Michael Grant

Dr. Michael Grant is a Researcher at James Cook University (JCU), affiliated with the College of Science and Engineering's Fisheries Science and Management department. His work focuses on the biology and conservation of elasmobranchs (sharks and rays) in non-marine environments, particularly in Papua New Guinea and northern Australia. He holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Marine Biology from JCU, with honours research on silky shark life history in the Pacific. His current PhD, supported by the Save Our Seas Foundation, investigates sawfish and river shark conservation in PNG.

Education:

• Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Marine Biology, JCU Townsville (focus: silky shark demography)
• PhD Candidate: Biology and Conservation of Non-Marine Elasmobranchs

Research Interests: Freshwater and euryhaline elasmobranchs, population demography, fisheries impacts, and conservation strategies. Key areas include sawfish recovery, river shark ecology, and mitigating threats from fisheries and habitat loss. His work integrates genetic analysis, ecological surveys, and community engagement.

Grants & Funding: Recipient of the Save Our Seas Foundation Keystone Grant for PNG sawfish research. Collaborates with local communities and international conservation networks.

Labs/Teams: Associated with the Centre for Tropical Sciences and Management, contributing to projects on non-marine elasmobranch conservation and fisheries sustainability.