Project number: 1995-008
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure: $461,163.00
Principal Investigator: Anthony J. Fowler
Organisation: SARDI Food Safety and Innovation
Project start/end date: 29 Dec 1995 - 30 Jun 2001
Contact:
FRDC
TAGS
Stock Assessment
Software
Population Dynamics
Physiology
Oceanography

Objectives

1. To produce an age-structured, spatial-temporal fishery model for King George whiting in South Australia based on a comprehensive understanding of its biology, life-history and genetics as well as an analysis of the fishery. This model will be used as a stock assessment tool to assess management options.
2. To implement a biological research programme to facilitate objective 1/, including: a/. determination of site-specific age-structures based on ageing fish using otoliths, to be used for estimation of demographic parameters
b/. completion of the understanding of the life-history including reproductive, early and adult biological information
c/. assessment of genetic variation amongst populations over two spatial scales (amongst states and amongst regions within SA).
3. To review current commercial catch and effort information to: a/. identify the value of such data for estimating population abundance
b/. continue an on-going assessment of impacts of technological advances in fishing equipment on catch and effort in the commercial sector of the fishery
c/. compare commercial catch with that from recreational catch information currently being collected in SA using creel surveys (FRDC 92/81).

Guide

Author: Anthony Fowler
Guide • 7.64 MB
1995-008-PDT-1.pdf

Summary

The King George Whiting Simulator (WhitSim) is a simulation version of the Whiting Estimator (WhitEst) encased inside a graphical user interface (GUI) that includes geographical information systems (GIS). WhitSim provides the ability to simulate various management strategies and parameter scenarios and interrogate results of the simulation via in-built statistical, curve fitting and indicator analysis modules.

Final Report • 2000-08-31 • 11.76 MB
1995-008-DLD.pdf

Summary

King George whiting (Sillaginodes punctata) remains a prime target species of the marine scalefish fishery of South Australia. Levels of fishing mortality are high on inshore populations throughout the fishery which has caused concern about the level of egg production. This prompted the need for a comprehensive stock assessment for this fishery. However, complicating this task is the fact that the life-history incorporates an obligate migratory step where fish move from shallow, inshore areas where they are heavily targeted, to deeper, more exposed places where the spawning populations occur.