Movement patterns and stock structure of Australian sardine (Sardinops sagax) off South Australia and the East Coast: implications for future stock assessment and management

Funded Activity Summary

This project is needed to assess the potential for increasing catches of sardine in the fisheries off SA (i.e. SASF) and the East Coast (i.e. NSW Ocean Haul Fishery and SPF).

For the SASF, information on the patterns and rates of movement of sardines between the Great Australian Bight (where the majority of the spawning biomass is located) and southern Spencer Gulf (where most fishing is conducted) is needed to determine whether (or not) future potential increases in the TAC should be accompanied by the establishment of zones within the fishery.

For the NSW Ocean Haul Fishery and SPF, information on the patterns and rates of movement of sardines along the East Coast is needed to assess the extent to which estimates of spawning biomass from northern NSW and southern Qld waters reflect the size of the entire sardine stock off eastern Australia.

Objectives:
1. To collate data held for jurisdictions to generate hypotheses regarding movement patterns and stock structure of Australian sardine throughout southern Australia.
2. To evaluate the use of otolith shape analyses for testing hypotheses regarding the movement patterns of sardine in southern Australia.
3. To evaluate the use of transect-based otolith microchemistry techniques (laser ablation ICPMS) for examining the movement patterns of sardine between gulf and shelf waters of SA and along east coast of Australia.
4. To collate findings to determine: a) whether or not additional spatial management (zones) would be needed to support a future increase in the TAC in the SA Sardine Fishery; and b) the degree to which estimates of spawning biomass from waters off northern NSW and southern Qld reflect the size of the entire eastern Australian sardine stock.

Funded Activity Details

Start Date: 01-07-2009

End Date: 30-06-2011

Funding Scheme: Funding Scheme not available

Funding Amount: $248,797.00

Funder: Fisheries Research and Development Corporation

Research Topics

ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)

There are no FoR codes available for this funding activity

ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)

There are no SEO codes available for this funding activity

Other Keywords

Analytics | Laboratory Procedures | Migration | Otolith | Reproduction | Stock Assessment | Traceability

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