I grew up in the western suburbs of Melbourne, and studied a BSc at the University of Melbourne, completing subjects in marine ecology, botany, zoology, marine chemistry and law of the sea in 1994. I then completed a BSc (Hons) program at the University of Melbourne/MAFRI Queenscliff Marine Station on the behaviour and transport process of post-larval King George whiting in 1996. I worked there for a further year as a research assistant on the early life history ecology of fish on intertidal and subtidal soft sediment habitats.
I moved to Hobart in 1998 to take up a University of Tasmania PhD scholarship, working on the biology and population dynamics of shallow reef wrasse species. In 2003 I worked as a Research Scientist in the Scalefish section at the Tasmanian Aquaculture and Fisheries Institute on a range of projects including assessment of the Small Pelagics Fishery, impacts of recreational fishing, and using video to assess interactions between midwater trawls and marine mammals.
I joined the Australian Antarctic Division as the leader of the Fish and Fisheries group in 2006. I am currently involved in a range of projects related to the assessment of fish stocks at Heard Island and McDonald Islands and conservation of biodiversity in Australia's Antarctic and subantarctic territories.
Life history plasticity in marine fishes.
Use of otoliths (ear bones) to elucidate population dynamics of fishes.
Quality control systems for data collected on fishing vessels.
Use of novel technologies to visualise the behaviour and impact of fishing gear on benthic habitats.
Use of science and logic in developing resource use strategies.
Co-convener of SC-CAMLR ad hoc group for Technical and At Sea Operations (TASO).
Management and research strategies for Australia's Subantarctic Fisheries, and CCAMLR managed fisheries.
Welsford, D.C. G. B. Nowara, S. G. Candy, J. P. McKinlay, J.J. Verdouw and J.J. Hutchins (eds) (2009). Evaluating gear and season specific age-length keys to improve the precision of stock assessments for Patagonian toothfish at Heard Island and McDonald Islands. Final report, FRDC Project 2008/046.
For a full list of Dr Welsford's publication see Google Scholar.