Abisha C.

Programme Associate

Qualifications:Master of Fisheries Science (M.F.Sc.), ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Education (2019-2021)

Bachelor of Fisheries Science (B.F.Sc.), Fisheries College and Research Institute, Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu (2015-2019)

Profile: Abisha has had a deep love for nature since childhood, which sparked her interest in the marine ecosystem during her undergraduate studies. Living near the sea, she felt compelled to explore more about the marine environment. Her curiosity and desire to understand oceans, marine organisms, and their management led her to pursue postgraduate studies in “Fisheries Resource Management.” During this time, she focused on studying microplastic pollution in commercially important bivalves and the marine environment.

Currently, she is pursuing her PhD on elasmobranchs along the southwest coast of India, marking her entry into the field of elasmobranch research. Her research primarily focuses on studying the diversity of elasmobranchs through DNA barcoding. Additionally, she aims to assess exploitation levels, population characteristics, life history traits, and the biology of selected elasmobranch species, addressing critical knowledge gaps. Her goal is to bridge these gaps to facilitate the conservation of these apex predators and raise awareness among fishers, as elasmobranchs play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy marine ecosystem.

Abisha currently works as a Programme Associate with the Marine Flagship team at Dakshin, developing a long-term monitoring protocol for elasmobranchs in the Palk Bay region.

Publications:

  1. Abisha C, Dahanukar N, Ranjeet K and Raghavan R. (2024). ‘Data Deficient’ but potentially threatened: first biological observations on the poorly known quagga catshark (Halaelurus quagga). Marine and Freshwater Research, 75, MF23234. 
  2. Abisha C, Kutty R, Gurjar U.R, Jaiswar A.K, Deshmuke G, Sasidharan A and Xavier K.M. (2024). Microplastic prevalence, diversity and characteristics in commercially important edible bivalves and gastropods in relation to environmental matrices. Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances, 13, p.100392.