Cawthron Institute scientist Dr Rebecca McMullin has been awarded a New Zealand Mana Tūāpapa Future Leader Fellowship from Royal Society Te Apārangi to develop tools that will help detect environmental stress caused by offshore aquaculture.
Dr McMullin’s research will strengthen our ability to monitor and understand the health of sensitive seafloor communities, including sponges and bryozoans, as aquaculture expands beyond sheltered coastal areas into deeper offshore waters.
“As our aquaculture industry grows, it is increasingly moving from coastal to offshore environments, creating a need for tools to detect and manage the environmental impacts of these changing practices,” says Dr McMullin.
The project will focus on developing indicators that detect early signs of environmental stress in offshore systems arising from nutrient loading and climate stressors.
“A sophisticated suite of biochemical and molecular analyses will be used to identify critical thresholds that can be scaled up to enable real-world decision-making on ocean monitoring and stewardship,” Dr McMullin explains.
This work aligns closely with Cawthron’s aquaculture and environmental research objectives, which focus on developing innovative tools and knowledge to enable sustainable growth of Aotearoa New Zealand’s seafood sector while protecting marine ecosystems and biodiversity.
Partnerships and engagement are central to the project’s approach.
“Through partnerships and engagement with iwi, regulators, industry, and communities, this research will incorporate mātauranga Māori knowledge and support kaitiakitanga guardianship of taonga treasured species,” she says.
The research will also provide real-world decision-making tools to support the sustainable management of offshore environments that are critical for Aotearoa New Zealand’s growing blue economy.
Dr Rebecca McMullin