Red handfish conservation and recovery efforts

Conservation and recovery efforts for the critically endangered red handfish

The red handfish is a small, cryptic marine fish that exists only in Tasmania, and is Critically Endangered with a population of fewer than one hundred adults left in the wild. This presentation will outline the efforts that are under way at the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (University of Tasmania) to address the threats to the species through a range of strategies that aim to improve survival, mitigate their key impacts, and restore and protect their habitat.

We are very fortunate to have three expert speakers from IMAS: Dr Andrew Trotter, Dr Jemina Stuart-Smith, and Ness Delpero. This is a great opportunity to hear about conservation and recovery efforts close to home.

This special floor talk is in acknowledgement of World Environment Day, which falls on Wednesday 5 June this year.

ABOUT OUR SPEAKERS

• Dr Andrew Trotter is a Tasmania-born biologist currently working at the Institute for Marine & Antarctic Studies (University of Tasmania). His PhD study was on rearing marine fish larvae, he worked as a post-doc studying mutant zebrafish, and spent years as an environmental consultant based in Perth assessing risks to troglofauna and stygofauna in the Pilbara. He is a naturalist at heart with a deep interest in conservation and a member of the National Handfish Recovery Team.
• Dr Jemina Stuart-Smith is a marine ecologist at the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (University of Tasmania). She co-leads the IMAS threatened species and ecosystems team, and the Handfish Conservation Project. Jemina’s work focusses on aiding the recovery of critically endangered handfish species in Tasmania and restoration of their habitats. She has a keen interest in marine conservation and science education, and is a member of the National Handfish Recovery Team.
• Ness Delpero is the senior technician for the Red Handfish Conservation Project at IMAS. She studied marine science and has several years of experience in aquaculture, particularly in shellfish selective breeding. Currently, her primary responsibilities are the red handfish captive breeding program, where she oversees aquaculture systems and eagerly engages in habitat conservation initiatives.

This is a FREE event and you are welcome to bring along non-member friends.