Niko Howai

Dr Niko Howai is a research associate in socio-economic and systems modelling at the University of Glasgow on the Fish, Fishers and Finances project. This project, funded by a UKRI Cross-Council award, investigates ornamental fish welfare and bottlenecks across the supply chain to enhance fisher livelihoods and support rainforest conservation in the Brazilian Amazon. Dr Howai uses a mixed-methods approach to value biodiversity and ecosystem services, integrating both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Since 2023, he has also served as an executive member of the Caribbean Agro-Economic Society, and in 2025, he became the Director of Publications.

Background

Previously, Dr Howai worked as a research associate at the Scottish Association for Marine Science and the University of Manchester, a lecturer in Business Analytics at Manchester Metropolitan University, and a tutor at the University of the West Indies, St Augustine Campus. His research focussed on valuing biodiversity in urban environments and evaluating blue finance for seaweed protection and restoration in Southeast Asia. His teaching spans both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, covering topics such as microeconomics, business analytics, and logistics and supply chain management.

He completed a PhD in Agricultural, Environmental and Food Economics at the University of Reading, where his research focussed on mangrove ecosystem services in Tobago. Mangrove-related research remains a core area of interest for him. His doctoral studies were preceded by a Postgraduate Diploma in Logistics and Supply Chain Management at Manchester Metropolitan University, a Master’s degree in Agricultural Economics, and a Bachelor’s degree in Agribusiness from the University of the West Indies, St Augustine Campus in Trinidad.

Research Interests

• Land and oceans
• Biodiversity
• Forests
• Choice modelling
• Environmental and development policies
• Climate adaptation
• Loss and damage from extreme weather
• Global value chains
• General interest in applied economics topics