1994 - present Senior Lecturer,School of Aquaculture, University of Tasmania; 1988 - 1994 Lecturer, Department of Aquaculture, University of Tasmania; 1985 - 1988 Manager/Biologist, Nubeena Aquaculture, Safcol (Tas.) Pty Ltd., Nubeena, Tasmania.
Research Interests
My main research areas are feeding-associated behaviour, seahorse culture
technique development and more generic finfish husbandry projects. Much of
my work is undertaken with industry and graduate research students. I have
managed salmon seafarms and maintained a close working relationship with sectors
of the finfish aquaculture industry over the last 20 years.
Feeding behaviour
Research on feeding-associated behaviour has been conducted in seacages and
recirculation system based tanks focusing on the species bluefin tuna, Atlantic
salmon, rainbow trout, greenback flounder and pot-bellied seahorses. Diel feeding
rhythms were described in salmon seacages using Aquasmart technology which
is now used in industry to optimise growth and minimise food waste. Tank-based
research on salmonids using video and self-feeder technology has described
food intake following seawater transfer of salmon smolt, diel feeding patterns
of trout, agonistic interactions associated with hierarchies, time-place learning
and food anticipatory activity. Research on flounder showed that ration size,
feeding frequency and meal duration influenced the expression of food anticipatory
activity and that FAA is endogenously driven. Research on the high-value bluefin
tuna is testing the use of body temperature changes as a technique to measure
food and energy intake when tuna are fed baitfish. In much of this research
the process of tracking and identifying fish is important. In a project with
the School of Computing (PhD student - Tom
Pinkiewicz) we are developing computational
techniques to track individuals and groups of fish for research and farm management
purposes.
Seahorse culture techniques
Much of my research on seahorses has been undertaken over the last 10 years
in conjunction with Seahorse World Pty Ltd, Beauty Pt, Tasmania, a company
dedicated to public education and tourism incorporating seahorse and other
species displays, breeding programs and collaborative research activities.
The research has aimed to develop culture techniques and solve problems
associated with the captive breeding of seahorses, with an emphasis on the
pot-bellied seahorse Hippocampus abdominalis. The principal areas of interest
include prey type, food intake, feeding patterns, locomotor activity, colour
conditioning, swim bladder hyperinflation, husbandry, breeding, live transport,
respiration and physiology. The program has attracted a number of international
research students from Germany, Mexico, China and New Zealand, and Australian
students into Honours, Masters and PhD projects.
Fish husbandry
In
addition to the more focused feeding and seahorse projects I also have generated
and co-ordinated projects on marine fish egg incubation and larval rearing,
live feed production, trout egg incubation, temperature effects on trout broodstock
maturation, and most recently on the effect of inland saline water on trout
culture.
Teaching
Year 3 co-ordinator, Work Placement co-ordinator, Chair Community Engagement Committee (including school liaison co-ordinator), Teaching Committee
UnitsSelected Publications:- Purser, J. and Forteath, N. , 2003, 'Salmonids.', Aquaculture: Farming of Aquatic Animals and Plants. Blackwell Publishing, Oxford , pgs. 295-320
- Shapawi, R. and Purser, J., 2003, 'The value of enriched Artemia in supporting growth and survival of juvenile pot-bellied seahorses, Hippocampus abdominalis ', J. World Aquaculture Society, 34, pgs. 533-541
- Shaw, G., Pankhurst, T. and Purser, J. , 2003, 'Prey selection by greenback flounder Rhombosolea tapirina (Günther) larvae.', Aquaculture , 228, pgs. 249-265
- Wilson, Z., Carter, C.G. and Purser, G.J. , 2006, 'Nitrogen budgets for juvenile big-bellied seahorse Hippocampus abdominalis fed Artemia, mysids or pelleted feeds.', Aquaculture, 255, pgs. 233-241
- Martinez-Cardenas, L. and Purser, G.J., 2007, 'Effect of tank colour on Artemia ingestion, growth and survival in cultured early juvenile pot-bellied seahorses (Hippocampus abdominalis). ', Aquaculture, , pgs.
Current and Supervised Project/s:
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