The Inland Fisheries Service (IFS) is pleased to announce that Dr Scott Hardie will be joining the IFS in early 2026, in a new role entitled - Manager (Pest Fish, Native Fish and Ecology).

Scott is a freshwater ecologist with a broad range of experience researching and informing water and fisheries management, policy and planning in Tasmania.  Most recently, Scott has been employed as Senior Aquatic Ecologist with the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania where he led several environmental flow assessments and ecological studies in a range of different catchments across Tasmania, designed and delivered research on threatened fish species, led the analysis of state-wide river health monitoring results, and collaborated extensively with other institutions and research providers on various aspects of freshwater ecology.  Scott is also currently an Adjunct Lecturer at the University of Tasmania and has undertaken the successful delivery of several native fish projects as an independent consultant.

In 2023, Scott was awarded a Churchill Fellowship which allowed him to examine challenges and opportunities in studying and managing impacts on inland waterways. For his Fellowship project, Scott visited numerous researchers, water managers and policy makers in New Zealand, USA and Canada.

Scott is no stranger to the IFS, having been employed as Senior Fisheries Policy Officer from 2003-2005 and Project Officer (Aquatic Fauna) from 2000-2003 where he worked extensively on the Lake Sorell and Crescent Rehabilitation Project.

Scott’s appointment brings considerable expertise and experience in fish management and freshwater ecology to the IFS, and we are looking forward to him getting started in this new role.

Dr Hardie will be commencing in the role on Monday, 2 February 2026 and will be based in New Norfolk.