EXPERTISE

• Benthic Ecology
• UK and European Conservation Legislation
• Marine Policy and Legislation
• Environmental Impact Assessments
• Survey Design
• Regulator Liaison
• GIS
• Project Management
• Report Production
• Multivariate Data-Analysis

QUALIFICATIONS

• MBA, University of Bath - Predicted graduation December 2012
• MSc Environmental Biology, University of Wales, Swansea
• BSc (Hons) Biology, University of Portsmouth

 
Daniel Brutto has key experience across the commercial and public sector across a range of marine environmental issues.  He has been Consultation Manager at Marine Ecological Surveys since 2008 and Senior Consultant at Marine Planning Consultants since 2010. Both organisations are part of the Gardline Group of Companies.
Prior to joining MESL Daniel spent several years working for Countryside Council for Wales (CCW), the Welsh advisor to government on issues relating to nature conservation. His role with CCW focused on advising developers and local authorities on the environmental and ecological impacts of developments of all scales, from energy developments to the redevelopment of the former BP oil refinery at Llandarcy near Swansea. A great deal of Daniel’s time with CCW was spent engaging in the terrestrial planning process and working on development control issues relating to UK and European environmental legislation.
Following his appointment to MESL as Consultations Manager Daniel has become a pivotal team member of the organisation. Daniel oversees the delivery of many of MESL’s commercial projects and undertakes tasks such as project management, report writing, data-analysis, GIS, regulatory liaison. Further, Daniel acts as an advisor to developers on conservation and ecological issues.
Daniel has a strong knowledge of marine ecosystems, habitats and species. Daniel’s appointments with MESL, MPC and CCW have allowed him to develop an excellent understanding of both terrestrial and marine ecology, the legislation that regulates the environmental impacts of developments and how the impacts of different activities can be manifested. In addition to the above Daniel also has a good understanding of the environmental issues facing a variety of key UK industries and has experience and a good understanding of UK planning processes in both the terrestrial and marine environments. Daniel leads MESL’s work on matters of legislation, such as following the developments of the Marine and Coastal Access Act (2009), and has a strong knowledge of harbour porpoises and of using static acoustic monitoring techniques for studying cetaceans gained through completing his MSc thesis entitled “An Investigation into Harbour Porpoise Feeding Ecology Using Acoustic Data-Loggers (TPODs)”. This work was undertaken with the Gower Marine Mammal Project, who undertook the field work for the marine mammals section of the Scarweather Sands wind farm EIA.
Daniel holds a Master’s Degree in Environmental Biology from the University of Wales (Swansea) and an Honours Degree in Biology from the University of Portsmouth. Daniel is currently studying for an MBA at the University of Bath.
 
KEY EXPERIENCE

• Production of an extensive number of biological and multidisciplinary reports covering marine ecology, industrial impacts, and protected sites and species issues
• Over 5 years experience of working in the ecological and environmental science sector, with experience of working in industry and within a regulatory body
• Provision of consultancy advise to the marine aggregates, offshore renewables and, offshore cable route and ports sector
• Extensive experience of regulatory liaison on behalf of a range of client and industries
• Project management of the largest benthic biological survey ever completed in    UK waters
• Survey design for characterization and monitoring projects
• A detailed understanding of the ecological issues associated with planning and development control
• Key involvement with SEA for the Dorset Marine Plan pilot project

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
Marine Ecological Surveys Limited, 2008. London Gateway Port Project: Benthic Biological Resources of the Lower Thames Estuary 2004 (Prepared for DP World)
Marine Ecological Surveys Limited, 2008. London Gateway Port Project: Benthic Biological Resources of the Lower Thames Estuary 2005 (Prepared for DP World)
Marine Ecological Surveys Limited, 2008. Area 202, Cross Sands: Summary of Public Consultation (Prepared for Hanson Aggregates Marine Limited)
Marine Ecological Surveys Limited, 2009. Licence Area 480 Pre-Dredge Technical Report (Prepared for Hanson Aggregates Marine Limited)
Marine Ecological Surveys Limited, 2009. Licence Area 480 Benthic Biological Resource Assessment (Prepared for Hanson Aggregates Marine Limited)
Marine Ecological Surveys Limited, 2009. Licence Area 407 Benthic Biological Monitoring Report at an Aggregates Extraction Site (Cemex Marine UK Limited)
Marine Ecological Surveys Limited, 2009. Licence Area 351 Benthic Biological Resources (Westminster Gravels Limited)
Marine Ecological Surveys Limited, 2009. Wells-next-the-sea: Benthic Biological Resource Assessment (Haskoning UK Limited)
Marine Ecological Surveys Limited, 2009. Enderby Wharf Benthic Biological Resource Assessment Analysis of Survey Data for 2009 (West Properties Limited)
Marine Ecological Surveys Limited, 2009. Poole Bay to Lyme Bay Draft Special Area of Conservation (2009) (Portland Harbour Authority)
Marine Ecological Surveys Limited, 2010. Review of Draft Conservation Designations across the Outer Thames Estuary (DP World)
Marine Ecological Surveys Limited, 2010. London Gateway Port Project: Natura 2000 Site Review (DP World)
Marine Ecological Surveys Limited, 2010. East Anglia Offshore Windfarm: Benthic Biological Survey
Outline Terms of Reference for a Benthic Baseline Characterisation Survey (EAOW Ltd)
Marine Ecological Surveys Limited, 2010.  Area 472 - Culver Sands Conservation Review Analysis of Survey Data for 2009 (Resource Management Association)
Marine Ecological Surveys Limited, 2010. Benthic Characterisation of Area 407, 2010 (St Catherines) (Cemex UK Marine Ltd)
Marine Ecological Surveys Limited, 2010. Licence Areas 452, 118/2 & 239/1: Shipwash Benthic Biological Resource Assessment (Cemex UK Marine Limited)
MALSF, 2010. The South Coast Regional Environmental Characterisation (Marine Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund)
MALSF, 2010. The Humber Regional Environmental Characterisation (Marine Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund)
Marine Ecological Surveys Limited, 2010. An Assessment of the Benthic Biological Resources of Mucking Flats – the Variability & Availability of Potential Bird Food Prey Items Pre-dredge Report 2010
Marine Ecological Surveys Limited, 2010. Area 472 - Culver Sands Terms of Reference - Benthic Biological Survey of Reference Stations (DP World)
Marine Ecological Surveys Limited, 2011. Licence Area 408 (Coal Pit) Benthic Biological Monitoring 2010 (Hanson Aggregates Marine Limited)
Marine Ecological Surveys Limited, 2011. Licence Areas 508, 509, 510 (Long Sand Head) Benthic Characterisations (Britannia Aggregates Ltd, Tarmac Marine Dredging Ltd and Cemex UK Marine Ltd.