Fidel Echevarría (PhD in Biology) is Professor of Ecology at the University of Cadiz (UCA). With more than 60 scientific publications, his research interests involve plankton size structure and physical-biological coupling in the pelagic ecosystem. He has centred this research activity in the last 15 years in the waters around the Strait of Gibraltar, including Gulf of Cádiz and Alboran Sea. He has been involved in more than 20 research projects of national or European level, and has participated in 15 oceanographic cruises, including a circumnavigation during the "Malaspina" expedition. He was the former director of the Andalusian Center for Marine Science and Technology, the Spanish coordinator of the GLOBEC (IGBP) program and responsible of the Associate Unit between University of Cádiz and CSIC. From 2009, he collaborates with MINECO as manager of the Spanish Marine Science and Technology Program.