Jose Domingos

BSc. Oceanography; MSc. & PhD Aquaculture

I am passionate about the research and development of new aquaculture technologies, as these are key to allowing businesses in the tropics to achieve profitability and sustainability to feed our growing population. My current research area is focused on breeding and propagation of tropical marine food fishes like barramundi, red snapper, cobia and groupers. In particular, I have been sequencing and genotyping thousands of fish from commercial farms in different production environments (RAS, ponds and seacages) to understand the genetic architecture of growth and disease resistance. Through the development of genomic selection algorithms we can predict the genetic merit of broodstock candidates and inform hatcheries which fish to breed so to boost productivity of the farms. I have also helped to design and build, remodel, train staff and/or operate about ten commercial hatcheries, as without proper breeding we cannot advance in selective breeding. 

I have also a long involvement with commercial shrimp and marine finfish operations. Prior to joining the James Cook University (Australia) Aquaculture research team in 2008, I worked as a production manager for several shrimp farms in the South and Northeast of Brazil, where I supervised over 700 hectares of shrimp farming and produced over 4,000 tons of export quality produce. Living and working in several continents and being an aquaculture business insider have given me a unique perspective to understand industry needs while connecting at a deep level with individuals from diverse backgrounds. Trained in Brazil (Oceanography, FURG; MSc. Aquaculture, UFSC) and Australia (PhD Aquaculture Genetics, JCU), I have over 25 years of combined industry, government, and academic background. My academic work is industry-driven, whereby I collaborate with commercial partners in the development of purpose-built production facilities for the use of genetically superior strains. I am also passionate about the training of aquaculture staff and students through hands-on experiences and discoveries that make a difference for the life in the tropics. In my spare time, I share this knowledge to a broader audience via my YouTube channel Hashtag Fish.