Publication Date

2-2009

Series Number

183

Publisher

Department of Fisheries

City

Perth, Western Australia

ISBN

1 921258 37 3

ISSN

1035 - 4549

Abstract

Marine benthic communities along the metropolitan coast of Western Australia are varied and unique. The southward flowing Leeuwin Current brings warm water and tropical recruits whilst the cooler counter current, the Capes Current, brings the temperate recruits. The result is a mosaic of tropical species intermingled with the dominant temperate species. These areas sustain varied fish and invertebrate communities making this coast a highly desirable location for recreational and commercial use. Management strategies are in place that attempt to maintain the sustainability of this area including various fishery restrictions and the implementation of areas zoned as sanctuary zones (no-take). However, to date, long-term monitoring of the effects of these implementations with respect to the broader ecosystem (not stock specific) is lacking.

The Department of Fisheries (DoF), in working towards an ecosystem based fishery management (EBFM) strategy, is actively seeking to broaden the traditional methods of fishery management, such as species specific bag and size limits, with a more comprehensive assessment of trophic interactions, in order to devise sustainable and environment-friendly fishery methods and goals. To work towards achieving this goal the DoF has undertaken a preliminary marine monitoring program in established marine parks of the Natural Resource Management (NRM) Swan region. This program has gathered baseline data on benthic invertebrate and floral communities, Western Rock Lobster and fish communities (in particular those listed as high risk in west coast fishing rules, i.e. Category 1).

Quantitative baseline data of these fauna and floral groups in areas both fully protected and with limited protection from fishing will allow comparison with future data and identify possible anthropogenic impacts from activities such as fishing. As the majority of the sanctuary zones studied herein were only recently gazetted, only limited positive effects were seen, and only for Western Rock Lobster at one site at Rottnest. Neither the fish nor benthic communities exhibited any differences in terms of numbers of species or their densities as a result of protection from fishing. This highlights the need for long-term monitoring programs of these communities to enable a clearer picture of the real effects of protection and the benefits of the current arrangement of “no fishing” zones in terms of location and size. This information can then be used by marine planners and mangers to make better informed decisions as to the future use/protection of the marine environment.

Number of Pages

144

Keywords

Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Panulirus cygnus

Disciplines

Aquaculture and Fisheries | Environmental Sciences | Marine Biology

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