Cobalt MRM works closely with a range of marine, fisheries, and broader NRM professionals to provide first class consulting services across the full spectrum of ESD related issues. With excellent subject matter expertise, and the synergy that comes from strong teamwork, we integrate specialist knowledge to deliver practical and efficient multi-disciplinary solutions. Our key professional associates provide the capability to cover the primary ESD dimensions:
- Marine ecology & fisheries science
- Economic impacts & economic efficiency (incl industry profitability)
- Social impacts & mitigation of these
Marine ecology and fisheries science – Dr Ian Knuckey
Dr Ian Knuckey is the director of Fishwell Consulting Pty Ltd, providing expert research advice and consulting services to enable sustainable fishing practices. Ian holds a PhD in fisheries population dynamics, BSc (Hons) in Marine Ecology and has more than twenty years of industry and government experience in his field. With first class technical expertise, and excellent strategic skills, he has an enviable track record in contributing to and leading complex marine research initiatives, and leading and managing research and consulting projects.
Some more recent Fishwell projects include implementation of the Australian Government’s Integrated Scientific Monitoring Program for the South East Fishery and Great Australian Bight fisheries; projects to investigate use of modified trawl gear to reduce bycatch (unwanted catch) in these fisheries; an industry-based fishery independent survey for Australia’s South East Fishery (SEF); development of electronic logbooks for fishing vessels; and the development of an Australian company to value add to previously unused seafood processing waste on a national scale. Read more about Fishwell’s projects here.
Fisheries economics and small business development – Professor Tom Kompas and Dr Kim Houghton
Professor Tom Kompas is internationally regarded as an expert on fisheries and natural resource economics, with a focus on commercial fisheries harvest strategies that optimise ecological performance and fleet profitability. Tom is currently Director of the Crawford School of Economics and Government, Foundation Director of the Australian Centre for Biosecurity and Environmental Economics (AC BEE), and a Professor of Economics at ANU. In 2010, he was appointed to the Eminent Scientists Group (ESG) in the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF), providing independent advice to the Minister on matters of biosecurity and risk analysis.
Tom’s research specialises in economic dynamics, agricultural economics and natural resource and environmental economics. His bioeconomic modelling and biosecurity research has been published in the world’s leading international journals (including Science, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and Conservation Biology) and his current work focuses on the major biosecurity issues in both Australia and internationally. In 2009, Tom received the CSIRO Medal for Research Achievement, and in 2004, the Crawford Award for Research Excellence from ABARE. Tom is currently a Board Member of the Australian National Institute of Public Policy, the Cairns Institute, the Crawford School of Economics and Government and the Victoria University of Wellington School of Government.
Dr Kim Houghton is the Director of consulting firm Strategic Economic Solutions (SES) Pty Ltd. Kim established SES in 1997 to help clients understand economic issues affecting their communities, and enable development of practical responses. SES specialises in local economic development and small business development and management aimed at improving both sustainability and profitability.
Through SES, Kim works extensively on regional labour markets in Australia, looking at where jobs have grown or declined, with a particular emphasis on building community profiles, and creating sustainable employment. Among other things he’s conducted a study on Australian home-based businesses to foster employment growth in these very small businesses, developed a ‘small business readiness’ self assessment kit, and completed a range of other highly regarded projects stimulating growth in the broader small business sector. Kim also holds a BSc (Hons) in Geophysics from the University of Tasmania, and is an accredited community mediator and facilitator.
Social Sciences & NRM program evaluation – Dr Nicole Mazur
Dr Nicole (Nicki) Mazur is a highly experienced social scientist with a passion for people and their environment. Nicki is dedicated to natural resource and social policy solutions that take into account the complex needs and concerns of individuals and communities. She has strong technical and inter-personal skills, and a great ability to encourage genuine stakeholder engagement with NRM project or program issues.
As Principal Consultant for Envision Environmental Consulting (EEC), Nicki has an excellent reputation for delivering tailored project management and social research services and solutions. She combines excellent research, project management and client liaison skills with a strong understanding of the challenging NRM policy environment. In addition to running EEC, Nicole is also an Adjunct Research Fellow at the Institute for Land, Water and Society, Charles Sturt University (Albury, NSW) and Visiting Fellow (teaching) at the Australian National University’s Crawford School of Economics & Government.