Abdelmalek Faraj Biology faraj@inrh.org.ma

Abdelmalek Farajhas been head of the Approaches and Methodologies laboratory since February 2004, the roles of this laboratory being to standardise and develop the methods used in INRH's work, including sampling protocols, data processing and the modelling. It is also responsible for assessing deep-water resources. He is an agronomist with a diploma from Montpellier (ENSAM) who joined INRH in 1998 to work on the direct assessment of demersal resources and in particular on the direct monitoring of octopus stocks using geostatistical methods for which he received advanced training at the Centre de Geostatistique at Fontainebleau (ENSMP) in 2001. His research subject include the geostatistical monitoring of the spatial dynamics and octopus fisheries for which he is preparing a doctoral thesis with the Centre de Geostatistique at Fontainebleau (ENSMP). He has participated in many scientific trawling surveys, both at national and regional level.