Dr John Carragher

Biography/ Background

My lifelong interest in seafood and aquaculture has allowed me to develop a career pathway that includes 12 years in a variety of research and teaching positions in four Universities in three countries, 3 years working on stress in production animals in New Zealand, 6 years as a Principal Scientist within the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI), to the last 1 year operating as a consultant, including a part-time role as commercialization manager of the FOODplus Research Centre. In my current roles I work to deliver approaches, processes and technologies that improve the quality and marketability of food and seafood products locally, nationally and internationally.  

Qualifications

1989    Ph.D. (Brunel, UK) Fish Physiology

1985    B.Sc (Hons) (Wales) Marine Biology

Research Interests

·        Designing, resourcing and managing complex, multi-disciplinary projects in seafood processing, product quality and value-adding, and aquaculture

·         Compiling, assimilating and distilling information on scientific issues to provide innovative solutions in applied and commercial aspects of food and seafood sectors

·         Providing expert advice to the seafood and food industry and developing close relationships with all stakeholders in both commerce and government

Publications

Seafood Product Quality and Value-Adding:

1. Carragher, J.F., Thomas, M. and Wilkinson, R.J. 2009. Yellowtail kingfish product quality: effects of maturation and harvest stress. Seafood CRC final report 2008/901. pp84.
2. Carragher J., Madigan T., Raj M., Holds G. and May D. 2009. An evaluation of modified atmosphere packaging for live blue mussels. Prepared for Flinders Seafood Pty Ltd. Pp24
3. Carragher J. and May D. 2009. A further evaluation of modified atmosphere packaging for live blue mussels. Prepared for Flinders Seafood Pty Ltd. Pp19
4. Carragher J. and May D. 2010. Evaluation of an alternative biocide technology for seafood product range. Prepared for Angelakis Bros Pty Ltd. Pp38.
5. Carragher, J.F. and Wilkinson, R.J. 2011. Understanding Yellowtail Kingfish:
   sub-project 2 – characterising maturation. Seafood CRC final report 2008/903.20.
6. Lowe, T.E., Ryder, J.M., Carragher, J.F. and Wells, R.M.G. 1993. Flesh quality in snapper, Pagrus auratus, affected by capture stress. Journal of Food Science 58:770-77
7. Madigan T., Holds G., Lorimer M. and Carragher J. 2008. An evaluation of potential packaging for live blue mussels. Prepared for Flinders Seafood Pty Ltd. Pp13
8. Musgrove, R.M. and Carragher, J.F. 2008. Optimising at-sea post-harvest handling procedures for the Australian sardine (Sardinops sagax). FRDC/Aquafin CRC final report 2002/236. pp120.
9. Musgrove, R.M., Carragher, J.F., Mathews, C. and Slattery, S., 2007. Value-adding Australian Sardines: Factors affecting rates of deterioration in sardine (Sardinops sagax) quality during post-harvest handling. Food Control 18: 1372-1382.
10. Musgrove, R.J., Carragher, J.F., Manning, A., Zammit, B.J., Thomas, P.M., and Buchanan, J. Effects of harvest and post-harvest processes on quality of Australian sardines (Sardinops sagax) and redbait (Emmelichthys nitidus nitidus) for feeding aquacultured southern bluefin tuna (Thunnus maccoyii). Accepted. Aquaculture.
11. Roberts, M.J., Carragher, J.F. and Benkendorff, K. 2009. Determining flesh quality attributes of under-valued large southern rocklobsters. FRDC final report 2003/242. pp134.

Stress Responses in Fish:

12.    Carragher, J.F. and Rees, C.M. 1993. Primary and secondary stress responses in golden perch, Macquaria ambigua. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology 107A:49-56.

13.    Carragher, J.F. and Sumpter, J.P. 1987. The effects of thermal stress on blood hormone levels of rainbow trout. General and Comparative Endocrinology 66:15.

14.    Clements, S.P., Carragher, J.F., Hicks, B. and Dedual, M. (2002) Primary and secondary stress responses during recovery from a trapping procedure in wild rainbow trout. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 22, 907-916.

15.    Pankhurst, N.W., Wells, R.M.G. and Carragher, J.F. 1992. Effects of stress on plasma cortisol levels and blood viscosity in blue mao mao, Scorpis violaceus (Hutton), a marine teleost. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology 101A:335-339.

16.    Pickering, A.D., Pottinger, T.G. and Carragher, J.F. 1989. Differences in the sensitivity of brown trout, Salmo trutta L., and rainbow trout, Salmo gairdneri Richardson, to physiological doses of cortisol. Journal of Fish Biology 34:757-768.

17. Thomas, P.M., Carter, C.G., Carragher, J.F and Glencross, B.D. 2003. Preliminary information on temporal changes in the blood chemistry of farmed southern bluefin tuna, Thunnus maccoyii (Castelnau), after feeding and repeated sampling disturbance. Aquaculture Research 34, 255-267.

Demonstrations that Stress affects Reproductive Function in Fish:

18.    Carragher, J.F. and Pankhurst, N.W. 1991. Stress and reproduction in a commercially important marine fish, Pagrus auratus (Sparidae). In: Reproductive Physiology of Fish 1991. Eds. A.P. Scott,  J.P.Sumpter, D.E. Kime and M.S. Rolfe. pp253-255. FishSymp. 91, Sheffield.

19.    Carragher, J.F. and Sumpter, J.P. 1990. Corticosteroid physiology in fish. In: Progress in Comparative Endocrinology. Eds. A. Epple, C.G. Scanes, and M.H. Stetson. pp487-492. Wiley-Liss.

20.    Carragher, J.F. and Sumpter, J.P. 1990. The effect of cortisol on the secretion of sex steroids from cultured ovarian follicles of rainbow trout. General and Comparative Endocrinology 77: 403-407.

21.    Carragher, J.F., Sumpter, J.P., Pottinger, T.G. and Pickering, A.D. 1989. The deleterious effects of cortisol implantation on reproductive function in two species of trout, Salmo trutta L. and Salmo gairdneri Richardson. General and Comparative Endocrinology 76:310-321.

22.    Pickering, A.D., Pottinger, T.G., Carragher, J.F. and Sumpter, J.P. 1987. The effects of acute and chronic stress on the levels of reproductive hormones in the plasma of mature male brown trout, Salmo trutta L. General and Comparative Endocrinology 68:249-259.

23.    Sumpter, J.P., Carragher, J.F., Pottinger, T.G. and Pickering, A.D. 1987. The interaction of stress and reproduction in trout. In: Reproductive Physiology of Fish.  Eds. D.R. Idler, L.W. Crim and J.M. Walsh. pp299-302. Memorial University Press. St. John's.

 

Reproductive Endocrinology of Fish:

24.    Carragher, J.F. and Pankhurst, N.W. 1993. Plasma levels of gonadal steroids during sexual maturation of snapper, Pagrus auratus (Sparidae), caught from the wild. Aquaculture 109:375-388.

25.    Carragher, J.F. and Sumpter, J.P. 1991. The mobilization of calcium from calcified tissues of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) induced to synthesize vitellogenin. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology 99A:169-172.

26.    Pankhurst, N.W. and Carragher, J.F. 1992. Oocyte maturation and changes in plasma steroid levels in snapper Pagrus (=Chrysophrys) auratus (Sparidae) following treatment with human chorionic gonadotropin. Aquaculture 101:337-347.

27.    Pankhurst, N.W. and Carragher, J.F. 1991. Seasonal endocrine cycles in marine teleosts. In: Reproductive Physiology of Fish 1991. Eds. A.P.Scott, J.P. Sumpter, D.E. Kime and M.S. Rolfe. pp 131-135. FishSymp. 91, Sheffield.

28.    Pankhurst, N.W. and Carragher, J.F. 1995. Effect of exogenous hormones on reproductive behaviour in territorial males of a natural population of demoiselles Chromis dispilis (Pisces: Pomacentridae). Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 46:1201-1209.

 

Endocrinology of Growth in Fish:

        29.    Dyer, A.R., Upton, Z., Stone, D., Thomas, P.M., Soole, K.L., Higgs, N., Quinn, K, and Carragher, J.F., 2004. Development and validation of a radioimmunoassay for fish insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and the effect of aquaculture related stressors on circulating IGF-I levels. General and Comparative Endocrinology 135:268-275.

     30. Dyer, A.R., Barlow, C.G, Bransden, M.P., Carter, C.G., Glencross, B.D., Richardson, N., Thomas, P.M., Williams K.C. and Carragher, J.F. 2004. Correlation of plasma IGF-I concentrations and growth rate in aquacultured finfish: A tool for assessing the potential of new diets.  Aquaculture 236:583-592.

31.    Le Bail, P-Y., Sumpter, J.P., Carragher, J.F., Mourot, B., Niu, P.D. and Weil, C. 1991. Development and validation of a highly sensitive radioimmunoassay for chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) growth hormone. General and Comparative Endocrinology 83:75-85.

32.    Pickering, A.D., Pottinger, T.G., Sumpter, J.P., Carragher, J.F. and Le Bail, P-Y. 1991. Effects of acute and chronic stress on the levels of circulating growth hormone in the rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss. General and Comparative Endocrinology 83:86-93.

33.    Sumpter, J.P., Le Bail, P-Y., Pickering, A.D., Pottinger, T.G. and Carragher, J.F. 1991. The effect of starvation on growth and plasma growth hormone concentrations of rainbow trout. General and Comparative Endocrinology 83:94-102.

34.    Sumpter, J.P., Lincoln, R.F., Bye, V.J., Carragher, J.F. and Le Bail, P-Y. 1991. Plasma growth hormone levels during sexual reproduction in diploid and triploid rainbow trout. General and Comparative Endocrinology 83:103-110.

35.    Wilkinson, R.J., Elliott, P., Carragher, J.F. and Francis, G. 2004. Expression, purification and in vitro characterization of recombinant salmon insulin-like growth factor-II. Protein Expression and Purification 35:334-343.

36. Wilkinson, R.J., Elliott, P., Hohmann, A., Francis, G. and Carragher, J.F. 2004. Development and characterization of a polyclonal antibody enzyme-immunoassay for salmon insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF-II). Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology B 139:193-201.

37. Wilkinson, R.J., Porter, M., Woolcott, H., Longland, R. and Carragher, J.F. (2006) Effects of aquaculture related stressors and nutritional restriction on circulating growth factors (GH, IGF-I and IGF-II) in Atlantic salmon and rainbow trout. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology A 145:214-224

Fish Physiology:

38. Chen, B.N., Qin, J.G., Carragher, J.F., Clarke, S.M., Kumar M.S., Hutchinson W.G. (2007) Deleterious effects of food restrictions in yellowtail kingfish Seriola lalandi during early development. Aquaculture 271: 326–335
39. Fitzgibbon, Q, Frappell, P, Clark, T, Buchanan, J, Ellis, D, Carter, C, Musgrove, R, Carragher, J and Seymour, R 2008. ‘Activity metabolism in live-held southern bluefin tuna (Thunnus maccoyii), Phase 2’, FRDC Final report (FRDC Project No. 2005/200), Aquafin CRC, 123pp
40. Fitzgibbon, Q, Seymour, R, Buchanan, J, Musgrove, R, Carragher, J 2010. Effects of hypoxia on oxygen consumption, swimming velocity and gut evacuation in southern bluefin tuna (Thunnus maccoyii). Environmental Biology of Fish 89: 59-69.

Other Aquaculture

41.    Qin, J.G., Carragher, J.F. and Pearson, L. 1999. Response of Tetraselmis suecea to grazer and nutrient manipulation. J Applied Phycology 11: 481-485.

 Welfare of farm animals:

42.    Carragher, J.F. 1996. ‘Pharm’ and ‘pharmed’ animals: welfare issues relevant to drug use in, and drug production by, farm animals. In Farm animals in biomedical and agricultural research. ANZCCART, 66-74.

43.    Carragher, J.F. and Matthews, L.R. 1996. Animal behaviour and stress: impacts on meat quality. Proceedings New Zealand Society of Animal Production 56, 162-166.

44.    Carragher, J.F. and Matthews, L.R., 1994. A review of animal identification systems and their effects on welfare. Contract Report to NZ MAF Policy. (Edited version in ANZCCART News, 8(2), 9-10.)

45.    Carragher, J.F., Bremner, K.J., Walker, J.A. and Matthews, L.R., 1996. Preferences of sheep and cattle for salt lick blocks. Contract Research Report to Summit Ltd and NRM (NZ) Ltd.

46.    Carragher, J.F., Hogg, B.W. and Matthews, L.R., 1995. Effectiveness of disbudding devices in preventing antler growth. Contract Research Report to Game Industry Board.

47.    Carragher, J.F., Ingram, J.R. and Matthews, L.R. 1997. Effects of yarding and handling procedures on stress responses of red deer stags (Cervus elaphas). Applied Animal Behaviour Science 51:143-158.

48.    Carragher, J.F., Knight, T.W., Death, A.F., Fisher, A.D. and Matthews, L.R., 1997. Stress and growth suppression in surgically castrated bulls. Proceedings New Zealand Society of Animal Production 57:100-104.

49.    Hogg, B.W., Matthews, L.R., Ingram, J.R., Harcourt, R.G. and Carragher, J.F. 1997. Telemetric assessment of internal body temperature of red deer hinds at pasture, and during penning and transport.  Contract Research Report to Game Industry Board.

50.    Ingram, J.R., Matthews, L.R., Carragher, J.F. and Schaare, P.R. 1997. Adrenal cortex response to adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) challenge in free ranging red deer (Cervus elaphus).  Domestic Animal Endocrinology 14: 63-71

51.    Matthews, L.R., Carragher, J.F. and Ingram, J.R. 1994. Post-velveting stress in free-ranging red deer. Proceedings of a Deer Course for Veterinarians 11:138-146.

52.    Matthews, L.R., Carragher, J.F., Berkers, A., Robinson, T.A. and Hogg, B.W. 1995. The influence of pen configuration on orientation and behaviour of deer during transport. Contract Research Report to Game Industry Board.

53.    Matthews, L.R., Phipps, A.M., Verkerk, G.A.,  Hart, D., Crockford, J.N., Carragher, J.F. and Harcourt, R.G. 1995. The effect of taildocking and trimming on milker comfort and dairy cattle health, welfare and production. Contract Research Report to MAF Policy.

54.    Verkerk, G.A., Phipps, A.M., Carragher, J.F., Matthews, L.R., and Stelwagen, K. 1998. Characterisation of milk cortisol concentration as a measure of stress response in lactating dairy cattle. Animal Welfare 7: 77 - 86.

 

Entry last updated: Tuesday, 7 Feb 2012