Welcome to the Fisheries Centre

Fisheries Ecosystems Restoration Research (FERR) . Tony Pitcher and his research group focus on modelling and evaluation in support of policy goals that reconcile the preservation of biodiversity and services with sustainable and responsible fisheries. The group pioneers new techniques in restoration ecology for a wide range of marine and freshwater ecosystems from around the globe. Techniques include Back to the Future, the restoration of past ecosystems that maximise sustainable future benefits in the face of risks from climate fluctuations and change; and Rapfish, a rapid appraisal method for evaluating sustainability or compliance with international codes of conduct.

Project Seahorse advances marine conservation by undertaking biological and social research, then applying its findings to the management of populations, habitats, fisheries, and trades. Amanda Vincent and the rest of the team are active around the world, using seahorses as flagship species for broad issues.

The Fisheries Economics Research Unit studies the economics of capture and aquaculture fishery resources. Under the guidance of Rashid Sumaila , the unit explores how ecosystems can provide sustainable and equitable economic and social benefits to both present and future generations, while maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services.

The Marine Mammal Research Unit , led by Andrew Trites , conducts multidisciplinary research on marine mammals in the field, in captivity and in the laboratory. Members address pressing questions on the natural history, biology and conservation of marine mammals, and provide independent research and advice.

The Sea Around Us was established by Daniel Pauly to document large-scale impacts on marine ecosystems and find solutions to the challenges they pose. Its work is cataloged and accessible on the web, offering ecosystem data, distribution maps and catch data for more than 1,000 species, historical trends and peer-reviewed publications.

The Quantitative Modeling Group develops mathematical models to help fisheries biologists and resource managers adapt in the face of the extreme uncertainty that characterizes many marine ecosystems. Carl Walters and Steve Martell work with population dynamics and sustainable resource management. Murdoch McAllister focuses on developing and applying Bayesian statistical methods for fisheries management, while Villy Christensen works with ecosystem modeling and the further development of Ecopath with Ecosim.

The Aboriginal Fisheries Research Unit combines traditional ecological knowledge and modern science to support more effective ecosystem and aquatic resource management.  The unit, led by David Close, employs a multi-disciplinary approach including aquatic ecology and fish physiology directed toward the maintenance of sustainable aquatic resources that support aboriginal communities.