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 University 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, University 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, University College Cork, Ireland.  73 pp.