By Amica Benoit-Limosani
In November 2024, three of our researchers had the exciting opportunity to participate in the annual conference of the Australian Society for Fish Biology (ASFB) in Newcastle. For me, it was my first-ever scientific conference, and I felt incredibly fortunate to attend alongside Nikki and Barbara.
Prior to the conference, we all attended the workshop that ASFB held this year, which focused on fish tagging techniques with a special emphasis on animal ethics. The workshop was both informative and inspiring. We learned about the latest advancements in acoustic tagging technologies and explored the wide range of research opportunities that tagging can open up. The session sparked new ideas that we’re excited to incorporate into our ongoing tagging projects at SARA.
Patricia J. Kailola and Barbara Wueringer, image by Nikki Biskis.
Nikki Biskis, Barbara Wueringer and Amica Benoit-Limosani with The misunderstood giants of Rinyirru (Lakefield) National Park (CYPAL) poster, image by Julia Constance.
In November 2024, three of our researchers had the exciting opportunity to participate in the annual conference of the Australian Society for Fish Biology (ASFB) in Newcastle. For me, it was my first-ever scientific conference, and I felt incredibly fortunate to attend alongside Nikki and Barbara.
Prior to the conference, we all attended the workshop that ASFB held this year, which focused on fish tagging techniques with a special emphasis on animal ethics. The workshop was both informative and inspiring. We learned about the latest advancements in acoustic tagging technologies and explored the wide range of research opportunities that tagging can open up. The session sparked new ideas that we’re excited to incorporate into our ongoing tagging projects at SARA.
Next, Nikki took the stage to present a section of her PhD work. She discussed how she analyzes the teeth of sawfish that we receive through donations. By examining these teeth, which grow continuously, she is able to trace the sawfish’s origin across Queensland. This fascinating method has the potential to reveal valuable information about the behaviors and movements of sawfish over time.
Nikki Biskis presenting at the ASFB conference, image by Leo Guida.
Barbara Wueringer presenting at the ASFB conference, image by Paddy Burke.
Last but certainly not least, Barbara had her first talk not about sawfish at ASFB! Her presentation centered on freshwater whiprays, which we affectionately refer to as “pancakes”. Barbara discussed the significant gaps in current literature about these species and shared some of our recent breakthroughs in whipray research, including extending their known distribution to the East Coast of Australia. We’re just beginning to dive into this research, and we’re excited to announce that we’re officially looking for a PhD candidate who shares our passion for these unique creatures (www.saw.fish/whipray-PhD).
All in all, the ASFB conference was an incredible success! After the initial nerves of presenting, we were able to relax and reconnect with old friends, meet new colleagues, and share our enthusiasm for fish. My first conference experience was truly memorable, and I am very thankful I got to experience it with two conference connoisseurs who guided me through the experience. If you were intrigued by our presentation, stay tuned for upcoming papers on these exciting topics!