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The influence of ‘no take’ Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) on abundance and size of fishes varies considerably and the likely benefits are still debated. Meta-analyses reveal findings are biased towards studies in shallower depths suitable for diving surveys. Empirical comparisons in deeper waters, including among areas with differing spatial management, further contribute to understanding of MPA benefits and constraints. We compare length and abundance of commercially and recreationally targeted fishes (and bycatch) among management types within and adjacent to the Solitary Islands Marine Park (SIMP), Australia. Sampling was done on reefs between 25 and 40 m depth in ‘no-take’ and fished ‘partially protected’ areas within the marine park and fished areas outside the SIMP, using stereo- Baited Remote Underwater Videos (stereo-BRUVs) at eight, nine, thirteen and fourteen years after these ‘no take’ areas were established. Four species targeted by fishers: snapper Chrysophrys auratus, grey morwong Nemadactylus douglasi, pearl perch Glaucosoma scapulare, and venus-tuskfish Choerodon venustus, were more abundant and larger in ‘no take’ zones overall and showed an increase through time in ‘no take’ relative to both types of fished area. In contrast, there was no distinct pattern of four bycatch species increasing in abundance in ‘no-take’ areas. Abundances of fish in partially protected areas were similar to fished areas outside the MPA. This study adds empirical evidence to the assertion that ‘no take’ areas in particular, can contribute to both marine conservation and natural resource management.

Three dominant recruitment patterns were identified across 30 stocks from Australia, New Zealand, Chile, South Africa, and the Falkland Islands using data from 1980 to 2010. Cluster and dynamic factor analysis provided similar groupings. Stocks exhibited a detectable degree of synchrony among species, in particular the hakes and lings from Australia, New Zealand, Chile, and South Africa. We tested three climate indices, the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation (IPO), Southern Annular Mode (SAM), and Southern Oscillation Index (SOI), to explore their relationship with fish stock recruitment patterns. The time series of IPO and SOI showed the strongest correlation with New Zealand hoki (blue grenadier, Macruronus novaezelandiae) and Australian jackass morwong (Nemadactylus macropterus) (r = 0.50 and r = –0.50), and SAM was positively related to Australian Macquarie Island Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides) (r = 0.49). Potential linkages in recruitment patterns at sub-basin, basin, and multibasin scales and regional and global climate indices do account for some of the variation, playing an important role for several key Southern Hemisphere species.

Fishery responses to climate change are occurring on time-scales relevant to the provision of short-term management advice. This is especially the case in climate change ‘hotspots’ such as south-eastern Australia, where the rate of ocean-warming is 3–4 times the global average. The application of harvest strategies utilizing biological reference points that do not take into account the effect of the changing environment on fish productivity may lead to unsustainable catch recommendations. Jackass morwong (Nemadactylus macropterus) is a moderately long-lived demersal species inhabiting continental shelf waters of the southern hemisphere. The most recent Stock Synthesis assessment for the species suggests that this stock has recently declined in abundance off south-eastern Australia. The stock assessment attributes the decline to mostly below average recruitment since 1985, but the recommended catch levels are based on an assumption of average recruitment from a stationary stock–recruitment relationship. The ability of Stock Synthesis to include an environmental variable to adjust the stock–recruitment relationship is used to model a regime shift on the average level of recruitment. Management strategy evaluation (MSE) is then used to examine the consequences of using the wrong recruitment assumption in the assessment used in the harvest strategy for setting the catches. The MSE shows that the consequences of mis-specifying the assessment model are greater if the assessment continues to assume that no shift in recruitment has occurred. Thus the more precautionary approach for management wishing to meet all the aims of the Australian government Harvest Strategy Policy is to assume that a shift in recruitment has occurred. A possible mechanism for how observed oceanic changes could be impacting jackass morwong recruitment is presented.

Para contribuir al conocimiento de la explotación de peces asociada a la pesquería de langosta de Juan Fernández, se monitorearon 157 salidas de pesca durante la temporada 2010-2011. Se capturaron 10.462 ejemplares correspondientes a 19 especies de peces, tres de las cuales concentraron el 94% de la captura en número: jurel de Juan Fernández (Pseudocaranx chilensis) (45%), breca (Nemadactylus gayi) (41%) y anguila morena (Gymnothoraxporphyreus) (8%). Las capturas totales estimadas fueron 40, 24 y 13 ton de breca, jurel de Juan Fernández y anguila morena, respectivamente. El 97% de los ejemplares de peces capturados fueron utilizados como carnada de peces o langosta.

The distribution of morwong larvae in the southwestern Tasman Sea was investigated during autumn/early winter over three consecutive years (1992-1994). Larvae were confined to surface tows and large numbers (6-30 mm in length) were captured up to 250 km east of Tasmania (the limit of sampling). The jackass morwong (Nemadactylus macropterus) dominated samples, although larvae of the banded morwong (Cheilodactylus spectabilis) were also recorded. N. macropterus larvae were found within water masses derived from the East Australian Current (EAC) and Sub-tropical Convergence Zone (STCZ). Back-calculated spawning dates, significant differences in otolith microstructure, and inferred current patterns suggest that larvae from within each water mass originate from different spawning regions: a northern one (probably southern New South Wales and eastern Victoria) and a southern one (probably western and southern Tasmania). There was a significant positive relationship between larval age and distance offshore. Seasonal movements of the major water masses provide mechanisms that may facilitate regionally self-sustaining populations in northern and southern regions with an area of recruitment derived from both regions covering eastern Tasmania and Bass Strait. Larval distribution and advection processes suggest spatially variable levels of mixing between spawning regions. These data provide an explanation for both the lack of previously detected population sub-structuring from genetics studies and the multiple spawning population scenario suggested by otolith microchemistry studies.

The jackass morwong (Nemadactylus macropterus), a commercially valuable marine fish in the Australian–New Zealand region, was surveyed for genetic variation as part of a larger project aimed at clarifying its stock structure. Mitochondrial DNA variation in 166 jackass morwong from seven southern Australian localities was examined using nine restriction enzymes. The 28 haplotypes identified gave an overall nucleon diversity of 0.671. Mean nucleotide diversity per sample was 0.458%, with a (corrected) nucleotide divergence among samples of 0.001%. There was no significant spatial patterning. Five hundred individuals from eight southern Australian localities and one New Zealand locality were examined using three restriction enzymes detecting polymorphic cut sites. The 33 haplotypes identified gave an overall nucleon diversity of 0.635. Mean nucleotide diversity per sample was 1.247%, with a (corrected) nucleotide divergence among samples of 0.002%. No differentiation was detected among the Australian localities. The New Zealand sample showed weak but significant divergence from the Australian samples. These results were similar to those from a concurrent allozyme analysis, and we conclude that there is appreciable nuclear and mitochondrial DNA gene flow among Australian localities, while the Tasman Sea separating Australia from New Zealand acts as a partial barrier.

Rubberlip morwong Nemadactylus douglasii are important members of temperate reef communities off south-eastern Australia where they are targeted by offshore commercial and recreational fisheries. Macroscopic gonad staging and gonadosomatic indices demonstrated that N. douglasii have a distinct autumn/winter spawning period. Males and females attained sexual maturity at approximately 24 cm fork length, corresponding to an age of approximately 3 years old. During the spawning period male gonadosomatic index values were of an order of magnitude smaller than those for females, suggesting that N. douglasii may belong to the group of cheilodactylids that are not group spawners. The method of counting opaque zones in sectioned otoliths to estimate age was validated using marginal increment analysis. The results showed that opaque zones in the otoliths of N. douglasii were similar to other cheilodactylids in this region and formed once each year during spring/early summer. Males grew at a similar rate to females until approximately 2 years of age, after which males grew faster and attained larger sizes. The longest and oldest fish observed during the study were 52.4 cm fork length and 22 years, respectively. N. douglasii were fully recruited to the commercial fishery by 4 years of age and the fishery was dominated (>93%) by fish between 3 and 15 years of age. The age composition in landings showed evidence of variable recruitment through time. The total instantaneous mortality rate was estimated using catch curve analysis and ranged between 0.27 and 0.37 yr−1. Natural mortality was estimated as 0.14 yr−1 based on the maximum observed age. Steady declines during the past three decades in the quantities and average sizes of N. douglasii in landings suggest that the stock has been substantially depleted.

Per-haul records of catches by steam trawlers on the south-eastern Australian continental shelf from 1918 to 1957 were examined for the main commercial species tiger flathead (Neoplatycephalus richardsoni), jackass morwong (Nemadactylus macropterus), redfish (Centroberyx affinis), latchet (Pterygotrigla polyommata) and chinaman leatherjacket (Nelusetta ayraudi). Catch rates in weight per haul per species were standardised to annual indices of abundance using a log-linear model. Standardised annual index trends for flathead, latchet and leatherjacket indicate a strong to severe decline during the period covered by the data. All species showed seasonal patterns, but the peak season varied depending on the species. The distribution of standardised catch rate by area also differed greatly by species, and no single area showed consistent differences across all species. Day trawls caught more flathead, redfish and latchet, while night trawls caught more morwong and leatherjacket. Moon phase had less influence on catch rates than other factors. The correlation of annual index trends to a number of annual mean environmental factors was examined and no strong correlations were found.

Depth-stratified random demersal trawl surveys of the shelf of southern and eastern Tasmania from summer 1993 to summer 1995 showed seasonal variations in abundance of N. macropterus in all depth strata, although the trend varied between years, with abundance peaking in summer 1993 and winter 1994. This variation is attributed to the seasonal movement of fish from south-eastern Tasmanian shelf waters, although some seasonal change in size composition is also evident. Catch rates were highest on the outer shelf and lowest on the inner shelf, reflecting the distinct size-structuring, with juveniles concentrated on the inner and mid shelf and mature fish on the outer shelf. Size compositions differed among shelf regions, with few mature fish on the mid shelf of Storm Bay compared with the same stratum on the east coast, indicating that the bay is primarily a nursery area for the species. Settlement from the pelagic post-larval phase occurred in spring and early summer at 7–9 cm, with evidence of movement between inner-and mid-shelf strata by autumn. Abundance of 0+ fish was highest in 1993 and 1994 and a considerable decrease in the abundance in both regions in 1995. The influences of local hydrography and the large size at settlement are discussed.

Haul-by-haul steam trawler catch and effort data for 1918–23, 1937–43 and 1952–57, which cover a large portion of the history of steam trawling in the Australian South East Fishery, were examined in detail for the first time. There were 64371 haul records in total. The catch-rate for all retained catch combined shows a strong decline overall, with a brief recovery during World War II, probably due to increased retention of previously discarded species. The fishing fleet moved to more distant fishing grounds and deeper waters as the catch-rate declined. The catch-rates of the main commercial species followed a similar pattern in a number of regions within the fishery. The catch-rate of the primary target species – tiger flathead (Neoplatycephalus richardsoni) – dropped considerably from the early, very high, catch-rates. Chinaman leatherjacket (Nelusetta ayraudi) and latchet (Pterygotrigla polyommata) – species that were apparently abundant in the early years of the fishery, virtually disappeared from catches in later years. The appearance of greater catches of jackass morwong (Nemadactylus macropterus), redfish (Centroberyx affinis) and shark/skate during the war and afterwards was probably due to increased retention of catches of these species. The disappearance of certain species from the catch may be due to high fishing pressure alone, or to a combination of fishing pressure, changes in the shelf habitat possibly caused by the trawl gear, and environmental fluctuations.

Transverse sections of sagittae were examined. The first and second annual increments were defined by examination of the progression of otolith radius and length of the 0+ and 1+ cohorts. Growth in both sexes is rapid until ~5 years old (32–35 cm), and then slows appreciably. There was a broad range of lengths within individual age-classes, with a maximum of 12 age-classes present in a 1 cm length-class. Maximum ages of males and females were 41 and 30 years, respectively, which is considerably higher than previously estimated from whole otoliths. There was no significant difference in the growth curves between males and females, although this is influenced by the large number of juveniles and by the examination of relatively few large, older fish. The sex-specific von Bertalanffy growth parameters are: L∞ 38.4 cm FL, t0 –0.07 years, K 0.36 year–1 for females and L∞ 36.2 cm FL, t0 0.15 years, K 0.42 year–1 for males. The age composition was dominated by 4–7 year olds but showed evidence of considerable recruitment variability, particularly in the strong 1988 year-class. The relationship between the life-history strategy of N. macropterus and recruitment variability is discussed.

Nemadactylus macropterus was sampled from eight localities around southern Australia, ranging from Western Australia to New South Wales, and from one area off the western coast of New Zealand. Thirty-three enzyme loci were analysed by gel electrophoresis. Average heterozygosity per locus per sample was 10.1 %, ranging from 8.4% to 11.I% per sample. Although no significant differentiation was observed among the Australian samples, there was significant differentiation between the Australian and New Zealand samples. This was primarily attributable to variation at the sAAT-I * locus, where the common allele had a frequency of around 0.80 in Australian samples and around 0.94 in the New Zealand sample (P

The catch-curve method was used to estimate the instantaneous rate of total mortality (Z) of jackass morwong (Nemadactylus macropterus) in south-east Australian waters. Age-frequency distributions were obtained for fish collected from eastern Bass Strait during the 3 years. March 1982–February 1985. Fish were obtained from: (1) demersal research fishing surveys stratified by depth; (2) commercial landings from eastern Bass Strait; (3) commercial landings from the adjacent New South Wales fishery. Jackass morwong were found in water 65–299-m deep, and almost half the biomass was in water 90–179-m deep. Our estimate of the total biomass (from the survey results) of the part of the population in eastern Bass Strait was 15 700 t. The oldest male morwong caught was 11 years old, the oldest female 13 years old. From the survey data, total mortality (Z) was estimated as 0.45 for males, which is equivalent to an annual survival rate (S) of 0.64, and as 0.47 for females, equivalent to an S of 0.63. There was substantial annual variation in estimates of Z. For the survey results, the annual mortality rate estimated for males was significantly different from that for females. The instantaneous rate of fishing mortality (F) estimated from population biomass and mean commercial landings was very low (about 0.024; sensitivity analysis indicated a possible range of 0.012–0.072), and indicated that about 2% (by number; range 1–6%) of the part of the population in eastern Bass Strait was harvested annually. Z values estimated from samples of commercial landings were consistently larger than Z estimated from the survey samples. Using estimates of Z from commercial landings data resulted in high values of M (the instantaneous rate of natural mortality), which were inconsistent with the longevity of the species and the proportion of older fish found in the population. We believe this to be due to bias in the way commercial landings sample the population, and to be an inherent bias in the use of age-frequency data from commercial landings unless some correction for size-selectivity due to commercial fishing gear and fishing behaviour can be made.

Combinations of potassium sorbate and polyphosphate, in conjunction with vacuum or modified atmosphere packaging, were assessed for their preservative effects on morwong fillets (pH 6.75) stored at 4°C. Vacuum packaged and/or frozen fillets were used as comparisons for microbiological and taste panel analysis. A combination of potassium sorbate, polyphosphate and 100% CO2 was the most effective packaging regime. Potassium sorbate on vacuum packaged fish was more effective than a 100% CO2 atmosphere alone. Polyphosphate had no apparent additional effect on fillets stored under vacuum with or without potassium sorbate.

The postlarval metamorphosis of the tarakihi Cheilodactylus macropterus (Bloch and Schneider) takes place in New Zealand waters in spring or early summer (October‐December), when the fish are 70–90 mm long and 9–12 months old. For the scales below the lateral line, the growth pattern changes during the post‐larval metamorphosis, and the boundary between the central shield and remainder in these scales is formed during this event. Three types of hyaline rings occur in otoliths of postlarvae and/or juveniles: ring type A, with a diameter of 0.1–0.3 mm, possibly formed during the first winter or the larval metamorphosis; ring type B, with a diameter of 0.8–1.2 mm, formed during the postlarval metamorphosis; and ring type C, with a diameter of 1.5–1.6 mm, formed during the second winter. The early life histories of related species and the general absence of records of postlarval tarakihi from trawl catches suggest that they may be pelagic and may occur in offshore waters, and that small tarakihi assu...

The total mercury content of six species of Australian commercial fish (John dory. Zeus faber: mirror dory. Zenopsis nebulosus; tiger flathead, Neoplatycephalus richardsoni; rubberlip morwong, Nemadactylus douglasii; jackass morwong, Nemadactylus macroprerus; and sand whiting, Sillago ciliata) is reported. Total mercury content is regressed against fish length and the resultant equations and correlation coefficients are presented for each species. A length-frequency histogram derived from the Sydney Fish Market data and a length-mercury content curve are plotted as an overlay for each of the six species. The integrated average mercury content (mg/kg) has been calculated for each species and these are as follows: sand whiting, 0.08; rubberlip morwong, 0.13; tiger flathead, 0.14; John dory, 0.14; mirror dory, 0.15; and jackass morwong, 0.16. The graphical method adequately demonstrates the relationship between mercury levels and the commercial size range of particular species.

Catch curves were analysed to estimate the annual total mortality of jackass morwong landed at the port of Eden between July 1976 and June 1979. The annual total mortality of females was lower in 1978-1979 than in the previous 2 years, reflecting the expansion of the trawl fishery in New South Wales to include previously unexploited deepwater grounds. Males were fully recruited to the commercially exploited population at an earlier age than females. It is suggested that the increased mortality in older males is due to an increase in natural mortality.

N. macropterus, landed at the port of Eden, were sampled from July 1976 to June 1979. Saggital otoliths were used for age determination. A hyaline and an opaque ring were found to be formed during winter and summer. respectively. The growth of adult N. macropterus was adequately described by the von Bertalanffy growth curve. Females (K = 0.13, L∞ = 51.13) were found to grow faster, and to a greater age, than males (K = 0.17. L∞ = 45.50). No significant difference between sexes was apparent in the length-weight relationships.