Dr John Purser

PhD (Aberdeen, Scotland), BAppSc (CIAE, Rockhampton)
Senior Lecturer & Deputy Head of School

Contact Details

Launceston Campus, Science Building, S.321
Phone: +61 3 6324 3820
Fax: +61 3 6324 3804
John.Purser@utas.edu.au

Current: Senior Lecturer, Head Department of Seafood Quality and Safety, NCMCRS
1994-2007 Senior Lecturer,School of Aquaculture, University of Tasmania
1988-1994 Lecturer, Department of Aquaculture, University of Tasmania
1985-1988 Manager/Biologist, Nubeena Aquaculture, Safcol (Tas.) Pty Ltd, Tasmania

QUALIFICATIONS

1985 Ph.D., Department of Zoology, University of Aberdeen, Scotland, UK
1980 B.App.Sc., Department of Biology, CIAE, Rockhampton, Queensland
1980 M.I.Biol., C.Biol., Member of the Institute of Biology

RESEARCH INTERESTS

My main research areas are feeding-associated behaviour, seahorse culture technique development and more generic finfish husbandry projects. Much of my work is undertaken with industry and graduate research students. I have managed salmon seafarms and maintained a close working relationship with sectors of the finfish aquaculture industry over the last 20 years.

Feeding behaviour

Research on feeding-associated behaviour has been conducted in seacages and recirculation system based tanks focusing on the species bluefin tuna, Atlantic salmon, rainbow trout, greenback flounder and pot-bellied seahorses. Diel feeding rhythms were described in salmon seacages using Aquasmart technology which is now used in industry to optimise growth and minimise food waste. Tank-based research on salmonids using video and self-feeder technology has described food intake following seawater transfer of salmon smolt, diel feeding patterns of trout, agonistic interactions associated with hierarchies, time-place learning and food anticipatory activity. Research on flounder showed that ration size, feeding frequency and meal duration influenced the expression of food anticipatory activity and that FAA is endogenously driven. Research on the high-value bluefin tuna is testing the use of body temperature changes as a technique to measure food and energy intake when tuna are fed baitfish. In much of this research the process of tracking and identifying fish is important. In a project with the School of Computing (PhD student - Tom Pinkiewicz) we are developing computational techniques to track individuals and groups of fish for research and farm management purposes.

Seahorse culture techniques

Much of my research on seahorses has been undertaken over the last 10 years in conjunction with Seahorse World Pty Ltd, Beauty Pt, Tasmania, a company dedicated to public education and tourism incorporating seahorse and other species displays, breeding programs and collaborative research activities. The research has aimed to develop culture techniques and solve problems associated with the captive breeding of seahorses, with an emphasis on the pot-bellied seahorse Hippocampus abdominalis. The principal areas of interest include prey type, food intake, feeding patterns, locomotor activity, colour conditioning, swim bladder hyperinflation, husbandry, breeding, live transport, respiration and physiology. The program has attracted a number of international research students from Germany, Mexico, China and New Zealand, and Australian students into Honours, Masters and PhD projects.

Fish husbandry

In addition to the more focused feeding and seahorse projects I also have generated and co-ordinated projects on marine fish egg incubation and larval rearing, live feed production, trout egg incubation, temperature effects on trout broodstock maturation, and most recently on the effect of inland saline water on trout culture.

TEACHING INTERESTS

Year 3 co-ordinator, Work Placement co-ordinator, Chair Community Engagement Committee (including school liaison co-ordinator), Teaching Committee

UNITS

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

Purser, J. and Forteath, N. , 2003, 'Salmonids.', Aquaculture: Farming of Aquatic Animals and Plants. Blackwell Publishing, Oxford , pgs. 295-320

Shapawi, R. and Purser, J., 2003, 'The value of enriched Artemia in supporting growth and survival of juvenile pot-bellied seahorses, Hippocampus abdominalis ', J. World Aquaculture Society, 34, pgs. 533-541

Shaw, G., Pankhurst, T. and Purser, J. , 2003, 'Prey selection by greenback flounder Rhombosolea tapirina (Günther) larvae.', Aquaculture , 228, pgs. 249-265

Wilson, Z., Carter, C.G. and Purser, G.J. , 2006, 'Nitrogen budgets for juvenile big-bellied seahorse Hippocampus abdominalis fed Artemia, mysids or pelleted feeds.', Aquaculture, 255, pgs. 233-241

Martinez-Cardenas, L. and Purser, G.J., 2007, 'Effect of tank colour on Artemia ingestion, growth and survival in cultured early juvenile pot-bellied seahorses (Hippocampus abdominalis). ', Aquaculture, , pgs.

Current and Supervised Project/s

T. Pinkiewicz (PhD) - Computational Techniques for Automated Tracking and Analysis of Fish Movement in a Controlled Aquatic Environment

AWARDS

2007 Teaching Excellence Award, University of Tasmania
2007 Carrick Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Teaching