Jake Goodall's research group

A central challenge in fisheries science is the mismatch between how fish stocks are managed and how populations actually exist in nature. Traditional stock assessments often rely on static geographic boundaries, overlooking the biological complexity of marine species. This can lead to inaccurate estimates of stock health and unsustainable exploitation. Genomic technologies now offer powerful tools to resolve these issues by identifying population structure, ecotypes, and adaptive variation with unprecedented precision.

Jake Goodall’s research addresses these challenges by applying population and evolutionary genomics to marine species, with a particular focus on Atlantic herring. His work involves developing high-resolution genetic tools alongside bioinformatic pipelines for stock identification, genetic monitoring, and ecotype classification. These tools have been applied across multiple regions, including the Baltic Sea, North Sea, UK, and Norway, and are adaptable to various marine taxa.

Current research efforts focus on modeling genetic trends in herring stocks in the Baltic Sea to improve genetic assignment and inform sustainable management practices. This work is supported by strong national collaborations with Uppsala University, Stockholm University, and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and international partnerships across Europe.

Jake’s publications include population and genetic studies across diverse taxa, including Atlantic herring, European cisco, Northern and Giant Tiger shrimp, and common whelk, and policy reports to national and international management agencies. These contributions demonstrate a clear link between academic research, industry stakeholders, and policy development.

By integrating genomics into fisheries science, Jake’s research helps bridge the gap between biological realities and management frameworks—supporting more accurate, adaptive, and sustainable management of marine ecosystems.