Current Projects
The Fish and Fisheries Lab aims to produce research that can be used in everyday life, in decision-making, and for sustainability. The Lab is currently working with communities, governments, and industries on projects ranging from shark and swimmer safety, the biology, life history and sustainability of sharks and rays in fisheries, to working with Indigenous communities in far north Queensland on monitoring their fisheries.
At a glimpse...
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Investigating the relationship between hook time and survival in the Queensland Shark Control Program for bull (Carcharhinus leucas) and pigeye (Carcharhinus amboinensis) sharks.
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Linking diet and body condition in juvenile Giant Shovelnose Rays (Glaucostegus typus)
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TrackdAT, an acoustic telemetry metadata dataset to support aquatic animal tracking research
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Building shark and ray research and conservation capacity in South East Asia
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Profiling river sharks and rays in Kalimantan, Indonesia
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Exploring cultural connections with sharks to bridge the gap between conservation, livelihoods, and people in the Philippines
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Reviewing grey literature of fish maw to profile its supply and demand, management gaps, and social implications
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Leading the scientific design and quality review of the PADI Global Shark & Ray Census
Letting Sharks Off the Hook
Investigating the relationship between hook time and survival in the Queensland Shark Control Program
Dylan Baker, Andrew Chin, Ana Barbosa Martins | working with Matthew Campbell (QDAF)
The Queensland Shark Control Program (QSCP) is a bather safety initiative that uses drumlines to catch and relocate sharks from popular beaches. As many shark species face population declines, it is critical to explore alternative methods to reduce mortality while ensuring bather safety. This project will assess the impact of variations in gear type, hook time, and other biotic factors on the mortality of bull (Carcharhinus leucas) and pigeye (Carcharhinus amboinensis) sharks in the program.
Dylan Baker
Digging Deeper
Linking diet and body condition in juvenile Giant Shovelnose Rays (Glaucostegus typus)
Aliah Banchik, Ana Barbosa Martins | working with Prof Marcus Sheaves (Coastal Wetland Ecology Group) & Jaelen Myers (Coastal Wetland Ecology Group)
Aliah’s research examines the diet and body condition of juvenile giant shovelnose rays in an intertidal sandflat nursery. By studying their feeding habits, nutritional intake, and body condition, the research aims to better understand their ecology and health during early life stages. The study uses techniques such as gastric lavage and body condition assessments (like Fulton’s K and Girth Condition Analysis) to provide data on how these rays utilise the nursery habitat, contributing to the knowledge of their ecological roles and development.
Funded by The Explorer's Club
TrackdAT
An acoustic telemetry metadata dataset to support aquatic animal tracking research
TrackdAT is an open-source metadata dataset where AT research parameters are catalogued to provide scientists, managers, and other stakeholders with the ability to efficiently identify and evaluate existing peer-reviewed research. Extracted metadata encompasses key information about biological and technical aspects of research, providing a comprehensive summary of existing AT research.
Ana Barbosa Martins (JCU and Dalhousie University, Canada) | working with Jordan K. Matley (Flinders University, Australia), Natalie V. Klinard (Dalhousie University), Arun Oakley-Cogan (Dalhousie University), Charlie Huveneers (Flinders University), and Christopher S. Vandergoot (Michigan State University, USA)
Aaron T. Fisk, University of Windsor, Canada
Funded by the Great Lakes Fishery Commission
Building shark and ray research and conservation capacity in South East Asia
Funded by the Shark Conservation Fund
with support from the Save Our Seas Foundation and Synchronicity Earth
Andrew Chin, Neil Hutchinson, Mina Hatayama | working with Dr Vinay Udyawer (AIMS), Dr. Hollie Booth
South East Asia is a hub for the global trade in shark products, including major consumers of shark products and on the other hand, the world's largest shark fisheries. This project is bringing 36 delegates from 9 countries to James Cook University Singapore for a week-long shark research and conservation workshop to build the capacity of shark and ray researchers and conservation practitioners across the region.
Profiling river sharks and rays in Kalimantan, Indonesia
Michael Grant, Andrew Chin | Working with Naomi Gardiner (JCU), and Jamaluddin Jompa, Nadiarti N Kadir, Rohani Ambo Rappe, Dian Budiman (Hasanuddin University)
The sharks and rays of Kalimantan in Borneo are poorly documented, especially riverine sharks and rays which typically are amongst the most threatened of the elasmobranchs. The capital of Indonesia is slated to be relocated to Kalimantan which may have significant impacts on surrounding catchments, rivers, and the species within them. Working jointly with Hasanuddin University, the project will collect baseline data on river fisheries, their interactions with sharks and rays, and the cultural and livelihood values associated with these species. This data will be used to build species-specific vulnerability profiles to help inform Indonesian managers in choosing future management options.
Funded by the Save Our Seas Foundation
Sharks in Culture
Exploring cultural connections to bridge the gap between conservation, livelihoods, and people
Melissa Ciampaglia, Andrew Chin | Working with A/Prof. Simon Foale (JCU), Dr. Vanessa Jaiteh (University of Bern), Sally Snow (LAMAVE), Jessica Labaja (LAMAVE), David Garcia (LAMAVE)
Melissa Ciampaglia
This interdisciplinary study explores the cultural ties that Filipino fishers and tourism operators have to sharks and rays, aiming to enhance conservation efforts. Through semi-structured interviews, it identifies how these connections may influence conservation and fisheries management outcomes in the Philippines, where unintentional bycatch and targeted fishing still occur today. In collaboration with the Large Marine Vertebrates Research Institute Philippines (LAMAVE), this study also explores how conservation messaging may influence local perceptions, attitudes, and behaviours.
Fish Maw in Grey Literature
Grey literature profiles supply and demand, management gaps, and social implications on the globalisation of fish maw
Liat Dayan, Michael Grant, Andrew Chin | Working with A/Prof. Simon Foale (JCU)
There is a lack of primary literature on source nations, values, species, trends in frequency of catch; market chains, and socio-economic dynamics of fishers, and how fish maw is influencing their fishing behaviour and livelihoods. However, implication arising from fish maw in source countries are regularly reported in the media. In this project I will conduct a systematic literature review on grey literature around fish maw, and how information in such articles compares to what is said/available in published literature. This will involve information coding and situating information compiled with existing literature. The projects primary output seeks to publish a literature review on characteristics of fish maw trade in low-income source nations and uses in high-income end-use nations. This information will feed into global management initiatives on fish maw including increased attention from the Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES).
PADI Global Shark & Ray Census
Andrew Chin, Ana Barbosa Martins, | Working with Ian Campbell (PADI AWARE)
PADI is the world’s largest training and development organisation for scuba divers. The PADI Global Shark and ray Census will capitalize on the vast global network of PADI professionals, divers, and ocean enthusiasts to build a global dataset of shark and ray sightings and encounters. The census will include structured monitoring at specific sites to track population trends. The F&F Lab is leading the scientific design and quality review of the PADI census data, and data analysis and reporting for management and conservation.
Funded by the PADI Aware Foundation
