Research interests

• Recreational fisheries assessments
• Fisheries enhancement
• Artificial reefs
• Video technology

Background

Michael Lowry is a Fisheries Research Scientist based at the Port Stephens Research Centre. He runs projects relating to the monitoring and enhancement of recreational fisheries. Current Projects include the deployment and monitoring of Estuarine Artificial Reefs and the monitoring of Fish Aggregation Devices (FADs). He also has an interest the use of existing and emerging video technology as a means of monitoring fish population, particularly around artificial structures.

Michael completed his PhD in 1997 (University of NSW) on the 'Home Range and Ecology of the Red Morwong'. He joined NSW Fisheries* in 1998 and has worked on a variety of projects primarily related to the assessment and enhancement of recreational fisheries.

*NSW Department of Primary Industries was formed on July 1, 2004 through an amalgamation of NSW Agriculture, NSW Fisheries, State Forests of NSW and the NSW Department of Mineral Resources.

Qualifications

• B.A. – University of NSW 1985 
• B.Sc. _ University of NSW 1989
• Grad Dip. Aquaculture. – University of Tasmania 1991
• PhD. – University of NSW 1997

Current Projects

• Estuarine Artificial Reef Program.
• Offshore Artificial Reef Program. 
• Fish Aggregation Device (FAD) monitoring program. 
• Bite force and feeding behaviour in the Great White Shark. (Collaborative project between NSW DPI and the computational biomechanical group UNSW).

Recent Publications

Rogers PJ, Ward TM, and Lowry MB (2008) Patterns in the size, age and growth of blue mackerel Scomber australasicus in southern and eastern Australia. Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research. Accepted

Wroe S, Lowry MB, and Anton M (2008) How to build a mammalian super-predator. Zoology 111(3):196-203.

Wroe SW, Huber D, Lowry MB, McHenry C, Moreno K, Clausen P, Cunningham E, Dean M, and Summers A (2008) How hard can a great white bite? Jaw mechanics in Carcharodon carcharias. Zoology. Accepted.

Lowry MB, and Williams D (2008) Lunar landings. The relationship between moon phase and catch rates. pp 35-38 in The Official 2007 Australian Gamefish Journal. Bluewater Publishing, Sydney.

Lowry MB, and Williams D (2008). Harvest of blue mackerel S. australasicus by recreational boat-based fishers off NSW. pp 468 in Ward TM, and Rogers PJ, editors. Development and evaluation of egg-based stock assessment methods for blue mackerel Scomber australasicus in southern Australia, volume 2002/061. Fisheries Research and Development Corporation, Canberra.

Rogers PJ, McLeay LJ, Ward TM, Lowry MB, and Saunders RS (2008) Fisheries, surveys and stock assessment options for blue mackerel Scomber australasicus in southern Australia. Ward TM, and Rogers PJ, editors. Development and evaluation of egg-based stock assessment methods for blue mackerel Scomber australasicus in southern Australia, volume 2002/061. Fisheries Research and Development Corporation, Canberra.

Keane JP, Lowry MB, McLeay LJ, Neira FJ, Ovenden JR, Rogers PJ, Saunders RS, Schmarr D, Ward TM, Whittington ID, and Williams D (2008) Development and evaluation of egg-based stock assessment methods for blue mackerel Scomber australasicus in southern Australia. pp 468 in T. M. Ward, and P. J. Rogers, editors. FRDC Final Report Series. Fisheries Research and Development Corporation, Canberra.

Rogers PJ, Ward TM, McLeay LJ, Lowry MB, and Williams D (2008) Reproductive biology and spawning dynamics of blue mackerel Scomber australasicus off southern and eastern Australia. pp 468 in T. M. Ward, and P. J. Rogers, editors. Development and evaluation of egg-based stock assessment methods for blue mackerel Scomber australasicus in southern Australia, volume 2002/061. Fisheries Research and Development Corporation, Canberra.

Lowry MB, Williams D, and Steffe A (2007) Estimating the baitfish harvest of the NSW Gamefish Tournament Fishery. The Official 2006 Australian Gamefishing Journal. Bluewater Publishing, Sydney.

Lowry MB, Williams D, and Metti Y (2007) Lunar Landings: Relationship between Lunar Phase and Catch Rates in the New South Wales Gamefish-Tournament Fishery. Fisheries Research 88:15-23.

Lowry MB, Steffe A, and D. Williams. (2006). Relationship between bait collection bait type and catch: A comparison of the NSW trailer-boat and gamefish-tournament fisheries. Fisheries Research 78:266-275.

Folpp H and Lowry MB (2006) Factors affecting recreational catch rates associated with a fish aggregating device (FAD) off the NSW coast, Australia. Bulletin of Marine Science. 78(1) 185-194.

Van der Walt B, Faragher R, and Lowry MB (2005) Hooking mortality of released silver perch (Bidyanus bidyanus) after capture by hook-and-line fishing in New South Wales. Asian Fisheries Science 18:207-217.

Lowry MB, Pease CB, Graham K, Walford T (2005) Reducing the mortality of freshwater turtles in commercial fish traps. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 15: 7-21.

Grant TR and Lowry MB (2005) Trapped - Mortality associated with commercial fishing methods. Australian Nature Spring edition.

Lowry MB, and Williams D (2005) Tagging Billfish World Wide. Australian Gamefishing Journal

Lowry MB, Suthers I (2004) Population structure of aggregations, and response to spear fishing, of a large temperate reef fish Cheilodactylus fuscus. Marine Ecology Progress Series 273 199-210.

Grant TR, Lowry MB, Pease B, Walford TR and Graham K (2004) Reducing the by-catch of platypuses (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) in commercial and recreational fishing gear in New South Wales. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 125, 259-272.

Graham K, Lowry MB and Walford T (2004) Carp in NSW: Assessment of distribution Fishery and Fishing methods. NSW Fisheries Final Report Series ISSN1440-3544.

Ortiz M, Prince ED, Serafy JD, Holts DB, Davy KB, Pepperell JG, Lowry MB, Holdsworth JC (2003) A global overview of the major constituent-based billfish tagging programs and their results since 1954. Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 37: 489-509.

Lowry MB, and Murphy JJ (2003) Monitoring the Recreational Game Fish Fishery off South Eastern Australia. Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research. 37: 159 –170.

Lowry MB (2003) Age and Growth of Cheilodactylus fuscus a temperate rocky reef fish NZ. Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research. 37: 159–170.

Murphy JJ, Lowry MB, Henry GW, and Chapman D (2002) The game fish tournament-monitoring program – 1993 to 2000. NSW Fisheries Final Report Series. No. 38. ISSN 1440-3544.

Stewart J, Ferrell B, van der Walt B, Johnson D, Lowry M (2002). Assessment of Length and Age Composition of Commercial Kingfish Landings. FRDC Project No 97/126. NSW Fisheries Final Report Series No. 36 ISSN 1440-3544.

Lowry MB (2001) An integrated framework for monitoring recreational catches from the NSW Gamefish Fishery. Proceedings of the International Billfish Symposium.

Lowry MB, Suthers IM (1998) Home range, activity and distribution patterns of a temperate rocky - reef fish, Cheilodactylus fuscus. Marine Biology 132(4) p 569 - 574.

Fields of Research

• 070403 Fisheries Management 
• 050202 Conservation and Biodiversity 
• 060205 Marine and Estuarine Ecology 
• 050206 Environmental Monitoring
• 050207  Environmental Rehabilitation 
• 070402  Aquatic Ecosystem Studies and Stock Assessment 
• 060202  Community Ecology

Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC)

Keyword/phrase list of research interests

• Recreational Fishing
• Fisheries Enhancement
• Artificial reefs
• Video Technology