Research Project
Full description Including genetic information into the management strategies for rare and range-restricted species is vital for identifying suitable management units and appropriately assessing extinction risk. The endangered Maugean skate (Zearaja maugeana) is an ancient species that may now be restricted to a single estuarine embayment on the west coast of Tasmania, Macquarie Harbour (MH). The main threat to this species is a change in benthic environmental conditions (declining dissolved oxygen levels) primarily associated with increased nutrient inputs from an expanding salmonid aquaculture industry. The aim of this study was to investigate the genetic diversity of the Maugean skate in MH.