Fisheries research report No 154 - The development of a rigorous sampling methodology for a long-term annual index of recruitment for finfish species from south-western Australia.

Authors

Daniel J. Gaughan, Department of Fisheries, WAFollow
Suzanne G. Ayvazian, Department of Fisheries, WA
G Nowara, Department of Fisheries, WA
M Craine, Department of Fisheries, WA

Publication Date

1-2006

Series Number

154

Publisher

Department of Fisheries, Western Australia

City

Perth

ISBN

1 877098 84 1

ISSN

1035 - 4549

Abstract

Final FRDC Report - 1999/153.

This study has determined the optimal strategies to achieve statistically robust indices of recruitment of five key finfish species in south-western Australia. For another two species such indices could not be established. The sampling strategies developed will initially focus on the most appropriate location, month, and lunar phase, after which fine tuning of the sampling activity will be undertaken with respect to time of day, tide height, weather conditions etc. A significant outcome from the project is that five finfish species have a sampling strategy for recruits that can be utilized as a monitoring program for the recreational and commercial fisheries that target these species. Because it is difficult to attract and retain research funds for these minor fishery species, demonstration of an optimal sampling strategy that can be used to predict fishery performance is an invaluable and relatively cheap stock assessment tool. An ongoing and cost–effective monitoring program that is under-pinned by a detailed investigation of variability in abundance of recruits and that demonstrates a link between recruits and subsequent abundance of catchable age classes will facilitate better long-term management of the key inshore finfish stocks in south-western Australia. This is particularly relevant now that Western Australia has developed, and is currently implementing, an integrated approach to fisheries management, whereby the total exploitation on any one fish stock will be managed through simultaneous consideration of all exploitive sectors.

The inshore marine finfish fishery in south-western Australia is important for both the commercial and recreational sectors. Seven key species (Australian herring, Australian salmon, tailor, King George whiting, yellow-finned whiting, yellow-eye mullet and sea mullet) comprise a significant component of the inshore finfish resource but due to their limited commercial value, and indeterminate recreational value, ongoing formal stock assessments for each of these species has not been possible. Because the 0+ stage of each of the seven finfish species inhabit nearshore waters, and hence are accessible to the relatively cheap sampling method of beach seining, this project sought to develop recruitment indices based on (a) a beach seine sampling program and (b) sampling of commercial catches. Sampling of commercial catch and recruits was undertaken from the Western Australian coastline between the Perth metropolitan area and to the east of Esperance. This extensive stretch of coastline encompasses a significant degree of the state’s inshore fishery. The primary goal of this study was to determine if statistically reliable relationships could be established between recruit abundance and commercial catch of the respective adults in subsequent years

Number of Pages

135

Keywords

Inshore, Recruitment, Recruitment indices, Minor-scale fisheries

Disciplines

Aquaculture and Fisheries | Marine Biology | Natural Resources and Conservation | Sustainability

Recommended Citation

Gaughan, D., Ayvazian, S., Nowara, G. and Craine, M. 2006. The development of a rigorous sampling methodology for a long-term annual index of recruitment for finfish species from south-western Australia, Final FRDC Report – Project 1999/153, Fisheries Research Report No. 154, Department of Fisheries, Western Australia, ??p