ENHG Lecture: A Life in Freshwater by Steve Lockett

Date : Tuesday October 1st, 2019

Venue : Emerald B Meeting Room, Saadiyat Rotana Hotel 

Lecture starts at 7:30, Membership sign up available from 7pm 

About the Speaker: Steve Lockett

Education and Outreach Officer, Mahseer Trust

Steve has been involved with Mahseer Trust, a UK-based conservation NGO, since 2011. Previously, he held the roles of Press Officer and then Vice-Chair (acting Chair from 2015 -17). He has been working on issues of river and fish conservation in south and southeast Asian countries for 20 years, and in a voluntary capacity in the UK for 20 years prior to that. Since standing down as a trustee of Mahseer Trust, to spend more time in mahseer range countries, Steve has used his background in journalism and teaching to drive outreach about river conservation awareness, and better community conservation incentives, including overseeing projects as a consultant for Bournemouth University’s Global Environmental Solutions department. His time studying mahseer, river habitats and human use has included projects in India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia and Nepal. Steve is the architect of the holistic Kaveri Mission programme for India’s River Cauvery, a wide-ranging project supported by Tata Power, involving scientific study, outreach and local cultural heritage elements. This project aims to conserve the Critically Endangered hump-backed mahseer, Tor remadevii, as an umbrella species to promote better overall river ecosystem health and associated water availability.

About the talk: Steve Lockett discusses his work on freshwater biodiversity and wider river conservation with special reference to the rivers and fish of southeast Asia. Encompassing human needs and why protection of critical habitat works for all inhabitants, Steve will also consider how and why connections between all those interested in freshwater habitat is a vital component in the battle to protect water sources.