Fisheries and Aquaculture Journal
Open Access

Harry M. Murray

Biography

Dr. Harry Murray has had a long relationship with Aquaculture and Aquaculture Research and Development.  His interests in aquaculture were initially cultivated during time spent as a summer student working with Dr. Patrick Dabinett on the development of culture techniques for the Giant Scallop in the mid 1980’s. Following the completion of a BSc. in Aquatic and Marine Biology at Memorial University of Newfoundland in 1989 he went on to complete the Advanced Diploma in Sustainable Aquaculture offered at the Marine Institute, Memorial University of Newfoundland. Continuing on with an interest in shellfish culture he spent some time working on mussel farms in Prince Edward Island. In 1991 his research focus changed direction completely and he began work on the Atlantic Halibut Research Project at the Ocean Science Centre, Memorial University of Newfoundland. This association led to the completion of a Master of Science degree through the Atlantic Veterinary College at UPEI where Dr. Murray worked on gastrointestinal microanatomy and development in pleuronectids including the Atlantic halibut, winter flounder, and yellowtail flounder. Following the completion of his MSc. Dr. Murray was invited to work as a research associate at the Huntsman Marine Science Centre on a project based in the development of culture techniques for small commercial flounders. In 1995 his research directions expanded once more when he was offered an opportunity to complete his Doctorate under Dr. Garth Fletcher looking at the expression of antifreeze proteins during the development of the winter flounder from egg to metamorphosis. The utilization of molecular biological and genomics based tools during his doctorate led him to an AquaNet Post Doctoral Fellowship at the Institute for Marine Biosciences; NRC in Halifax in 2000 where he worked on the development of genomics based tools for the study of gastrointestinal physiology in marine fish. He later received a Research Officer appointment as team leader in the molecular microscopy section of the Pleurogene Project, a genomics project involving collaborations between Genome Canada and Genome Espana.  In 2007, Dr. Murray took the opportunity to gain some direct industrial experience and accepted a position as Senior Hatchery Manager for Scotian Halibut Ltd. in Clark’s Harbour, Nova Scotia. In 2010 he returned to Newfoundland to take on a role as Research Scientist within the Aquaculture, Biotechnology and Aquatic Animal Health Section of Fisheries and Oceans Canada. He has 25 peer reviewed publications and two DFO technical reports on topics ranging from the histology and ultrastructure of gastrointestinal systems in marine fish to the utilization of genomics tools to study larval fish nutrition and innate immunity. His recent research focus has been centered on the effects of environment on condition and stress response of cultured mussels.

Research Interest

Finfish Aquaculture Production; Shellfish Aquaculture Production; Molecular Biology and Biotechnology; Structure and Function of the gastrointestinal system in fish; Innate immunity in fish and shell fish; Environmental stress in shell fish; Benthic impact and remediation in aquaculture