Research interests
Role at Landcare Research
Wildlife Toxicologist and Research Leader, Pest Control Technology Team, Landcare Research
Research interests
- Toxicology and environmental effects of vertebrate pesticides
- Animal welfare aspects of pest animal management
- Rodent feeding behaviour and development of baiting strategies
- Risk assessment and non-target impacts of pesticide use
Professional affiliations
- 2006 Acting Chair, Landcare Research Animal Ethics Committee
- Member: Australasian Wildlife Management Society
- Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
Recent publications
Pain, D. J., White, R., Stevenson, J., Bell, M., Williams, K. K., Fisher, P., and Wright, G. (2008). Toxicity and persistenceof sodium fluoroacetate (1080) in the land crab (Gecarcinus lagostoma) on Ascension Island. Wildlife research 35, 86-92.
Booth, L., Fisher, P., and Brown, L. (2007). Water monitoring after aerial application of 1080 baits for pest control – an update. Water and wastes in NZ November 2007, 38-39.
Brown LE, Fisher P, Wright G, Booth L 2007. Measuring degradation of zinc phosphide residues in possum stomach contents. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 79: 459-461
Fisher P, O’Connor C 2007. Oral toxicity of p-aminopropiophenone to ferrets. Wildlife Research 34: 19–24.
Fisher P, O’Connor C, Morriss G, Airey A 2007. House mice avoid 1080. Kararehe Kino 10: 10–11.
Fisher P, Spurr EB, Ogilvie SC, Eason CT 2007. Bait consumption and residual concentrations of diphacinone in the Wellington tree weta (Hemideina crassidens) (Orthoptera: Anostostomatidae). New Zealand Journal of Ecology 31: 104–110.
Spurr EB, Morriss GA, Turner J, O’Connor CE, Fisher P 2007. Bait station preferences of ship rats. DOC Research & Development Series 271.
Eason C, Morgan D, Fisher P, Hopkins B, Cowan P 2006. Reflections on improvements in the use of vertebrate pesticides in New Zealand 1996–2006. Proceedings of the 22nd Vertebrate Pest Conference, University of California, Davis, USA. Pp. 406–412.
Fisher P 2006. Persistence of residual diphacinone concentrations in pig tissues following sublethal exposure. DOC Research and Development Series 249.
Bailey C, Fisher P, Eason C 2005. Assessing anticoagulant resistance in rats and coagulation effects in birds using small-volume blood samples. Science for Conservation 249.
Duckworth J, Byrom A, Fisher P, Horn C 2005. Pest control: does the answer lie in new biotechnologies? In: Allen RB, Lee WG eds Biological invasions in New Zealand. Berlin, Springer.
Fisher P 2005. Review of house mouse (Mus musculus) susceptibility to anticoagulant poisons. DOC Science Internal Series 198.
Fisher P, O’Connor C, Murphy E 2005. Acute oral toxicity of a potential vertebrate pesticide, p-aminopropriophenone, in stoats (Mustela erminea). New Zealand Journal of Zoology 32: 163–169.
Lyver PO, Ataria J, Trought K, Fisher P 2005. Sodium fluoroacetate (1080) residues in long-fin eels Anguilla dieffenbachii, following exposure to contaminated water and food. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 39: 1234–1252.
Morriss G, Nugent G, Fisher P 2005. Exposure of feral pigs to brodifacoum following baiting for rodent control. DOC Science Internal Series 194.
O'Halloran K, Jones D, Booth L, Fisher P 2005. Ecotoxicity of 1080 to soil organisms. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 24: 1211–1218.
Primus T, Wright G, Fisher P 2005. Accidental discharge of brodifacoum baits in a tidal marine environment: a case study. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 74: 913–919.
Tremblay LA, Fisher P, Leusch FDL, van den Heuvel MR, Nicolas J-C, Pilon A, Balaguer P 2005. Evaluation of the potential of sodium fluoroacetate (1080) and fluorocitrate to bind to androgen and oestrogen receptors. Australasian Journal of Ecotoxicology 11: 155–162.
Booth LH, Fisher P, Hepplethwaite V, Eason C 2004. Risk of Feracol® baits to non-target invertebrates, native skinks and weka. DOC, Science for Conservation 239.
Fisher P, O'Connor C, Wright G, Eason C 2004. Anticoagulant residues in rats and secondary non-target risk. DOC Science Internal Series 188.
Tremblay LA, Fisher P, Leusch F 2004. Potential of sodium monofluoroacetate (1080) and fluorocitrate to bind to estrogen receptor. Australasian Journal of Ecotoxicology 10: 77–83.
Qualifications
Lincoln
PhD Ecology
2009
Monash
MAppSc Ecol & Ev Biology
1996
Publications
Ballesteros C, Sage M, Fisher P, Massei G, Mateo R, De La Fuente J, Rossi S, Gortázar C 2013. Iophenoxic acid as a bait marker for wild mammals: efficacy and safety considerations. Mammal Review 43(2): 156–166. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2907.2012.00213.x
Nugent G, Twigg LE, Warburton B, McGlinchy A, Fisher P, Gormley AM, Parkes JP 2012. Why 0.02%? A review of the basis for current practice in aerial 1080 baiting for rabbits in New Zealand. Wildlife research 39(2): 89-103. WOS:000302323100001 https://doi.org/10.1071/wr11121
Fisher P 2012. How humane are our pest control tools? Welfare Pulse 11: 3.
Fisher P, Booth LH, Brown LE, Campion M 2012. [Abstract] Anticoagulant rodenticides in New Zealand birds - so what? Proceedings: 6th SETAC world conference Berlin, May 20-24th 2012. Pp. 79. http://berlin.setac.eu/embed/Berlin/Abstractbook1_Part1.pdf
Fisher P, Griffiths R, Speedy C, Broome K 2011. Environmental monitoring for brodifacoum residues following aerial application of baits for rodent eradication. Occasional papers of the IUCN Species Survival Commission 42: 300-304.
Parkes J, Fisher P, Forrester G 2011. Diagnosing the cause of failure to eradicate introduced rodents on islands: brodifacoum versus diphacinone and method of bait delivery. Conservation evidence 8: 100-106.
Cowan P, Warburton B, Fisher P 2011. Welfare and ethical issues in invasive species management. Proceedings: 8th European Vertebrate Pest Management Conference, Berlin, 26-30 Sepember 2011. Pp. 44-45. http://dx.doi.org/10.5073/jka.2011.432.019
Fisher P, Nugent G, Morgan D, Warburton B, Cowan P, Duckworth J 2011. Possum management using aerial 1080 – not new, definitely improved. New Zealand journal of forestry 56(3): 5-8.
Fisher P, Funnell E, Fairweather A, Brown L, Campion M 2011. Accidental Discharge of Brodifacoum Baits into a Freshwater Lake: A Case Study. Bulletin of environmental contamination and toxicology 88: 161-166. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-011-0470-1
Fisher P, Brown L, Ogilvie S, Eason C 2010. [Abstract] Anticoagulant Residue Risks - Assessing sublethal exposure to brodifacoum without lethal sampling? Proceedings: 24th Vertebrate Pest Conference, Sacramento, CA., USA, 22-25th February 2010. http://ucanr.org/sites/VPC/files/86612.pdf
Fisher P, Airey A, Brown S 2009. Effect of pre-feeding and sodium fluoroacetate (1080) concentration on bait acceptance by house mice. Wildlife research 36: 627-638.
Fisher P, O'Connor CE, Morriss G 2008. Oral toxicity of p-aminopropiophenone to brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula), dama wallabies (Macropus eugenii), and mallards (Anas platyrhynchos). Journal of Wildlife Diseases 44(3): 655-663. WOS:000258668600013
Wanless RM, Fisher P, Cooper J, Parkes J, Ryan PG, Slabber M 2008. Bait acceptance by house mice: an island field trial. Wildlife Research 35(8): 806-811. WOS:000261768000009 https://doi.org/10.1071/wr08045
Memberships
- Member, National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee, MAF