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Staff Profile

John Merrick
Visiting Fellow

Room:	E8B 311
Phone:	+61 2 9850 7974
Fax:	+61 2 9850 7972
Email:	jmerrick@gse.mq.edu.au

Research Interest

Conservation and management of natural freshwater fisheries in Australia and the development of aquaculture, including:

• diversity and biology of freshwater fishes and crayfishes;
• biogeography of freshwater fishes and crayfishes;
• aquatic habitat preferences, impacts of introduced species or disease;
• waterway-riparian zone protection and restoration.

Research programmes have always been directed towards the practical and applied aspects of freshwater fishery management. In addition to identifying priority areas for research of aquatic systems, publications have demonstrated the problems of attempting to apply conventional short-term economic strategies to dynamic natural systems running on a number of cycles of widely differing time scales.

Teaching

• Convenor and lecturer in ENV200 - Introduction to Environmental Studies
• Contributes to BIOL350. Aboriginal Impact on Australian Ecosystems
  (Guest lecturer on: Exploitation of Aquatic Species by Aborigines).
• Advising postgraduate students on editorial or presentation matters as well as publication options.

Affiliations and Community Service

Membership of Professional Organisations:

• Australian Society for Fish Biology
• Australian Society for Limnology Inc.
• International Association of Astacology
• Linnean Society of New South Wales ( formerly Journal Editor, Member of Council)

Community Activities

Act as public resource. Maintain contact with native fish interest groups (e.g. Australia New Guinea Fishes Association) with periodic talks on relevant topics. Provide information for Museum displays and occasional identification of specimens.

Publications

Over 75 publications have included 6 books, many refereed papers and general articles on aquaculture and freshwater fisheries management, reproduction and taxonomy of a range of Australian native fishes as well as ecology and conservation management of endemic crayfishes.

Recent papers (since 1997)

1. Merrick, J.R. 1997a. The conservation of freshwater fishes in Australia: politics, bureaucracy and potential roles for aquarists. Aquarium Sciences and Conservation, Vol. 1, pp. 29-35.
2. Merrick, J. R. 1997b. Conservation and field management of the freshwater crayfish, Euastacus spinifer (Decapoda: Parastacidae), from the Sydney region, Australia. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales, Vol. 118, pp. 217-225.
3. Kohen, J.L. and Merrick, J.R. 1998. Limited usage of crayfishes (genus Euastacus) by Aborigines in eastern New South Wales; records and comments. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales, Vol. 119, pp. 101-105.
4. Merrick, J.R. 1998. Endemic crayfishes of the Sydney region. Distribution, biology and management options. Graduate School of the Environment Research Report, No. 9812, pp. 1-118. Macquarie University, Sydney.
5. Owen, J.F. and Merrick, J.R. 1998. Re-interpretation of remains of snapper (Pagrus auratus) from Holocene middens at Bass Point and Currarong, New South Wales. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales, Vol. 120, pp. 191-201.
6. Merrick, J.R. 2005b. Euastacus spinifer (Family Parastacidae). Sydney crayfish. http://www.deh.gov.au/cgi-bin/species-bank/sbank-treatment2.pl?id=81553
7. Basden, A.M., Trinajstic, K.M. and Merrick, J.R. 2006. Eons of fishy fossils. Pp. 131 -157. In Merrick, J.R., Archer, M., Hickey, G.M. and Lee, M.S.Y. (eds). Evolution and Biogeography of Australasian Vertebrates. Auscipub Pty. Ltd., Sydney. 942 pp.
8. Merrick, J.R. 2006. Australasian freshwater fish faunas: diversity, interrelationships, radiations and conservation. Pp. 195 – 224. In Merrick, J.R., Archer, M., Hickey, G.M. and Lee, M.S.Y. (eds). Evolution and Biogeography of Australasian Vertebrates. Auscipub Pty. Ltd., Sydney. 942 pp.
9. Merrick, J.R., Archer, M., Hickey, G.M. and Lee. M.S.Y. (eds). 2006. Evolution and Biogeography of Australasian Vertebrates. Auscipub Pty. Ltd., Sydney. 942 pp.
10. Gilligan, D., Rolls, R., Merrick, J., Lintermans, M., Duncan, P. and Kohen, J. 2007. Scoping the knowledge requirements for Murray crayfish (Euastacus armatus). NSW Department of Primary Industries - Fisheries Final Report Series,.No. 89, pp.1 – 103. (MDBC Project No: 05/1066).

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