast 2025.
Making sense of marine management – The ten-tenets revisited Journal Article
In: Marine Pollution Bulletin, vol. 221, 2025.
SEAS4GES: Selection of Ecosystem-based ApproacheS for Good Environmental Status (GES) Technical Report
2025.
Time-course detoxification of environmental metallic nanoparticles in human lung cells (A549) Journal Article
In: Chemosphere , vol. 385, iss. 144568, 2025.
In: Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, vol. 312, iss. 109038, 2025.
Are fish larvae contaminated before they start eating? First evidence of microplastic contamination in the yolk-sac of wild fish larvae Journal Article
In: Frontiers in Marine Science, vol. 12, iss. 1645179, 2025.
Assessment tools are needed to support marine ecosystem-based management, but how to get them used practically? Journal Article
In: Frontiers in Marine Science, vol. 12, iss. 1643943, 2025.
Regulation and maintenance ecosystem services in a coastal-marine continuum: unravelling the underlying ecological structure and functioning Journal Article
In: Ecological Indicators, vol. 179, iss. 114218, 2025.
Strategic approaches to eutrophication management in the Black Sea: scenario testing and policy implications Journal Article
In: Cercetări Marine - Recherches Marines, vol. 55, iss. 1, 2025.
Bridging the gap between marine science and policy: communicating for an informed society and decision-making Journal Article
In: Frontiers in Communication, vol. 10, iss. 1641970, 2025.
Assessing cumulative habitat risks of coastal and marine zones under management and climate change scenarios: The case of northern Portugal Journal Article
In: Ocean & Coastal Management , vol. 268 , iss. 107756 , 2025.
Sandy beaches within meta-social-ecological systems: An integrated framework for ecology, management, and conservation Journal Article
In: Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, vol. 322 , iss. 109350, 2025.
The minimum complexity necessary: The value of a simple Social-Ecological systems analysis in holistic marine environmental management Journal Article
In: Sustainable Futures, vol. 9, 2025.
Managing marine resources sustainably – But how do we know when marine management has been successful? Journal Article
In: Ocean & Coastal Management, vol. 265, 2025.
In: Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, vol. 317, iss. 109229, 2025.
The State of the Science for Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal (mCDR) – A Scientific Summary for Policy-Makers Technical Report
Paris, 2025.
The opportunity for climate action through climate-smart Marine Spatial Planning Journal Article
In: Ocean Sustainability, vol. 4, iss. 26, 2025.
The cross-ecosystem dimension of managing sandy beach social-ecological systems Journal Article
In: Ocean & Coastal Management, vol. 262, 2025.
A Natural Capital based audit and meta-analysis of fish and fisheries evidence relevant to English Inshore waters Technical Report
2025.
Science and management achieving connectivity, coherence and equivalence to ensure the health of estuarine fish communities Journal Article
In: Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, vol. 314, iss. 109133, 2025.
'Horses for courses' an interrogation of tools for marine Ecosystem-Based Management Journal Article
In: Frontiers in Marine Science, vol. 12, iss. 1426971, 2025.
In: Environmental Pollution, vol. 366, iss. 125600, 2025.
Assessment tool addresses implementation challenges of ecosystem-based management principles in marine spatial planning processes Journal Article
In: Communications Earth & Environment , vol. 6, iss. 55, 2025.
Review of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Report and Associated Documents Submitted by the Sandpiper Project for the Proposed Extraction of Phosphate-Enriched Sediments from the Marine Mining Licence Area (MLA) No. 170 Off Walvis Bay, Namibia Technical Report
2024.