DR GRETTA PECL

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2009 Fulbright Tasmania Scholar

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“Climate change is not only affecting our ecosystems, it is changing scientific priorities, the way we do research, how we make planning decisions and how we design conservation approaches. Adaptation is something we need to do now and the quality of science underpinning this process is crucial.”

Dr Gretta Pecl, a Research Fellow at the Tasmanian Aquaculture & Fisheries Institute, University of Tasmania, is one of two winners of a Fulbright Tasmania Scholarship in 2009. This scholarship is sponsored by the Tasmanian government and the University of Tasmania and is awarded to an applicant to undertake research in the United States on a topic or issue of importance to the state.

Gretta will spend four months at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks undertaking research into how ecological modeling can be used to assess impacts of climate change on the productivity and sustainability of marine resources. She will use the Alaskan Red King Crab and Tasmanian Rock Lobster as case studies.

“Understanding connections between oceanographic processes & responses to climate change by marine species are challenges facing fisheries scientists & resource managers the world over,” Gretta said. “By comparing and contrasting different systems facing similar challenges useful generalities will emerge, assisting us to develop broadly applicable approaches toward sustainable management.”

“Alaska and Tasmania are both ‘hot-spots’ for climate change with increases in ocean temperatures significantly above the global average. Additionally, these areas also support productive and valuable crustacean fisheries, and the University of Alaska Fairbanks and the University of Tasmania both host incredibly active crustacean research programs providing many opportunities to develop sustained collaborations of major benefit to both regions”.

“Techniques developed during the project will initially be applied to assessing climate change impacts on the $61M Tasmanian rock lobster fishery and will provide the basis for similar applications to Tasmania's other fisheries and aquaculture industries”.

Gretta is a graduate of James Cook University with a First Class Honours degree in marine biology and biological science and a PhD degree in marine biology. Since 1999 she has been based at the Tasmanian Aquaculture & Fisheries Institute most recently on an ARC Postdoctoral Fellowship. Gretta has published widely, presented her research in many countries and been awarded more than $1.5M in competitive grants.