I combine ecological and economic theories and methods, big data analytics, and computation to find solutions to fisheries and conservation problems.

Teaching

• BS5260: Modelling Ecological Dynamics (Level 5; TSV)
• MB3014: Managing Tropical Fisheries (Level 3; TSV)
• MB3150: Fisheries Science (Level 3; TSV)
• MB5003: Fisheries Science (Level 5; TSV)
• MB5014: Managing Tropical Fisheries (Level 5; TSV)
• MB5610: Fishing Gear and Technologies (Level 5; TSV)

Interests

Research

• I am particularly interested in problems where science and scientific innovations can help overcome bottlenecks to effectively address fisheries and conservation challenges. I am interested in the following topics and methods:
• Solutions to overfishing and biodiversity loss in the ocean
• Food and livelihood security of coastal fishing communities
• Designing network of marine protected areas
• Impacts of climate change on ocean ecosystem economy (wild fisheries, mariculture, coastal tourism etc.)
• Use of big data and satellite technologies (e.g. vessel tracking) to inform fisheries management
• Use of bioeconomic and agent-based modeling to design policies in fisheries
• Global food systems
• Solving illegal fishing

Experience

• 2021 to present - Senior Lecturer, James Cook University (Townsville, Australia)
• 2019 to 2021 - Research Faculty (Assistant Researcher), University of California, Santa Barbara (USA)
• 2014 to 2019 - Postdoctoral Researcher, University of California, Santa Barbara (USA)
• 2004 to 2014 - BS, MS, and PhD Physics, University of the Philippines, Diliman (Philippines)

Research Disciplines

• Fisheries sciences (3005)
• Environmental management (4104)

Socio-Economic Objectives

• Marine systems and management (1805)
• Fisheries - aquaculture (1002)
• Fisheries - wild caught (1003)

These are the most recent publications associated with this author. To see a detailed profile of all publications stored at JCU, visit ResearchOnline@JCU. Hover over Altmetrics badges to see social impact.

Journal Articles

• Free C, Cabral R, Froehlich H, Battista W, Ojea E, O’Reilly E, Palardy J, García Molinos J, Siegel K, Arnason R, Juinio-Meñez M, Fabricius K, Turley C and Gaines S (2022) Expanding ocean food production under climate change. Nature, 605. pp. 490-496
• Sullivan-Stack J, Aburto-Oropeza O, Brooks C, Cabral R, Caselle J, Chan F, Duffy J, Dunn D, Friedlander A, Fulton-Bennett H, Gaines S, Gerber L, Hines E, Leslie H, Lester S, MacCarthy J, Maxwell S, Mayorga J, McCauley D, Micheli F, Moffitt R, Nickols K, Palumbi S, Pearsall D, Pike E, Pikitch E, Sancho G, Spalding A, Suman D, Sykora-Bodie S and Grorud-Colvert K (2022) A scientific synthesis of marine protected areas in the United States: status and recommendations. Frontiers in Marine Science, 9.
• McDonald G, Costello C, Bone J, Cabral R, Farabee V, Hochberg T, Kroodsma D, Mangin T, Meng K and Zahn O (2021) Satellites can reveal global extent of forced labor in the world's fishing fleet. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 118 (3).
• Sala E, Mayorga J, Bradley D, Cabral R, Atwood T, Auber A, Cheung W, Costello C, Ferretti F, Friedlander A, Gaines S, Garilao C, Goodell W, Halpern B, Hinson A, Kaschner K, Kesner-Reyes K, Leprieur F, McGowan J, Morgan L, Mouillot D, Palacios-Abrantes J, Possingham H, Rechberger K, Worm B and Lubchenco J (2021) Protecting the global ocean for biodiversity, food and climate. Nature, 592. pp. 397-402
• Burgess M, Carrella E, Drexler M, Axtell R, Bailey R, Watson J, Cabral R, Clemence M, Costello C, Dorsett C, Gaines S, Klein E, Koralus P, Leonard G, Levin S, Little L, Lynham J, Madsen J, Merkl A, Owashi B, Saul S, Putten I and Wilcox S (2020) Opportunities for agent-based modelling in human dimensions of fisheries. Fish and Fisheries, 21 (3). pp. 570-587
• Carrella E, Saul S, Marshall K, Burgess M, Cabral R, Bailey R, Dorsett C, Drexler M, Madsen J and Merkl A (2020) Simple Adaptive Rules Describe Fishing Behaviour Better than Perfect Rationality in the US West Coast Groundfish Fishery. Ecological Economics, 169.
• Visalli M, Best B, Cabral R, Cheung W, Clark N, Garilao C, Kaschner K, Kesner-Reyes K, Lam V, Maxwell S, Mayorga J, Moeller H, Morgan L, Crespo G, Pinsky M, White T and McCauley D (2020) Data-driven approach for highlighting priority areas for protection in marine areas beyond national jurisdiction. Marine Policy, 122.
• Bailey R, Carrella E, Axtell R, Burgess M, Cabral R, Drexler M, Dorsett C, Madsen J, Merkl A and Saul S (2019) A computational approach to managing coupled human–environmental systems: the POSEIDON model of ocean fisheries. Sustainability Science, 14 (2). pp. 259-275
• Bradley D, Mayorga J, McCauley D, Cabral R, Douglas P and Gaines S (2019) Leveraging satellite technology to create true shark sanctuaries. Conservation Letters, 12 (2).
• Cabral R, Halpern B, Lester S, White C, Gaines S and Costello C (2019) Designing MPAs for food security in open-access fisheries. Scientific Reports, 9.
• Siegel K, Cabral R, McHenry J, Ojea E, Owashi B and Lester S (2019) Sovereign states in the Caribbean have lower social-ecological vulnerability to coral bleaching than overseas territories. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 286 (1897).
• Cabral R and Geronimo R (2018) How important are coral reefs to food security in the Philippines? Diving deeper than national aggregates and averages. Marine Policy, 91. pp. 136-141

More

ResearchOnline@JCU stores 24+ research outputs authored by Dr Reniel Cabral from 2015 onwards.

Current and recent Research Funding to JCU is shown by funding source and project.

Advisory Accreditation: I can be on your Advisory Panel as a Primary or Secondary Advisor.

These Higher Degree Research projects are either current or by students who have completed their studies within the past 5 years at JCU. Linked titles show theses available within ResearchOnline@JCU.

Current

• Assessing the potential for recreational fishing to contribute to conservation of coastal marine species and habitats (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
• Sustainability of coral reef fishery in Indonesia (Masters , Secondary Advisor)
• Biology and Ecology of Australian Aquarium Corals: Information needed to Secure the Sustainability of ongoing Wild Harvest of Scleractinian Corals (PhD , External Advisor)

The map shows research collaborations by institution from the past 7 years.
Note: Map points are indicative of the countries or states that institutions are associated with.