Dr Brett Molony

Pronouns: he,him,his

Science Director

https://people.csiro.au/m/b/brett-molony

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Biography

Dr Brett Molony is the Science Director, Environment Business Unit, at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Perth, Western Australia. Brett has more than 30 years of experience as a marine, estuarine and freshwater researcher within Australia and Internationally and has published more than 50 articles and two books. Brett’s research interests include cumulative risk and impact assessments, including social impacts and risks, integrated aquaculture and mitigating the impacts of coastal development. Brett also has an interest in the science-management interface and worked extensively on communications to ensure impact to a range of partners. He has also written briefs and speeches for Ministers and understands communication needs at this level.

Brett completed a PhD at James Cook University in 1994, with a focus on growth and physiology of tropical estuarine fish, tropical estuarine systems and their connectivity with coastal marine systems and coral reefs. While an academic, Brett completed a Tertiary Education qualification and co-developed several courses, including a course on Tropical Estuarine Ecology, designed for third year and MSc Students.

Brett has previously worked with the Department of Fisheries WA as a Senior Fisheries Scientist and Supervising Research Scientist leading the Finfish Branch in delivering monitoring and assessment for the States finfish resources, using a risk-based ecosystem approach. He has also worked internationally as a Senior Fisheries Scientist and Country Specialist within the Oceanic Fisheries Programme of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community, Noumea, delivering country-specific assessments and reports to support fishery development in small island developing states. He liaises with a range of stakeholders – commercial and recreational fishers, eNGOs, other research providers, funding bodies, MSC, National Agencies and Traditional Owners within Australia and Internationally.

Brett lives in Perth and enjoys running, riding and playing guitar and watching and reading science fiction.

Academic Qualifications

1994

PhD
James Cook University
2019

Leading Australia's Innovation Catalyst
CSIRO & Australian Graduate School and Management (UNSW)
2016

Leadership Essentials
Public Sector Commission of WA
2014

Executive Leadership
Murdoch University
1994

Graduate Certificate in Tertiary Education
James Cook University
1988

BSc (Hons)
James Cook University
1987

BSc
James Cook University

Achievements and Awards

2010-2010

Leadership - Reward and Recognition
Department of Fisheries (Western Australia)
2010-2010

Respect- Reward and Recognition
Department of Fisheries (Western Australia)
2003-2003

Nominated- Communication- Reward and Recognition
Department of Fisheries (Western Australia)
2002-2002

Best Management Poster - sponsored by Murray Wetlands Working Group; Beatty, S. and Molony, B. 2002. Mitigation of the negative impacts on fish and fisheries values during remedial works at Waroona Dam
Australian Society of Limnology Conference
1991-1991

Australian Coral Reef Society Student Prize (conjointly with M. McCormick)
Australian Coral Reef Society

Fields of Research

Current

Former

Grants

2012-2015

WA Natural Resource Management - $850,000. South Coast Demersal Finfish Status and Connectivity
2010-2012

Natural Resource Management - $337,000. Identifying the key habitats for juvenile dhufish
2009-2013

Natural Resource Management - $910,250. Status and connectivity of key indicator inshore fish species for sustainable management an exploitation
2003-2008

Fisheries Research and Development Corporation - $ 315,000 Total project budget - $668,000. Evaluating the recreational marron fishery against environmental change and human interactions, (with Steve Beatty, Murdoch University).
2002-2002

Water Corporation of Western Australia $160,000. Mitigation of the impacts on aquatic fauna of draining a large impoundment, (with Steve Beatty, Murdoch University)
2000-2002

National Heritage Trust - $20,870. Artificial Habitats for Marron Enhancement and Biodiversity Protection in South Western Australia. (NHT Project #: 003035).
2000-2000

Pilbara Development Commission - $50,000. Biota of the Cargill Salt Fields
1998-1998

Australian Research Council (ARC minor)- $12,500. Trophic relationships of animals in tropical mangrove ecosystems to sources of primary productivity, (with M. Sheaves)
1997-1997

Merit Research Grant (MRG), James Cook University - $10,000. Sperm and Egg Viability of Tropical Estuarine Fishes
1995-1996

2 x Australian Research Council (ARC minor)- $29,000. Recruitment of larval fish to a tropical estuarine system, (with M. Sheaves)
1995-1995

Merit Research Grant (MRG), James Cook University - $4,700. Sex change in tropical sparids, (with A. Tobin)
1993-1993

Queensland Cement Limited (QCL) - $1,000. Examination of community structure in an enclosed breakwater system
1993-1993

Townsville Port Authority (TPA) - $1,000. Examination of community structure in an enclosed breakwater system
1992-1992

Australian Research Council (ARC) - $6,500. Growth and development of reef fish through settlement, (with M. McCormick and J. Shand)

Professional Experiences

June 2008-November 2018

Supervising Research Scientist - Finfish - Fisheries Science & Resource Assessment
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) WA
May 2004-May 2008

Senior Fisheries Scientist, Oceanic Fisheries Programme
Secretariat of the Pacific Community, Noumea, New Caledonia
January 1999-May 2004

Senior Research Scientist
Department of Fisheries WA
1993-December 1998

Lecturer (tenured), School of Marine Biology
James Cook University, Townsville

Community and Corporate Citizenship

2019-Present

Adjunct Associate Professor, UWA Oceans Institute
2019-October 2022

CSIRO SIte Leader - IOMRC Crawley UWA
2013-2018

Member of the Course Consultative Committee, School of Sciences, Edith Cowan University
2000-Present

Member of the Australian Society for Fish Biology
1996-Present

Life member of the James Cook University Student Union
2019-Present

Member of the Australian Marine Sciences Association
2012-2015

Adjunct Associate Professor, Murdoch University School of Biological Sciences

Publications

We have publications by Dr Brett Molony