DrLuke Barrett

Theme 1: Fish health and parasite control in salmon aquaculture - Intensive salmon farming has brings economic benefits, but also problems. Salmon farms amplify pathogens and parasites, including sea lice, which cause welfare issues in farmed salmon and threaten wild populations (we estimate that 99% of salmon lice in Norwegian waters originate from salmon farms). New methods are needed to prevent, monitor and treat infestations without compromising animal welfare standards.

Theme 2: Ecologically beneficial aquaculture - Aquaculture modifies coastal marine environments by providing structure and food and altering nutrient dynamics. A better understanding of these effects can help achieve more positive outcomes, mitigate negative impacts, and provide a net enhancement of ecosystem services for coastal communities.

Theme 3: Rocky reef ecology, conservation and restoration - Seaweed and kelp habitats are diverse and productive, but have come under threat from multiple stressors including eutrophication, sedimentation and overgrazing. I’m interested in the conservation of seaweed habitats in degraded coastal areas, including the role of invasive macroalgae as surrogate habitat and strategies to manage overabundant sea urchins and allow recovery of kelp ecosystems.