Focus of Research :
- Fish taxonomy, biology, stock assessment and population dynamics
- Fish ageing using hard parts
- Conservation of ETP species of Elasmobranchs
Background :
I completed my Bachelor's degree in Fisheries Science (B.F.Sc) from the erstwhile College of Fisheries, Panangad under Kerala Agricultural University. Subsequently, I earned my Master's degree (2011–2013) in Aquatic Environmental Management from ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Education (ICAR-CIFE), Mumbai. In 2014, I qualified the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) examination under Fisheries Resources Management and joined the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) as a Scientist in January 2015. My initial posting was at the Mandapam Regional Centre of ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), where I was associated with the Demersal Fisheries Division. I was awarded Ph.D. in 2021 by ICAR-CIFE. At Mandapam my research focused on the taxonomy, biology and stock assessment of several key marine fish groups including silverbellies, goatfishes, snappers, pig-face breams, rabbitfishes, and elasmobranchs. In 2024,I was transferred to the Finfish Fisheries Division at CMFRI Headquarters. Currently, my research interests include marine fishery resources assessment, biology, taxonomy, ageing, stock assessment, and the conservation of protected marine species
Education :
- PhD (Aquatic Environmental Management) 2021, ICAR-CIFE, Mumbai
- MFSc (Aquatic Environmental Management) 2013 ICAR-CIFE, Mumbai
- BFSc (Fisheries Science) 2011, College of Fisheries, Panangad, Kerala Agricultural University
Current Research Projects :
| No | Title | Funded By |
| 1 | Decoding the interplay of fisheries-dependent and fisheries-independent factors on elasmobranchs of India to improve conservation, sustainability, livelihood, security and management | CMFRI |
| 2 | Science for Sustainability:Developing an Integrated Assessment Framework (IAF) to support management decisions for marine fisheries of Kerala | CMFRI |
| 3 | Understanding the dynamics of emerging and non-conventional marine fisheries resources (ENCMFR), and their potential economic and food security implications along the Indian Coast | CMFRI |
| 4 | Developing a National Roadmap for Integrated Coastal Conservation and Fisheries Enhancement along the Indian coast through Artificial reefs | CMFRI |
| 5 | Exploring the harvest and utilization potential of mesopelagic resources from the Indian EEZ | CMFRI |
| 6 | Exploring the harvest and post-harvest potential of mesopelagic resources from the Indian EEZ – A pilot study for commercial exploitation towards Blue Economy | NFDB (PMMSY) |
Awards & Recognitions :
- Best Fisheries Graduate of India (BFGI) award (IIIrd Rank) of Professional Fisheries Graduates Forum (PFGF) in 2011
- Bagged Dr. R. Satheesh Memorial Young Scientist Award for the Best Paper Presentation in the 10 th Kerala Environmental Congress 2014 organised by the Centre for Environment and Development during 22 nd to 23 rd August 2014 at Kochi
- Awarded first position in the Poster Presentation (Coastal and Marine Ecosystem, diversity and conservation) during the International Fisheries Congress & Expo 2024 jointly organised by Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS) & College of Fisheries Panangad Alumni Association (COFPAA) during 12th to 14thmJanuary 2024 at KUFOS Campus, Kochi, Kerala India.
Publications:
- Remya, L., Thomas, S., Kizhakudan, S. J., Thirumalaiselvan S., Gandhi, A., Midhun, M., Rajkumar, R., Vetrivel, V., Rajendran, U., Shanmuganathan, K. and Prakash, M. 2023.Biological observations and new maximum reported sizes for two threatened rays: ornate eagle ray Aetomylaeus vespertilio and mangrove whipray Urogymnus granulatus from the Gulf of Mannar, India. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 103, e90, 1–4. https://doi.org/10.1017/ S0025315423000796.
- Remya, L., Zacharia, P. U., Shukla, S. P., Varghese, M., Jaiswar, A. K., Nazar, A. K.A., Thirumalaiselvan, S., Rajkumar, M. and Vinoth Kumar R. 2022. Food habit and diet composition of Karalla dussumieri (Valenciennes, 1835) and Gazza minuta (Bloch, 1795) from Mandapam vicinity of Gulf of Mannar, Tamil Nadu. J. Mar. Biol. Assoc. India, 64 (1): 38-44.
- Thomas, S., Muktha, M., Dash, S. S., Kizhakudan, S. J., Akhilesh, K. V., Purushottama, G. B., Mahesh, V., Rahangdale, S., Zacharia, P. U., Najmudeen, T. M., Manojkumar, P. P., Remya, L., Wilson, L., Roul, S.K., Pradhan, R. K., Seetha, P.K., Yousuf, K. S. S. M. and Nataraja, G. D. 2021. Status of the hammerhead shark (Carcharhiniformes: Sphyrnidae) fishery in Indian waters with observations on the biology of scalloped hammerhead Sphyrna lewini (Griffith & Smith, 1834). Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems. pp. 1-15.
- Ramesh Kumar, P., Thirumalaiselvan, S., Raman, M., Remya, L., Jayakumar, R., Sakthivel, M., Tamilmani, G., Sankar, M., Anikuttan, K. K., Menon, N., Saravanan, R., Ravikumar, T. T., Iyapparajanarasimapallavan, G., Krishnaveni, N., Muniasamy, V., Batcha, S. M. S., and Gopalakrishnan, A. 2023. Monitoring of Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) of Noctiluca scintillans (Macartney) along the Gulf of Mannar, Indiausing in-situ and satellite observations and its impact on wild and maricultured finfishes. Mar. Pollut. Bull., 188: 1-21. ISSN 1879-3363.
- Thomas, S., Kizhakudan, S. J., Remya, L.Rahangadale, S., Nair, R. J., Mahesh, V., Akhilesh, K. V., Muktha, M., Purushottama, G. B., Dash, S. S., Najmudeen, T. M., Wilson, L., Roul, S., Zacharia, P. U. and Gopalakrishnan, A. 2022. India Non Detriment Findings (NDF) for devil rays Mobula spp. in the Indian Ocean, (2022-2024). CMFRI Marine Fisheries Policy Series No.21.
