Dr. Brian Stockwell

Title:Lecturer

School: School of Marine Studies

Email: brian.stockwell(at)usp.ac.fj

Brian is a Lecturer at the School of Marine Studies. He is currently examining the population genomics of the four principal market tuna species (albacore, Thunnus alalunga; bigeye, T. obesus; yellowfin, T. albacares; and skipjack, Katsuwonus pelamis) in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPO). Additionally he is looking at the gene-flow and kinship between pups of scalloped hammerhead sharks between two nursery estuaries (Rewa and Ba Rivers). And lastly he is exploring collaborations examining the intra- and inter-archipelagic connectivity of a variety of reef fish species in the South Pacific.

He obtained a degree in Environmental Biology and (BSc.) from Houghton College, NY. Later he obtained a Masters of Applied Science in Tropical Marine Ecology (MApll) from James Cook University under the supervision of Dr. Bette Willis.  In 2017 he was awarded a doctorate in Philosophy from Old Dominion University under the supervision of Dr. Kent Carpenter. This dissertation explored recovery rates of parrotfishes within marine reserves, their ability to mitigate algal cover in the face of increasing human stressors, and the potential larval connectivity between marine reserves in the central Philippines.

Brian’s research focus is on the recovery of reef fish stocks within marine reserves especially amongst community based protected areas within Southeast Asia. He has a particular interest in exploring the recovery of herbivorous fishes and their impacts on coral reef health and resilience. Additionally he has incorporated powerful genetic tools through RADseq techniques to elucidate population parameters such as effective population size (Ne), relatedness, and connectivity amongst important reef fish species.

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