Publication Date

1985

Series Number

Fisheries Report 68

Publisher

Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Western Australia

City

Perth

ISBN

O 7309 0622 1

ISSN

0726 - 0733

Abstract

Commercial catch and effort data from the Western Australian fishery for barramundi, Lates calcarifer, over eight years to 1982-83 were analysed. Major stocks and areas of this fishery are Cambridge Gulf (Ord River, port of Wyndham), Kimberley coast, King Sound and Broome coast (Fitzroy River, ports of Derby and Broome), and Pilbara coast (ports of Port Hedland, Roebourne and Onslow) where the Ashburton River is the southern limit to the distribution of barramundi on the west coast. As elsewhere, barramundi stocks are associated with river systems. The Low annual catch of about 30 tonnes appears to be due to the limitation placed on abundance by the extent and types of rivers in W.A. Annual fishing effort by land-based operators is limited by flooding during the wet season. So most of the annual catch is taken towards the end of the wet and in the following months of the winter day season. As a consequence, between year variation in the annual catch appears to be influenced by annual variations in rainfall and flooding. An increase in the annual catch to more than 60 tonnes in 1982-83 was due to an increased catch in Cambridge Gulf where, at Wyndham, rainfall was lower than normal. Fishing operations are also heavily influenced by the extreme tidal range of the north-west which prevents heavier exploitation from port-based vessels, fishing of mud flats, and consistent fishing of isolated rivers on the Kimberley coast.

Number of Pages

39

Keywords

Commercial fishery, Barramundi (Lates calcarifer), Western Australia

Disciplines

Aquaculture and Fisheries | Business Administration, Management, and Operations | Corporate Finance | Marine Biology | Natural Resource Economics | Natural Resources and Conservation | Natural Resources Management and Policy | Sustainability

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