Daniel Breen

Dan is a lecturer in environmental science and marine biology in the School of Science at Auckland University of Technology. Dan trained as a marine biologist, but also specialises in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), spatial ecology, and the use of unmanned remote sensing systems. Dan completed his PhD at James Cook University on conservation planning for marine protected areas (MPAs). After moving to New Zealand, he worked at the Department of Conservation on marine protected areas and surveying species such as the Māui dolphin. He previously worked at the New South Wales (NSW) Marine Parks Authority and NSW Fisheries, mapping coastal marine biodiversity and helping to establish marine parks and aquatic reserves. At the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority he mapped biophysical data to help protect over a third of this World Heritage Area with no-take marine reserve zones. As a consultant, Dan worked on environmental impact and monitoring projects in marine, freshwater, and terrestrial environments and within the marine tourism industry. Dan's research interests include quantitative marine ecology, spatial and statistical modelling, and applying GIS based decision support systems. Recent projects he has been involved in include mapping sand cays and seabird colonies on the Great Barrier Reef, seaweed farms and coral reefs in the Solomon Islands, and marine spatial planning for protected areas and sustainable use in the New Zealand Territorial Sea.