Award-winning student unlocks secrets of turban snails

Turban snails underneath kelp canopy.

NSW Department of Primary Industries Chief Scientist, Steve Kennelly, today presented the annual John Holliday Student Conservation Award to Dr Amy Smoothey, a PhD student from the University of Sydney.

"Dr Smoothey won the award for her research into the ecology of two species of harvested turban snails," said Mr Kennelly.

"Commercial and recreational fishers harvest these two species of snail year round for their fleshy foot. Dr Smoothey conducted experiments to test the relationships between the habitats, distributions, abundances and size-structures of these snails.

"Dr Smoothey’s research will provide us with a better understanding of the processes that influence these species, which in turn will help us manage their harvesting in an ecologically sustainable way.

Entrants are judged by a panel, comprising two senior researchers from NSW DPI, the commercial fishing industry and a NSW conservation group.

"This award aims to encourage post-graduate students to share their research findings on topics relevant to aquatic habitat management and fish conservation with my department" he said.

The award program is presented in memory of the late Dr John Holliday who dedicated 26 years to working for fisheries conservation with the former NSW Fisheries, now part of the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI).

The winning entry attracts a cash prize of $2,000 and a Certificate of Achievement.

"Dr Holliday made a huge contribution to the work undertaken here and successfully pioneered the Department’s involvement in aquatic habitat and fish conservation issues" said Mr Kennelly.

All post-graduate students currently enrolled at an Australian university and completing fisheries conservation-related research in NSW are eligible to enter the award program.

Calls for applicants for the 2008 award will be made within the next month.

Further reading

Common recreational species - Turban snails

Bag and size limits - saltwater