Fisheries research report No. 175 - An assessment of the finfish catch by recreational fishers, tour operators, commercial lobster fishers and commercial wetline fishers from the Houtman Abrolhos islands during 2006

Authors

Neil R. Sumner, Department of Fisheries, Western Australia

Publication Date

6-2008

Series Number

175

Publisher

Department of Fisheries, Western Australia

City

Perth, Western Australia

ISBN

1 921258 25X

ISSN

1035 - 4549

Abstract

The catch of finfish from the Houtman Abrolhos Islands was estimated for recreational boats, tour operators, commercial rock lobster fishers and occupants of their camps on the islands. Separate methods were used for each of the different sectors due to the variation in fishing activities. Recreational boats and commercial rock lobster fishers were surveyed to determine catches, whereas the catches by tour operator and commercial wet-line fishers were determined from their compulsory catch and effort returns submitted to the Department of Fisheries.

The reported commercial wetline catch for pink snapper, sweetlip emperor and Western Australian dhufish greatly exceeded the combined catch from the other sectors. The commercial wetline catch of pink snapper comprised 69.9 tonnes out of a total catch of 85.7 tonnes. The commercial wetline catch of sweetlip emperor comprised 61.0 tonnes out of a total catch of 66.0 tonnes. The commercial wetline catch of dhufish comprised 27.9 tonnes out of a total catch of 39.0 tonnes Baldchin groper was also a major component of the catch from the islands.

Baldchin groper was the dominant species caught by persons staying at the commercial rock lobster fisher’s camps on the islands (27.6 tonnes). Baldchin groper was also caught by commercial wetline fishers (15.1 tonnes), as by-product in rock lobster pots (11.7 tonnes), by recreational boats (8.3 tonnes) and tour operators (3.5 tonnes)

Number of Pages

32

Keywords

Commercial wetline fishers, Tour operators, Finfish, Houtman Abrolhos, Commercial lobster fishery, Catch, Management

Disciplines

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

Recommended Citation

Sumner, N. 2008. An assessment of the finfish catch by recreational fishers, tour operators, commercial lobster fishers and commercial wetline fishers from the Houtman Abrolhos Islands during 2006. Fisheries Research Report No. 175, Department of Fisheries, Western Australia, 32p.