Dr Shay O’Farrell

Marine Spatial Ecology Lab
School of Biological Sciences
Goddard Building
University of Queensland
Brisbane, QLD 4072

Current address:

Global Change Institute
Gehrmann Building, Level 7
University of Queensland
Brisbane, Qld 4072
Australia

tel: +61 (0)7 3365 1275
email: s.ofarrell@uq.edu.au / s.ofarrell@exeter.ac.uk

I am interested in all facets of fish ecology and, in particular, the way that the dynamics of fish populations are forced by the introduction of novel mortality through fishing and the arrival of invasive predators.  Two of my PhD chapters are focused on the western Atlantic stoplight parrotfish, Sparisoma viride.  In addition to developing individual based simulation models to infer the underlying mortality of populations, I am parameterising existing population projection matrix models to determine the long term effects of various fishing strategies on stoplight populations.  My third chapter focuses on the recovery dynamics of a parrotfish community following the introduction of a fishing ban, using statistical modeling techniques such as nonlinear mixed effects models and zero inflated models.  And finally I am using stable isotope analysis to answer questions about the invasion success of the red lionfish, Pterois volitans, in the wider Caribbean.

Career

August 2004 – May 2006, Chief Technical Advisor, Coral Cay Conservation, Elizabeth House, 39 York Rd, London SE1 7NJ
April – August 2004, Project Scientist, Coral Cay Conservation, Southern Leyte Coral Reef Conservation Project, Southern Leyte, Philippines
January – April 2004, Science Officer, Coral Cay Conservation, Southern Leyte Coral Reef Conservation Project, Philippines
September – December 2002, Marine Scientist, Raleigh International, Curu Wildlife Reserve, Nicoya, Costa Rica
April – September 2001, Divemaster, Waterworld SCUBA Ltd, Kerry, Ireland
September – December 2000, Research Assistant, South African Great White Shark Research Institute, Gansbaai, South Africa
April – August 2000, Research Assistant, Proyecto Ambiental Tenerife, La Hidalga, Tenerife, Canary Islands

Qualifications

M.Sc. Marine Environmental Protection. 2008. Graduated with Distinction. School of Ocean Sciences, University of Bangor, Menai Birdge, UK.

Thesis title: Interference competition among scleractinian corals and macroalgae on post-disturbance reefs in the Chagos Archipelago, Indian Ocean

Selected technical reports

O’Farrell, S., van Bochove, J.W., Bodley, H., Fenner, D. and Raines, P. 2006.  SLCRCP – Results of community and scientific work 2004/05. CCC, London UK

O’Farrell, S., Day, O., Comley, J. and Raines, P. 2005. The 2005 Mass Coral Bleaching Event in Tobago; CCC, London, UK, and Buccoo Reef Trust, Tobago, West Indies.

O’Farrell, S. and Raines, P. 2005. The Goose that lays the Golden Eggs: The Status of the Coral Reefs of Northwest Roatán; CCC, London, UK

Comley, J., O’Farrell, S., Hamylton, S., Ingwersen, C., and Walker, R. 2005. The Impact of the December 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami on the Coral Reefs of Mu Ko Surin Marine National Park, Thailand; CCC, London, UK.

Book chapters

Bouchon, C., Portillo, P., Bouchon-Navaro, Y., Max, L., Hoetjes, P., Brathwaite, A., Roach, R., Oxenford, H.,. Day, O and O’Farrell, S. 2008. Status of coral reefs of the Lesser Antilles after the 2005 coral bleaching event. In Wilkinson, C., Souter, D. (Eds). Status of Caribbean coral reefs after bleaching and hurricanes in 2005. Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network, and Reef and Rainforest Research Centre, Townsville, 152 pp

Selected seminars delivered

“Using an age and size coupled model to explore how mortality changes during the life of a Caribbean reef fish”. September 2010. 85th Australian Coral Reef Society Meeting, Coff’s Harbour, Australia

“The global coral reef crisis”. April 2006. Eton College, Windsor, UK

“The status of the coral reefs of northwest Roatán”. September 2005. Tulum +8 Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System Conference, Cancun, Mexico

“The goose that lays the golden eggs – Economic incentives for reef conservation in Roatán”. July 2005. Roatán Institute for Marine Sciences, Roatán, Bay Islands, Honduras

“Management recommendations for the coral reefs of Sogod Bay”. August 2004. Provincial Development Council Meeting, Maasin City, Philippines