Bron and Dr Beach steer the good ship Marinara – we’ll start and finish with plastics in the ocean, and in between navigate hyperallometry and, a new catalogue of Port Phillip Bay’s magnificent dolphins.
• First up, Baykeeper Neil Blake reports on some great research work by his students looking at the relationship between annual snapper movements in Port Phillip Bay and the presence of microplastics, and some great partnership work with Albert Park Yachting and Angling Club looking into current trends of recreational catch in Port Phillip Bay.
• Dave Donnelly (Killer Whales Australia, Dolphin Research Institute) talks us through a wonderful catalogue of the common dolphins in Port Phillip Bay.
• Dr Dustin Marshall (Monash University) takes us through the phenomenon of Hyperallometry – where larger fish produce disproportionately larger numbers of eggs, and how challenging current assumptions around fish reproduction means a new approach to fisheries modelling with the potential for better fisheries management.
• And Dr Tanveer Adyel (Deakin Uni's Blue Carbon lab) talks about his work on plastics in coastal environments and the letter he has published in Science this week pointing out what the Aust Govt should be doing right now to address this issue.