FRDC is thrilled to unveil a stellar lineup of research partners at FishTank, an interactive hub for research presentations at Seafood Directions 2024.
Eight exceptional research partners from across Australia will bring their research to life in unique ways, including virtual reality experiences with artificial reefs, live demonstrations of tuna longlining and preventing flyback, opportunities to sample jellyfish, and even a climate-themed game of (sea)snakes and ladders!
Don’t miss your chance to experience the forefront of FRDC research—purchase your ticket for Seafood Directions and visit FishTank to witness these presentations firsthand.
Meet the Finalists
Sarah Ugalde (Project 2020-073)
Sarah is collaborating with NRE Tas and TARfish to explore the benefits of artificial reefs in Tasmania and the methods to assess their success. At FishTank, she plans to give attendees an immersive, underwater virtual reality experience to view artificial reef structures and see the marine life they support.
Learn more about the project
Phil Ravanello (Project 2020-041)
Preventing ‘flyback’ - hooks flying back at fishers while setting longlines – is a priority for tuna longliners. Tuna Australia and researchers at the Australian Maritime College have designed a device to reduce injuries and potentially save the lives of tuna fishers while also mitigating wildlife interactions. FishTank provides a platform to showcase safety techniques, videos, props and a live demo of the flyback device.
Learn more about the project
Ana Rubio (Project 2023-036)
Ana’s research addresses the surge in jellyfish blooms in the Hawkesbury estuary. These blooms are impacting net and trawl fishers’ ability to fish in some areas. At FishTank, she’ll present environmental drivers of jellyfish blooms, lifecycle diagrams of the Blubber Jellyfish and offer the exciting opportunity to taste-test some jellyfish.
Jimmy Hortle (Project 2023-087)
Working with IMAS professor Jeff Ross, Jimmy’s project aims to boost dissolved oxygen levels in Macquarie Harbour to aid the recovery of Maugean Skate. He will use models and a scale oxygenation unit to visually represent the Macquarie Harbour’s environmental conditions and demonstrate how oxygenation might be used in the Harbour.
Learn more about the project
Francisca Samsing (2023-006)
Global and domestic trends in aquatic animal production and trade indicate that Australia will increasingly require agile, strong, and modern diagnostic systems to effectively manage disease risks. Francisca’s project seeks to forecast diagnostic needs and understand the changing demands for aquatic animal health diagnostic services in Australia.
Francisca will be showcasing some of the preliminary data from the project and the importance of using social sciences to understand future needs. This will involve the project team doing a ‘roleplay’ and incorporating live audience feedback.
Liam Fullbrook (Project 2023-011)
Sea Change Australia examines how the fisheries and aquaculture sectors can adapt to climate change through a project aimed at enhancing climate literacy and promoting resilience within these industries.
At FishTank, Liam (Sea Change Australia’s project manager) will engage the audience with interactive games and discussions related to climate change adaptation in fisheries and aquaculture to emphasise the importance of collaboration between industry stakeholders, researchers and government bodies.
Learn more about the project
Sandra Infante Villamil (Project 2020-106)
Sandra, the Research and Development Officer at Ornatas, will be presenting innovative research tools and documented footage from the "Pioneering Tropical Rock Lobster Raft Grow-out for Northern Australia" project. This initiative used a production-to-market pipeline to evaluate the grow out of hatchery produced juvenile lobsters in land-based raft enclosures in Northern Australia.
Learn more about the project
Julie Robins (Projects 2021-119 & 2019-062)
Julie will present insights from her work on mud crab research in Queensland, focusing on gear impacts and the migration of spawning females. Her FishTank display will include a crab pot with escape vents used from the project, microPAT satellite tags, and the research videos that went viral.
Learn more about Project 2021-119 | Learn more about Project 2019-062
Come visit FishTank to see these exciting research projects in action!
Purchase tickets for Seafood Directions
