Photograph in Fred Lewis’ Fish and Fishing Waters, 1925
While undertaking research on other matters, I stumbled – thanks to the inimitable Gilbert Percy Whitley – on a chapter in Sir James Barrett’s 1925 book Save Australia: a plea for the right use of our flora and fauna (Macmillan and Co. Ltd. London), By Fred Lewis, entitled Save Australia: Fish and Fishing Waters. Continue reading
Murray cod in Mullaroo Creek, 2004
Hi all, I wanted to let you all know that I am just starting to research and write a book entirely devoted to Murray cod. It is tentatively called: ‘The Life and Times of the Murray Cod’, to be published by CSIRO Publishing.
It will included details of the species’ origins, Indigenous and European significance, biology, fishing (both recreational and commercial), conservation and management, and prospects for the future. It is targeted at the interested general public, people interested in natural history, Indigenous groups, fishers, high-school students and anyone who is a fan of or interested in knowing more about this iconic species.
It will NOT be a fishing book….although fishers will find a lot in there for them.
Now, why I am writing this post, is that in the book, I plan to have a chapter on Indigenous cultural, fishing, and other significance of Murray cod. I would like to write this chapter in collaboration with one, two or three or more Aboriginal people, who have a particular interest in these aspects of Murray cod. So, can anyone reading this post, please put the word out there for people who might be keen to be involved to get in contact with me. I want the voice to be an Aboriginal voice and the words to be Aboriginal words and the ideas and priorities to Aboriginal ideas and priorities. I had to propose a brief structure of each chapter when pitching the idea to CSIRO Publishing, but that can change to be more appropriate.
PLEASE DON’T SEND ANY PHOTOS OF BIG OR SMALL MURRAY COD.
You can either post a comment here or email me at phumphries@csu.edu.au or even try calling me on (02) 60519920 at Charles Sturt University.
Looking to hearing from you, Paul Humphries, August 17, 2019.
Growth rings on a100 day-old Australian smelt otolith
A few years ago, I was asked to comment on plans for environmental flow releases to sustain populations of river fish in south-eastern Australia. The authorities had already decided on the target fish species: understandably, recreational fishes, and some small, threatened fishes. When I asked over the phone – reasonably, I thought – how the decision-makers had taken into account life history in their choice of target species, I was told that they hadn’t, and didn’t see how life history was relevant. My exasperated response was: “How can you not consider life history? It is all about life history!” The person on the other end of the line made some incoherent mumbling sounds, clearly didn’t know how to respond and hung up soon after. That was the last I heard from them. Continue reading
A recent paper in the journal Biological Invasions, led by Keller Kopf, and co-authored by me, and other Australian and international experts on fish, biocontrol and virology, asks difficult but important questions about the efficacy of the proposed release of the carp herpesvirus (CyHV-3). Continue reading
New research is underway as part of the Murray-Darling Environmental Water Knowledge and Research program, which is investigating how flow influences the key environmental conditions and interacts with fish species traits to enable recruitment of riverine fishes. It is a collaboration among a range of organisations across the Murray-Darling Basin, and involves a synthesis of existing knowledge and development of a new recruitment model, and field and laboratory work to test some of the key hypotheses. Read more about it here..
Two PhD scholarships are available through the School of Environmental Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Albury, Australia to investigate aspects of fish and food webs in Murray-Darling Basin rivers:
Advertiser: Charles Sturt University
Location: Albury, NSW Australia
Salary: Stipend: $27,082 (tax free) per year over 3 years
Two exciting opportunities exist to carry out a PhD project in the School of Environmental Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Albury NSW Australia. The scholarships are available to support Post Graduate students undertaking research projects that include, but are not limited to:
As well as an annual stipend ($27,082) and operating funds (up to $5000 per year) to support travel and fieldwork, successful applicants will have the opportunity to engage with natural resource managers and scientists at other research organisations to develop their respective projects. If successful, tuition and fees will be covered by the scholarship for a period of three years.
Potential candidates will need a First Class Honours, or a Masters degree with a research component.
Send an expression interest (including a CV and a cover letter) outlining your experience and research interests to Dr R. Keller Kopf, Charles Sturt University: email: rkopf@csu.edu.au (phone: 02 6051 9294). Applicants are encouraged to visit the Institute for Land Water and Society Fish Ecology Collaborative Research Unit webpage and contact R. Keller Kopf before submitting an expression interest.
Successful applicants will need to apply through Charles Sturt University for a relevant scholarship for doctoral studies e.g. Australian Post Graduate Award (APA), ILWS or International Postgraduate Research Scholarship. Further details are at: http://www.csu.edu.au/research/scholarships
Expressions of interest close 24 October 2017.
R. Keller Kopf, Charles Sturt University; Dale Nimmo, Charles Sturt University, and Paul Humphries, Charles Sturt University
In 1977, on the islands of French Polynesia, government authorities released a predatory snail. They hoped this introduction would effectively control another species of invasive snail, previously introduced to supply escargot. 
Instead, by the early 1980s, scientists reported alarming declines of native snail populations. Within ten years, 48 native snail species (genus Partula) had been driven to extinction in the wild.
The extinction of the Partula is notorious partially because these snails were, before going extinct, the study subjects of the first test in nature of Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection.
In the decades since, attempts to control and eradicate invasive species have become common, generally with far better results.
However, our paper, published today in Nature Ecology and Evolution, highlights the importance of scientific evidence and independent assessments when deciding whether to control or eradicate invasive species. Continue reading
