SCRC: Seafood CRC: Postdoctoral Research Fellow - SARDI Seafood Processing Scientist
Development of management recommendations to assist in advisories around seafood safety during toxic bloom events in Gippsland Lakes
Seafood CRC: Develop priority R&D projects for the Australian Council of Prawn Fisheries
Seafood CRC: funding options for the Australian wild-catch prawn industry
Seafood CRC: accelerated new product development: blue swimmer crab pilot
National Seafood Industry Leadership Program: 2009-2011
Australian Society for Fish Biology: Scientific networking, early career development, international engagement and 50th celebrations
Stock identity of northern fish species
Final report
The research program supported by this grant was directed at determining the number and distribution of subpopulations or genetic stocks which contribute to Australian fisheries for barramundi, northern sharks, and narrow-barred Spanish mackerel. Starch gel electrophoresis was used to reveal patterns of genetic variation in each species.
The analysis of approximately 4,500 barramundi collected at locations from the Ord River in Western Australia to the Rockhampton area of Queensland revealed the existence of at least 14 genetically discrete stocks. The significant amount of genetic subdivision characterizing Australian barramundi indicates that fisheries regulations and management policies must be focused on individual barramundi stocks in order to be maximally effective. The number and location of reserves, possible stocking of hatchery reared fish, and selective breeding of captive barramundi should all be based upon maintaining and exploiting the naturally occurring genetic heterogeneity of barramundi populations indicated by this study.