Dr. Cyrus Charles Rumisha

Cyrus Rumisha (PhD)
Senior Lecturer & Coordinator of Aquaculture Section 
Telephone: +255 717 119 096
Email: cyrus.rumisha@gmail.com or rumisha@sua.ac.tz

Dr. Cyrus Rumisha is an aquatic biologist and academician specializing in aquatic biodiversity, conservation genetics/molecular ecology, and sustainable fisheries management. Born in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Dr. Rumisha is currently a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Animal, Aquaculture, and Range Sciences at the Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) in Morogoro, Tanzania, where he has served since 2008. His expertise spans molecular ecology, fisheries science, aquaculture, and the conservation of both marine and freshwater ecosystems, with a particular focus on the Western Indian Ocean region. Dr. Rumisha holds a PhD in Marine Biology from Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Belgium, a Master of Science in Ecological Marine Management from a joint program between VUB and the University of Antwerp, and a Bachelor of Science in Aquaculture from SUA.

Dr. Rumisha’s academic career at SUA has seen him progress from Tutorial Assistant in 2008 to Senior Lecturer, where he teaches courses in fisheries science, invertebrate zoology, conservation genetics, and fish population dynamics. Alongside his academic duties, he has held leadership roles, including Coordinator and Head of the Aquaculture Section since October 2022 and Chairman of the College of Natural and Applied Science Research, Publication, and Consultancy Committee from 2020 to 2022. He is also an active supervisor, guiding numerous postgraduate students researching molecular ecology, aquatic biodiversity, and aquaculture.

As a principal investigator, Dr. Rumisha has led over 10 high-profile research projects focusing on sustainable fisheries, aquaculture, and aquatic fauna conservation in East Africa. He has also contributed as a co-principal investigator to more than five additional research initiatives, addressing topics such as mobulid population genetic structures, shark-fin trade network tracking, introgressive hybridization in tilapias, shark conservation, and the impact of climate change on cage fish farming in the Lake Victoria Basin. In addition to his research leadership, Dr. Rumisha offers consultancy services, providing expertise in aquatic biodiversity conservation and aquaculture across East Africa.

Dr. Rumisha has authored and co-authored over 26 publications in reputable scientific journals. His research has significantly advanced our understanding of genetic population structures of aquatic fauna, environmental stressors affecting fish populations, and strategies for conserving endangered aquatic fauna. His ongoing work continues to be crucial in promoting sustainable fisheries management and safeguarding aquatic biodiversity in the region.

Teaching

  • MSc. Aquaculture: Conservation Genetics for Aquatic Resources; Fish Population Dynamics and Stock Assessment
  • MSc. Education (Biology): Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation
  • BSc. Aquaculture: Fisheries Science & Management; Biology of Fishes; Invertebrate Zoology; Fisheries Regulations

Research Projects Undertaking as Principal Investigator (PI)

  1. Leveraging Digital Alert Systems and climate-adapted fish Strains to foster climate-resilience in cage-fish farming systems in the Lake Victoria Basin, Tanzania (FISHALERT), Funded by the Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology, Tanzania, November 2024 to date.
  2. Building capacity to foster sustainable management of threatened mobulid rays in East Africa, Funded by the Save Our Seas Foundation, Switzerland, January 2023 to date
  3. Combating unsustainable fishing to rescue the endangered Manyara tilapias in Tanzania, Funded by the Rufford Foundation, UK, January 2023 to date
  4. Facilitating multi-stakeholder partnerships to foster sustainable shark fisheries in Tanzania, Funded by VLIRUOS, Belgium, 2020 – 2022
  5. Delineation of the genetic stock structure of the queen mackerel to enhance fisheries management in Tanzania (DGS-Fish), Funded by the Tanzania Deep Sea Fishing Authority, Tanzania, 2020 – 2022
  6. Exposing the black market of the protected sharks to foster sustainable shark fisheries in Tanzania, Funded by the Save Our Seas Foundation, Switzerland, 2020 – 2021
  7. Genetic analysis to improve management and conservation of the endangered East African wedgefishes and their habitat (GAIM-Fish), Funded by the International Foundation for Science, Sweden, 2020 – 2021.
  8. Compliance campaigns and genetic monitoring to foster sustainable fisheries in the Rift Valley Lakes of north- central Tanzania, Funded by the Rufford Foundation, UK, 2019 – 2021
  9. Enhancing fisheries management through monitoring of the patterns of gene flow between marine protected areas and fishing areas in Tanzania, Funded by the Rufford Foundation, UK, 2018 – 2019

Collaborative Research Projects Undertaken

  1. Unlocking seagrass genetic diversity and connectivity for informed restoration and sustainable marine management in the Western Indian Ocean (SeagrassGen), Funded by the Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association, Tanzania, January 2024 to date.
  2. Digitizing fish-farming value chains for enhanced productivity and food security in the Lake Victoria basin, Tanzania (DigiFish), Funded by the Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology, Tanzania, November 2023 to date.
  3. Cutting-edge ICT tools for enhancing multi-stakeholder linkages to foster sustainable fish farming in the Kilombero Floodplain (Cute-fish), Funded by the SUA Research and Innovation Support, Tanzania, March 2023 to date
  4. Supporting marine small-scale fisheries sustainability as a basis of safeguarding food security and livelihoods in East African region (SAVE-FISH), Funded by VLIRUOS, Belgium, 2022 to date
  5. Revealing the appropriate management units to strengthen management of the sandfish in Tanzania (RAMUS), Funded by the Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association, Tanzania, 2020 – 2022
  6. Innovative strategies for enhancing Conservation of Endemic Fishes in the Kilombero floodplain, Tanzania (CoEF- project), Funded by the SUA Research and Innovation Support, Tanzania, 2022 to date

Publications
Rumisha has authored and co-authored over 26 publications in reputable Scientific Journal. Kindly visit Google Scholar or ResearchGate accounts to access his publications.

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