Earlier in his career Anthony Cheshire worked as a research scientist at the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS 1986-1989) and as an Academic in the Department of Botany at the University of Adelaide (1989-2000).
His research work has spanned a number of key areas and initiatives including the ecology and ecophysiology of temperate and tropical macro-algae,[1] the ecophysiology of tropical corals and sponges[2] and the impact of aquaculture on coastal systems with a significant focus on the development of the state's Southern bluefin tuna seacage aquaculture sector.
[9] This work involved the development of novel technologies for quantifying the in-situ photosynthetic rates by macro-algal including both mixed-fucoid and turf algal communities.
Subjects included early investigations of the environmental effect of tuna seacages,[13] measurement and modeling of nitrogen loads,[14][15] sediment geochemistry,[16] developing a methodology for assessing seabed impacts,[17] nutrient influence on the seabed,[18] waste mitigation,[19] oxygen availability in sea cages,[20] net fouling communities and synthetic anti-fouling treatments,[21][22] and regional monitoring systems.
[23] He also researched means of lowering the cost of environment assessments for the tuna aquaculture sector[24][25] and helped improve net designs to allow Great white sharks that enter sea-cages by leaping or biting their way in to be released without harm.