Marine Biology & Aquaculture

Tom Lloyd

Tom Lloyd

Alys Young

Alys Young

William Arlidge

William Arlidge

Anna Wilson

Anna Wilson

Kelly Condon

Kelly Condon

Graeme Cumming

Graeme Cumming

Takahiro Shimada

Takahiro Shimada

Peter Doll

Peter Doll

Michela Mitchell

Michela Mitchell

Jan Strugnell

Jan Strugnell

Biosecurity and genetic improvement for disease resistance in large scale shrimp aquaculture (Old ID 27756)
Phoebe Arbon
01 Jul 2022 - 30 Nov 2022
This project aims to facilitate first-hand experience for students in international agricultural research in the Tropics. Activities will involve travel of the student, Phoebe Arbon, accompanied by Prof. Dean Jerry, to facilities including advanced selective shrimp breeding centres, aquatic viral research laboratories and, industrial-scale aquaculture farms in Thailand and Singapore. Travel to these regions presents unique opportunities to enhance Phoebe’s research experience and technical understanding of aquatic animal health, given the presence of highly pathogenic shrimp diseases and aquaculture conditions which are unparalleled in Australia. Engagement made with industry and research groups during the trip will also foster professional networks.
Wuthathi River to reef baselines and monitoring framework
Nathan Waltham
02 May 2025 - 30 Apr 2026
Wuthathi Aboriginal Corporation would like to engage TropWATER JCU to assist with the implementation of the Wuthathi IPA Plan of management. This work will include 4 components to investigate connections from the Harmer River to the inshore Islands including Coastal mangroves. helicopter survey of Wuthathi coastline from Olive River to Captain Billys Landing and offshore islands showing impacts to mangroves. Seagrass. Vessel-based inshore sub-tidal camera drop surveys east and west of Harmer Creek and one day at Bird Island reef flat potentially using walking/quadrat survey methods. Dugong. Desktop analysis of existing data. Vessel-based trip to collect dugong skin samples and survey population and Land-based drone surveys of inshore areas near Ma’au. Aquatic ecosystems and oyster bed surveys. Harmer River assessment and assessment of Ma’au oyster bed and habitat and nearby coastal wetland/saltmarsh and riverine assessment and off-bank assessments of Harmer Creek.
ACIAR PCAARRD Shrimp genomics for health
Dave Jones
01 Jan 2026 - 30 Apr 2026
Multi-disciplinary programmatic research approach that focuses on developing the necessary tools and translatable knowledge to address improving shrimp disease resistance and providing health interventions
Project 5.4 – Innovations To Support Crown-Of-Thorns Starfish Control and the Resilience of the Great Barrier Reef
Peter Doll
01 Feb 2025 - 20 Nov 2026
The Great Barrier Reef (GBR) faces increasing threats from climate-induced mass bleaching, cyclones, and Crown-Of-Thorns Starfish (COTS). To maximise the GBR’s capacity to respond to these threats, it is vital to maintain coral cover and target management actions at the locations that best support the resilience of the GBR. Of the major threats to the GBR, only COTS can currently be directly managed. Australia’s COTS control program has already acted to reduce coral mortality at over 450 reefs. This project will develop innovations that increase the efficiency of COTS control, enabling protection of more reefs and more coral. To maximise the resilience of the GBR, we must target protection to networks of reefs that can function together to rapidly recover from disturbance. This project will build our understanding of the factors and locations that support the resilience of the GBR. The research will be closely partnered to deliver directly to research-users in the COTS Control Program and the Reef Authority. The innovations developed will progress the adaptive management of the resilience of Australia’s marine ecosystems.
IkanAdapt - Securing Timor-Leste’s Fisheries for Sustainability and Ecological Resilience
Reniel Cabral
01 Mar 2025 - 15 Mar 2027
JCU's Centre for Sustainable Fisheries & Aquaculture is to be engaged by WorldFISH under the auspices of the Global Environment Fund (GEF) program 'IKANAdapt' for Timor-Leste. The overarching goal is to enable Timor-Leste stakeholders in evidence-based decisions towards the sustainable use and conservation of coastal and aquatic resources. JCU's work is two-fold. Part 1 will undertake coastal biodiversity assessment and conservation plans for 2-3 provinces, with a focus on coastal and aquatic habitats, inclusive of action plans for 3 endangered, threatened and protected (ETP) species and at least 1 wetland. Part 2 will develop and deliver a co-management training program for provincial level government officers in the Ministry of Fisheries. It will include a capacity evaluation of stakeholders, contextualised co-management curriculum, delivery of pilot-workshops in priority district's and a proposal for scaling out.
IkanAdapt - Securing Timor-Leste’s Fisheries for Sustainability and Ecological Resilience
Naomi Gardiner
01 Mar 2025 - 15 Mar 2027
JCU's Centre for Sustainable Fisheries & Aquaculture is to be engaged by WorldFISH under the auspices of the Global Environment Fund (GEF) program 'IKANAdapt' for Timor-Leste. The overarching goal is to enable Timor-Leste stakeholders in evidence-based decisions towards the sustainable use and conservation of coastal and aquatic resources. JCU's work is two-fold. Part 1 will undertake coastal biodiversity assessment and conservation plans for 2-3 provinces, with a focus on coastal and aquatic habitats, inclusive of action plans for 3 endangered, threatened and protected (ETP) species and at least 1 wetland. Part 2 will develop and deliver a co-management training program for provincial level government officers in the Ministry of Fisheries. It will include a capacity evaluation of stakeholders, contextualised co-management curriculum, delivery of pilot-workshops in priority district's and a proposal for scaling out.
IkanAdapt - Securing Timor-Leste’s Fisheries for Sustainability and Ecological Resilience
Nathan Waltham
01 Mar 2025 - 15 Mar 2027
JCU's Centre for Sustainable Fisheries & Aquaculture is to be engaged by WorldFISH under the auspices of the Global Environment Fund (GEF) program 'IKANAdapt' for Timor-Leste. The overarching goal is to enable Timor-Leste stakeholders in evidence-based decisions towards the sustainable use and conservation of coastal and aquatic resources. JCU's work is two-fold. Part 1 will undertake coastal biodiversity assessment and conservation plans for 2-3 provinces, with a focus on coastal and aquatic habitats, inclusive of action plans for 3 endangered, threatened and protected (ETP) species and at least 1 wetland. Part 2 will develop and deliver a co-management training program for provincial level government officers in the Ministry of Fisheries. It will include a capacity evaluation of stakeholders, contextualised co-management curriculum, delivery of pilot-workshops in priority district's and a proposal for scaling out.
Living Water RUIC: Crayfeed
Leo Nankervis
15 Jun 2025 - 01 Feb 2026
The redclaw crayfish industry is positioned for growth since the hatchery supply has recently been debottlenecked. This project will address the next major bottleneck in feed supply. We have demonstrated on a lab-scale that there is a large scope for production improvement with improved nutrition, however this knowledge needs to be developed in the context of implementation. This project will scope the existing feed supply and engage with the manufacturer around their capacity and limitations in production of improved redclaw feed. This will form the basis of further research design that will inform implementable changes to improve redclaw production.
Living Water RUIC: Crayfeed
Leo Nankervis
15 Jun 2025 - 01 Feb 2026
The redclaw crayfish industry is positioned for growth since the hatchery supply has recently been debottlenecked. This project will address the next major bottleneck in feed supply. We have demonstrated on a lab-scale that there is a large scope for production improvement with improved nutrition, however this knowledge needs to be developed in the context of implementation. This project will scope the existing feed supply and engage with the manufacturer around their capacity and limitations in production of improved redclaw feed. This will form the basis of further research design that will inform implementable changes to improve redclaw production.
Living Water RUIC: Crayfeed
Simon Das
15 Jun 2025 - 01 Feb 2026
The redclaw crayfish industry is positioned for growth since the hatchery supply has recently been debottlenecked. This project will address the next major bottleneck in feed supply. We have demonstrated on a lab-scale that there is a large scope for production improvement with improved nutrition, however this knowledge needs to be developed in the context of implementation. This project will scope the existing feed supply and engage with the manufacturer around their capacity and limitations in production of improved redclaw feed. This will form the basis of further research design that will inform implementable changes to improve redclaw production.

Reef degradation and the loss of critical ecosystem goods and services provided by coral reef fishes

Defining shark ecological specialisation: concepts, context, and examples

Tus-Ter-lock immuno-PCR assays for the sensitive detection of tropomyosin-specific IgE antibodies

A biogeographical history and timeline for the evolution of Australian snapping turtles (Elseya: Chelidae) in Australia and New Guinea

Assessing connectivity of a tropical estuarine teleost through otolith elemental profiles

Next-generation transcriptome profiling reveals insights into genetic factors contributing to growth differences and temperature adaptation in Australian populations of barramundi (Lates calcarifer)

Next generation of food allergen quantification using mass spectrometric systems

Temporal evolution of coral reef fishes: global patterns and disparity in isolated locations

Effects of dietary mannan oligosaccharide supplementation on juvenile spiny lobster Panulirus homarus (Palinuridae)

Social-ecological systems as complex adaptive systems: modeling and policy implications

Title: JCU reef scientist goes global after plumbing the depths, Townsville Bulletin
Reseracher: Gemma Galbraith (AIMS@JCU Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Reef Connectivity)
Start Date: 10 Nov 2024
Title: Deep dive: How I use robots to survey coral reefs, Nature
Reseracher: Gemma Galbraith (AIMS@JCU Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Reef Connectivity)
Start Date: 31 Mar 2025
Title: Wet Tropics Management Authority - Scientific Advisory Committee
Reseracher: Nathan Waltham (Associate Professor, Blue Carbon)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2024
Title: Aquaculture without Frontiers (AwF), Australia
Reseracher: Simon Das (Research Fellow - Grouper Nutrition)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2024
End Date: 01 Jan 2027
Title: Australian Coral Reef Society
Reseracher: Morgan Pratchett (Professor, Marine Biology & Aquaculture)
Title: International Coral Reef Society
Reseracher: Morgan Pratchett (Professor, Marine Biology & Aquaculture)
Title: BSc Ecology, University of Cape Town
Reseracher: Mark Cyrus (Senior Lecturer Aquaculture Macroalgae)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2004
End Date: 01 Jan 2006
Title: BSc Honours, University of Cape Town
Reseracher: Mark Cyrus (Senior Lecturer Aquaculture Macroalgae)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2007
End Date: 01 Jan 2007
Title: PhD, James Cook University
Reseracher: Leo Nankervis (Associate Professor, Aquaculture)
Start Date: 01 Jan 2002
End Date: 01 Jan 2005
Title: BSc(Hons), James Cook University
Reseracher: Leo Nankervis (Associate Professor, Aquaculture)
Start Date: 01 Jan 1996
End Date: 01 Jan 1999