ORI STAFF PROFILES

Larry Oellermann- Director: ORI
Michael Schleyer - Deputy Director: ORI
Alison Moor - Project Liaison Officer
Bernadine Everett - Scientist
Bronwyn Palmer - Scientist
Bruce Mann - Senior Scientist
Camilla Floros- Scientist
Chris Wilkinson - Field Officer
Denis Rouillard - GIS Technician
Derrick Mthetwa Technical Assistant
Desmond Hayes- Scientific Technician
Erika Steyn - Assistant Scientist
Fiona MacKay - Senior Scientist
Grace Samuriwo - Librarian
Jade Maggs - Senior Scientific Technician
Jill Sheppard - Assistant Scientist
Johan Groeneveld - Senior Scientist
Marius Els - Data Capturer
Musa Khumalo - Senior Scientific Technician
Ramini Naidoo - Personal Assistant
Renuka Govender - Scientific Technician
Rudy van der Elst - Associate Scientist
Sean Fennessy - Senior Scientist
Sipho Mselegu- Technical Assistant
Stuart Dunlop - Assistant Scientist
Thobile Nkabinde- Receptionist

DR LARRY OELLERMANN
DIRECTOR: ORI

PhD (Rhodes University, 1995)

Employed at the Oceanographic Research Institute since June 2011.

Interests cover a wide range of issues pertaining to the sustainable use of marine and coastal living resources. Previous experience includes:
Commonwealth Fund for Technical Co-operation’s Advisor for Marine & Coastal Resources Research in Namibia.
Director of the Sam Nujoma Marine & Coastal Resources Research Centre in Henties Bay, Namibia.
Manager of the Cape Town office of Rhodes University’s Enviro-Fish Africa (Pty) Ltd consulting company.
Project leader for five multi-disciplinary, cross-boundary marine fisheries socio-economic related projects for the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem Programme, in South Africa, Namibia & Angola.
Member of the Deputy Director General: Marine & Coastal Management’s advisory team during the reallocation of medium term rights in the South African fishing industry.
Design & implementation of the 2005 Census of the South African Marine Fishing Industry, for the Dept. Environmental Affairs & Tourism.
 Development of the Fisheries Information System (FIS) for the DEAT, a database containing detailed information on the activities of the rights holders for all 22 marine capture fisheries and mariculture in South Africa.
 Active involvement in the southern African aquaculture industry since 1982, as a student, researcher, production manager, producer association chairman and advisor.

PROF. MICHAEL SCHLEYER
DEPUTY DIRECTOR: ORI

PhD (University of Natal, 1981)

Employed at the Oceanographic Research Institute since 1973.

DR SEAN FENNESSY
SENIOR SCIENTIST

PhD (University of Natal, 2001)

Employed at the Oceanographic Research Institute since April 1989.

Leader of the ORI Offshore Fisheries Programme.

Principal co-investigator of the KwaZulu-Natal Bight project (part of the African Coelacanth Ecosystem Project - ACEP), examining ecosystem functioning of the central KwaZulu-Natal shelf and the relative roles of terrestrial and marine nutrients.

South African co-ordinator for Component 3 (demersal fishes) of the South-West Indian Ocean Fisheries Project: SWIOFP

Research experience includes:
Investigation of non-target species (bycatch) of prawn trawlers operating off the coast of KZN, a description of the biology of the major fish species, and an assessment of the impact of trawlers on other fishery sectors, and characterizing demersal biodiversity of soft substrata on the KZN shelf.
Investigating methods to reduce the bycatch caught by prawn trawlers on the KZN coast.
Biological investigation and stock assessments of several species of fin fish (Epinephelus spp, Pomadasys commersonnii, Polysteganus coeruleopunctasus).
Surveys of the commercial and recreational hook and line fisheries in the provinces of KZN and the Eastern Cape, involving interviews with fishers and inspections of catches.
Co-ordinates the fisheries science module for MSc and BSc (Hons) students.
Supervises post-graduate students.
Provides decision support to conservation managers and government agencies.

DR JOHAN GROENEVELD
SENIOR SCIENTIST

PhD (University of Cape Town, 2000)

Employed at the Oceanographic Research Institute since June 2008.

Leader of the South West Indian Ocean Fisheries Project (SWIOFP) team at ORI, and Regional coordinator for SWIOFP research on Crustacean resources in 5 countries.

Previous employment experience includes:
 Senior scientist and head of lobster research / management at Marine and Coastal Management (MCM; 1995-2006).
 Specialist scientist and fisheries advisor to the Ministry of Fisheries Wealth in the Sultanate of Oman (2006-2008).

Expertise includes:
 Biology, impacts of fishing gear, and sustainable management of crustacean resources, particularly deep-water and near-shore lobster populations.
 Migrations, larval dispersal, and genetic population structure of widespread (and trans-boundary) lobster resources in the SWIO and the southern Atlantic Ocean.
 Assessment of commercial fisheries for certification by Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) or other certifying bodies.
 Development of surveys at sea to explore new and existing fish resources.
 Training of technical and scientific staff, and development of externally funded projects.
 Supervision of post-graduate students at the Universities of KwaZulu-Natal and Stellenbosch.
 Research Associate at Stellenbosch University.
 Publication of approximately 40 peer-reviewed scientific articles in international journals, and numerous popular articles and unpublished technical reports.

MR BRUCE MANN
SENIOR SCIENTIST

MSc (Rhodes University, 1992)

Employed at the Oceanographic Research Institute since 1992.

Leader of ORI's Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) Programme and the Linefish Research Programme.

Research experience includes:
 Study of the biology of two reef fish species in the Tsitsikamma National Park.
 Investigation of the multiple usage of Lake St Lucia's fish resources.
 Implementation of an experimental subsistence gill-net fishery at St Lucia.
 Surveys of the commercial, recreational and subsistence linefisheries in the provinces of KZN and the Eastern Cape, which formed part of the first National Linefish Survey.
 Editor of a book on the status of 102 South African linefish species.
 Investigations on the age, growth and stock assessment of a number of important linefish species.
 Marine biodiversity survey along the Pondoland coast with the intention to establish a large MPA in this region.
 Establishment of long-term fish monitoring and tagging studies in the St Lucia MPA and the Pondoland MPA.
 Supervision of long-term monitoring projects at ORI including the Tagging Project, National Marine Linefish System, KZN Recreational Data and the Boat Launch Site Monitoring System.
 Aerial surveys to determine angler effort along the KZN coast
 Current chairman of the South African Marine Linefish Management Association (SAMLMA).
 Supervision of post-graduate students and training of conservation staff and resource users.
 Provision of decision support to conservation managers and government agencies.

MS FIONA MACKAY
SENIOR SCIENTIST

MSc (University of Zululand, 1996)

Employed at the Oceanographic Research Institute since March 2005.

Previous experience includes:
Collaborative studies integrating abiotic (water quality and habitat) and biotic aspects (community structure and community metrics) for selected estuarine types.
Investigation of current status, baseline surveys and biomonitoring of estuaries, including comparison of succession trends in similar estuaries and distinguishing anthropogenic from climatic effects as manifested in zoobenthic fauna.
Description of the state of a river - coastal lake - estuarine linked ecosystem, the effect of an intrabasin transfer on selected components of the resident fauna and rapid assessment of Instream Flow Requirements of the invertebrates.
Scenario-based biotic responses and implications to potential freshwater deficits on macrobenthos, macrocrustacea and avifauna of selected estuaries with decision support under different freshwater yield scenarios to the estuarine/marine, coastal lake and river environments.
Importance of northern KZN estuaries as conduits for mass recruitment of Varuna Litterata crab megalopae.
Port of Richards Bay environmental monitoring including development of monitoring programmes and investigation of ballast water introduced marine species (according to CRIMP protocols).
Ecological impacts of dredge spoil disposal on sandy beach, estuarine and nearshore marine ecosystems.
Specialist ecological investigator for various projects (sewage and paper mill effluents, solid structure developments in protected areas etc.) to limit and mitigate negative impacts to coastal aquatic environments.

MS BERNADINE EVERETT
SCIENTIST

MSc (University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2005)

Employed at the Oceanographic Research Institute since 1998.

Research experience includes:
 Database development and programme coordination of WIOFish - a large WIO programme on small-scale fisheries involving most countries of the East African coast, including training of users.
 National data component coordinator for the South West Indian Ocean Fisheries Project during year 1 of the project.
 Surveys of recreational and commercial fisheries in the Richards Bay region.
 Specialist input to the EIA process for the Point small-craft harbour.
 Conducted the environmental impact assessment process for the development of the proposed Victoria Embankment Waterfront.
 Monitoring of fish and sand prawns in the Durban Harbour.
 Database design and management for various research projects.
 Production and reproduction of graphics and maps.
ORI website design and maintennance.

MS BRONWYN PALMER
SCIENTIST

MSc (Rhodes University, 2009)

Employed at the Oceanographic Research Institute since March 2009.

Research responsibilities include:
 Serving as the focal point and providing coordination of Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) research at ORI, especially as a service to the KwaZulu-Natal government.
 Undertaking research into ICZM issues relevant to KZN with particular attention given to aspects of the new ICZM Act.
 Assembly of key spatial data sets that define the coast and its assets.
 Generating and disseminating scientific information as a decision support tool in the ICZM.
 Providing support in the development of data management systems and GIS-based tools to ensure ORI provides an excellent service in ICZM issues.

DR CAMILLA FLOROS
SCIENTIST

PhD (University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2011)

Employed at the Oceanographic Research Institute since May 2010.

Member of the ORI Reef Biodiversity Programme.

Key research areas and responsibilities include:
 Updating and referencing of the ORI hard coral collection with the addition of live and skeletal photographs.
Managing the coral reef database.
Investigating the relationships between corals and their associated invertebrates.
Assessing the effects of human activities on coral reef fish communities.
Assessing the biodiversity on the KwaZulu-Natal reefs.
Developing and implementing of monitoring protocols for the KwaZulu-Natal reefs using indicator species.

Camilla recently completed her PhD through the Oceanographic Research Institute entitled "An assessment of the fish communities on South African coral reefs".

MS ERIKA STEYN
ASSISTANT SCIENTIST

MSc (University of Stellenbosch, 2002)

Employed at the Oceanographic Research Institute since 2002.

Research experience includes:
 Invertebrate ecology.
 Food conditioning of sharks.
 Inshore/ offshore migration and larval recruitment of East Coast rock lobster off the KwaZulu-Natal coast.
 Small-scale artisanal rock lobster fishery along the Eastern Cape (Transkei) coast.

MR STUART DUNLOP
ASSISTANT SCIENTIST - TAGGING OFFICER

MSc (University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2011)

Employed at the Oceanographic Research Institute since January, 2011.

Previous experience includes:
 An assessment of the shore-based (subsistence and recreational) and offshore boat-based linefisheries (commercial, charter and recreational) of KwaZulu-Natal (submitted in December 2010 as part of an MSc through ORI).

Responsibilities include:
 Day to day running of the ORI Marine Linefish Tagging Project.
 Analysis and publication of key aspects of the project in both peer reviewed scientific literature and in the popular press.
 Extensive liaison with researchers, conservation managers and other participants in the tagging project, including external funding agencies.
 Extensive liaison with anglers who voluntarily participate in the project, including screening of potential participants and providing feedback on recaptures.
 Attend high profile angling events to promote tagging to the angling public.
 Assist with the supervision of students who undertake projects utilizing data from the ORI Tagging Project.

MS JILL SHEPPARD
ASSISTANT SCIENTIST

MSc (University of Rhodes, 2010)

Employed at the Oceanographic Research Institute since May, 2011.

Responsibilities:
To assist with various projects within the ORI’s estuarine and soft sediment studies, including:
 Fieldwork.
 Data capture, analysis and reporting.
 Laboratory work and microscopy.

Previous experience includes:
 The use of stable isotope techniques in an estuarine food web.
 Assessing possible long-term changes in a temporarily open/closed (TOC) estuarine fish assemblage related to habitat loss.
 Preparation of a report on the freshwater requirements of the Incomati and Maputo Estuaries and Maputo Bay, Mozambique as required by PRIMA; an international agreement governing the use of transboundary water resources.

MR JADE MAGGS
ASSISTANT SCIENTIST

MSc (University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2011)

Employed at the Oceanographic Research Institute since May 2006.

Previous experience includes:
Inventory of fish species occurring in and around the Bazaruto Archipelago National Park.
Evaluation of the Pondoland Marine Protected Area.

Responsibilities include:
Management of the recreational component of the National Marine Linefish
System (NMLS) in KZN. The NMLS is a collaborative database containing catch and effort data for the South African line-fishery since 1984 and involves ORI, the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) and Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife (EKZNW).
 Distribution of NMLS data to internal and external parties in the form of data reports.
 Long-term monitoring of catch and effort trends in the recreational line-fishery.
 Informing the angling community of trends in recreational angling through direct feedback and articles in the media.
 Assistance on other internal programmes such as the Pondoland Marine Protected Area fish tagging programme, Boat Launch Site Monitoring System and the ORI Tagging Project.

MR MUSA KHUMALO
SENIOR SCIENTIFIC TECHNICIAN

BTech (Durban Institute of Technology, 2001)

Employed at the Oceanographic Research Institute since 2004.

Responsibilities include:
Maintenance of the Boat Launch Site Monitoring System.
Capture and preliminary analysis of boat launch site data.
Assistance with preparation of reports from the boat launch site data.
Provide ad hoc assistance in other ORI projects.

MRS RENUKA GOVENDER
SCIENTIFIC TECHNICIAN

Employed at the Oceanographic Research Institute since 1992.

 Responsible for accurate data capture on the National Marine Linefish System (NMLS).
 Liaison with officials and programme operators at Marine and Coastal Management (MCM).
 Training of students on operation of the NMLS.

MR DESMOND HAYES
SCIENTIFIC TECHNICIAN

Employed at the Oceanographic Research Institute since 2007.

 Heads the fisheries observer team.
 He has extensive experience in both project management and maritime matters.

MR DERRICK MTHETWA
SCIENTIFIC TECHNICIAN


Employed at the Oceanographic Research Institute since 2010.

Responsibilities:
To assist with the processing of data generated by the KZN Boat Launch Site Registers and several fisheries creel survey projects.

Previous experience includes:
Providing ad hic assistance with fisheries data capture.
Providing educational and conservation guiding support for learners and visitors to the Sea World complex at uShaka.

MR SIPHO MSELEGU
TECHNICAL ASSISTANT


Employed at the Oceanographic Research Institute since 2009.

Responsibilities:
To assist with the primary laboratory sorting of macrobenthic samples from estuarine and offshore soft sediment samples.

Previous experience includes:
Providing assistance with fisheries data collection along the entire KwaZulu-Natal coastline, including recreational and subsistence users.

MR CHRIS WILKINSON
FIELD OFFICER

BTech (Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2007)

Employed at the Oceanographic Research Institute since October 2008.

Responsibilities include:
 Maintenance of boats, dive gear and sampling equipment.
 Planning and executing field activities in collaboration with scientists.
 Assisting with taking and recording scientific measurements including physical and biological data.

MR DENIS ROUILLARD
GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS TECHNICIAN

MSc (Murdoch University, 2008)

Employed at the Oceanographic Research Institute since October 2009.

Responsibilities include:
Spatial analysis of large and long-term environmental and fishery data sets in order to maximise their value and application of such data.
Provide specialist skills to research staff in several aspects of GIS.

MS GRACE SAMURIWO
LIBRARIAN

Higher National Diploma in Library and Information Science (Harare Polytechnic College, Zimbabwe)

Employed at the Oceanographic Research Institute since June 2008.

Responsibilities include:
 Provide information needs of ORI Scientists and other staff members from our library collection; Inter Library Loan Services and from subscribed

Scientific Journal Publishers on internet.
 Subscribe to journals, order requested books; process received requests and make them available for loan.
 Receive Scientists Publications and integrate them into the Organization's system of Referencing.
 Involved in periodic user awareness of new journals and other publications in the library.

PROF. RUDY VAN DER ELST
ASSOCIATE SCIENTIST

MSc (University of Natal, 1975)

Employed at the Oceanographic Research Institute since 1969.

Engaged in a diversity of marine resource-use and conservation studies, especially those relating to management problems in small-scale, recreational and artisanal fisheries, including:
Investigations into estuarine fish populations and sustainable resource use.
Stock assessment and biology of linefish, including the development of management strategies and their applications.
Development of long-term monitoring and assessment strategies including the National Marine Linefish System (NMLS) catch and effort programme and the nation-wide fish tagging project, both of which involve thousands of end-users.
Studies have also included elasmobranch fishes and large oceanic predators such as billfish, swordfish and white sharks.
Currently participating in a number of collaborative programmes involving other countries of the West Indian Ocean region.
Provides decision support to conservation managers and government officials and has assisted with environmental and fisheries policy formulation for national and regional government.
 Supervision of post-graduate students.

MS ALISON MOOR
PROJECT LIAISON OFFICER

Employed at the Oceanographic Research Institute since 2005.

 Responsible for co-ordination of research projects.
 Liaison with funding agencies.

MRS RAMINI NAIDOO
PERSONAL ASSISTANT

Employed at the Oceanographic Research Institute since 2001.

 Provides secretarial and administrative support to ORI's team of scientists and support staff.

MS THOBILE NKABINDE
RECEPTIONIST

 Switchboard operator and receptionist for SAAMBR since August 2011.

 Provides administrative assistance where required.