Fisheries Science and Management

Over 200 million people rely on fish for their livelihoods, which is a critical protein source for billions of people worldwide. Our research focuses on understanding the biology and ecology of the target, byproduct, and bycatch species; fisheries stock assessment; fisheries management design and evaluation; designing marine protected areas; evaluating ecosystem effects of fishing and management options; and exploring solutions to overfishing and biodiversity loss.

Specialty expertise areas:

• Bioeconomic modeling and stock assessment.
• Life history and ecology of target and by-catch species.
• Spatial ecology of coastal and coral reef fishes, particularly sharks and rays.
• Marine protected area design for fisheries and conservation.
• Ecology of estuaries and coastal wetland ecosystems, in particular nursery ground function.
• Evolutionary and population genetics of aquatic species.
• Seascape and population genomics.
• Threatened, endangered, and protected species assessment.
• Analytical tools for acoustic monitoring studies.
• Policy impact evaluation.

JCU researchers work closely with commercial, recreational, charter, and Indigenous fishers and fisheries managers locally, nationally, and internationally, and they provide advice on fisheries management. JCU staff hold key positions on national and international advisory panels and management bodies actively advising policy and management. JCU’s location links closely with world-leading marine and fisheries research and management agencies and fishing industry groups. JCU staff hold key positions on national and international advisory panels and management bodies such as the IUCN Shark Specialist Group and government reference groups, actively advising policy and management.

This theme is led by Dr Reniel Cabral (reniel.cabral@jcu.edu.au).