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Dr Maria O'Mahoney

I graduated from UCC with a BSc (Hons) Zoology in 2000.  Subsequent to this, I worked as research assistant on several projects relating to the ecology and aquaculture of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus.  I was also employed as research assistant at the Hope Entomological Collections, Oxford ÉîÒ¹ÑÇÖÞ¸£Àû¾Ã¾Ã Museum of Natural History, Oxford, U.K. for a number of months between projects.  In 2003, I graduated from UCC with an MSc in Fisheries Management, Development & Conservation.  Following this, I was employed as a research assistant at the AFDC where I worked on a number of research projects over a three year duration.  My position in the development of the UrchinPlatter^TM System for commercial cultivation of the sea urchin, P. lividus, led to my PhD research project (Jan 2006- June 2009) which investigated the development of formulated feeds for P. lividus and later, the Ezo abalone Haliotis discus hannai using a novel binder.  In 2008 & 2009, I was guest lecture on the MSc in Marine Biology here at UCC.  My research interests include sea urchin and abalone nutrition and aquaculture.  I am also interested in the development of commercially focussed yet environmentally sound techniques for aquaculture.

As the Manager of the AFDC, I am responsible for the co-ordination of research projects and facilities within the AFDC.  Central to this, is the maintenance of best-practise techniques and adhering to the relevant legislation for aquaculture research.  Into the future, grant capture is a key focus for the AFDC with the ultimate aim of raising the overall profile of the AFDC in the international research domain.  

Publications

O'Mahoney, M., Rice, O., Mouzakitis, G. & Burnell, G. (2014).  Towards sustainable feeds for abalone culture: evaluating the use of mixed-species seaweed meal in formulated feeds for the Japanese abalone, Haliotis discus hannai.  Aquaculture, 430, 9-16.

O’Mahoney, M., Mouzakitis, G., Doyle, J. & Burnell, G. (2011).   A konjac glucomannan – xanthan gum binder for aquaculture feeds: The effect of binder configuration on formulated feed stability, feed palatability and growth performance of the Japanese abalone, Haliotis discus hannai.  Aquaculture Nutrition, 17 (4): 395-407.

Barnes, D.K.A., Crook A.C., O’Mahoney M., Steele S. & Maguire D. (2001).   Sea temperature variability and Paracentrotus lividus (Echinoidea) population fluctuations.  Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , 81, 359-360.

Barnes D.K.A., Verling E., Crook A., Davidson I. & O’Mahoney M. (2002).   Local population disappearance follows (20 yr after) cycle collapse in a pivotal ecological species.  Marine Ecology Progress Series, 26, 311-313.

Interim & Final Report Documents

O’Mahoney, M., Mouzakitis, G. & Chamberlain, J. (2006).   Development and Assessment of the First Hatchery-Stage Artificial Diets for Sea Urchins (HatchFeeds) IND/05/01.  Marine Institute, Month 9 Report.

O’Mahoney, M., Chamberlain, J. & Mouzakitis, G. (2006).   Development and Assessment of the First Hatchery-Stage Artificial Diets for Sea Urchins (HatchFeeds) IND/05/01.  Marine Institute, Month 12 Report.

O’Mahoney, M., Chamberlain, J. & Mouzakitis, G. (2007).   Development and Assessment of the First Hatchery-Stage Artificial Diets for Sea Urchins (HatchFeeds) IND/05/01.  Marine Institute, Month 15 Report.

O’Mahoney, M., Chamberlain, J. & Mouzakitis, G. (2007).   Development and Assessment of the First Hatchery-Stage Artificial Diets for Sea Urchins (HatchFeeds) IND/05/01.  Marine Institute, Final Report.

O’Mahoney, M. & Mouzakitis, G. (2008).   Commercial validation of the RediBind^TM System.  EnterpriseIreland Commercialisation Fund, Final Report.

Theses

O’Mahoney, M. (2009).   Development of a novel binder for aquaculture: Application of a konjac glucomannan-xanthan gum binder to formulated feed development for the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus and abalone Haliotis discus hannai.  PhD thesis, ÉîÒ¹ÑÇÖÞ¸£Àû¾Ã¾Ã College Cork, Ireland. 297 pp.

O’Mahoney, M. (2003).   Spatial pattern of plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) abundance in the inshore nursery grounds of the Western Irish Sea and the influence of fixed-station sampling design on time-series recruitment indices.  MSc thesis, ÉîÒ¹ÑÇÖÞ¸£Àû¾Ã¾Ã College Cork, Ireland.  73 pp.