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Centre for Fish and Fisheries Research
ANNUAL REPORT
2004
Director
Professor Ian Potter MA, PhD, FLS, FZS, FAIBiol, FTSE
Phone: +61 8 9360 2524
Fax: +61 8 9360 6303
Email: [email protected]
Assistant Director
Associate Professor Norm Hall BSc, PhD
Phone: +61 8 9360 7215
Fax: +61 8 9360 6303
Email: [email protected]
Centre for Fish and Fisheries Research
ANNUAL REPORT
2004
1. Administrative details
Centre members as at 31 December 2004 ................................................................................ 6
Management board .................................................................................................................. 8
Director’s report ....................................................................................................................... 9
Centre staff and students in 2004 ............................................................................................13
Committee membership/Community service ...........................................................................14
Scholarships and awards ..........................................................................................................15
Independent study contracts ....................................................................................................15
Honours students (completed in 2004).....................................................................................15
Honours students (enrolled in 2004) ........................................................................................16
MSc student (enrolled in 2004) ................................................................................................16
MVSc student (enrolled in 2004) .............................................................................................16
PhD students (awarded in 2004)...............................................................................................17
PhD students (submitted in 2004) ............................................................................................17
PhD students (enrolled in 2004) ...............................................................................................17
External funding .......................................................................................................................20
Funding sources........................................................................................................................25
Map of research sites ...............................................................................................................27
Summary tables ........................................................................................................................28
2. Research activities
Biology .....................................................................................................................................33
Population biology..............................................................................................................33
Teleosts .........................................................................................................................33
Sharks and rays.............................................................................................................42
Freshwater sharks and rays...........................................................................................44
Crustaceans.........................................................................................................................46
Biology of deep sea crabs.............................................................................................46
Sea lice..........................................................................................................................47
Freshwater crayfish ......................................................................................................47
Seabirds and turtles.............................................................................................................49
Genetics, stock structures and systematics .........................................................................50
Barramundi Lates calcarifer.........................................................................................50
Blue swimmer crab Portunus pelagicus.......................................................................51
Lampreys ............................................................................................................................52
Lamprey biology ..........................................................................................................52
Ecology.....................................................................................................................................53
Biological oceanography ....................................................................................................53
Community ecology ...........................................................................................................53
Faunal/habitat relationships................................................................................................54
Marine protected areas .......................................................................................................55
Trophic interactions ............................................................................................................55
Environmental rehabilitation ..............................................................................................56
Restocking ....................................................................................................................56
Freshwater ....................................................................................................................57
Estuaries ...................................................................................................................................58
Estuaries on the south coast of Western Australia ..............................................................58
Fish communities..........................................................................................................58
Swan estuary.................................................................................................................59
Modelling and resource use......................................................................................................59
Ecosystem modelling..........................................................................................................59
Fishery assessments............................................................................................................60
Marine resource usage ........................................................................................................61
Coastal management...........................................................................................................61
Fish Health and Aquaculture ....................................................................................................62
Research .............................................................................................................................62
Fish genetics .......................................................................................................................62
Environmental management ...............................................................................................62
Disease aetiology................................................................................................................63
Teaching..............................................................................................................................64
Refereed publications in 2004 and onwards.............................................................................65
Other publications in 2004 and onwards ..................................................................................69
Conference and workshop presentations ..................................................................................71
Centre for Fish and Fisheries Research
ANNUAL REPORT
2004
1. ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS
Centre members as at 31 December 2004
Director
Assistant Director
Ian Potter, PhD (DSE)
Norm Hall, PhD (DSE)
Academic staff
Lynnath Beckley, PhD (DSE)
Stuart Bradley, PhD (DSE)
Max Cake, PhD (DSE)
Jennie Chaplin, PhD (DSE)
Stan Fenwick, PhD (DHS)
Howard Gill, PhD (DSE)
Alan Lymbery, PhD (DHS)
Philip Nicholls, PhD (DHS)
Shane Raidal, PhD (DHS)
Malcolm Tull, PhD (DBITL)
Fiona Valesini, PhD (DSE)
Graham Wilcox, PhD (DHS)
Ron Wooller, PhD (DSE)
Adjunct appointments
Belinda Cannell, PhD (DSE)
Nick Dunlop, PhD (DSE)
Rod Lenanton, PhD (DSE, DFWA)
Jeremy Prince, PhD (DSE)
Research fellows
Simon de Lestang, PhD (DSE)
Alex Hesp, PhD (DSE)
David Morgan, PhD (DSE)
Margaret Platell, PhD (DSE)
William White, PhD (DSE)
Glen Young, PhD (DSE)
Research staff
Dan French (DSE)
Russell Hobbs (DHS)
Gordon Thomson (DSE)
Honours students
Douglas Bearham (DSE)
Dermot Blackweir (DSE)
Farhan Bokhari (DHS)
Tim Carter (DSE)
Chan Siew Kee (DHS)
Warren Chisholm (DSE)
Benjamin Chuwen (DSE)
Matthew Harvey (DSE)
Michelle Ingram (DHS)
Gavin Kay (DHS)
Elaine Lek (DSE)
Lindsay Marshall (DSE)
Steve Moore (DSE)
Paul Wise (DSE)
Michelle Tay (DHS)
MVsc student
MSc student
Neil Griffiths (DHS)
Raquel Carter (DSE)
PhD students
Stephen Beatty (DSE)
Sara Belmont (DSE)
Natasha Coen (DSE)
Peter Coulson (DSE)
Heather McLetchie (DHS)
Barbara Muhling (DSE)
Gavin Partridge (DHS)
Matthew Pember (DSE)
PhD students contd
DBITL
DSE
BRS
Rob Doupé (DHS)
Bryn Farmer (DSE)
Nicola Fox (DSE)
Neil Griffiths (DHS)
Marina Hassan (DHS)
Steeg Hoeksema (DSE)
Mathew Hourston (DSE)
Gary Jackson (DSE, DFWA)
Ashlee Jones (DSE)
Indre Kirsten (DSE)
Christine Lamont (DSE)
Carina Marshall (DSE)
Karen Marshall (DSE)
Division of Business, Information Technology and Law
Division of Science and Engineering
Bureau of Resource Sciences
Kellie Pendoley (DSE)
Chris Powell (DSE)
Andrew Rowland (DSE)
Emilia Santos-Yap (DSE)
Ertug Sezmis (DSE)
Kimberley Smith (DSE)
Zoe Spiers (DHS)
Dean Thorburn (DSE)
Michael Travers (DSE)
Corey Wakefield (DSE)
Michelle Wildsmith (DSE)
Andrew Winzer (DSE)
Brent Wise (DSE, BRS)
DFWA Department of Fisheries WA
DHS
Division of Health Sciences
Centre for Fish and Fisheries Research
Management board
Chair
Director
Assistant Director
Secretary and
Postdoctoral representative
Professor Yianni Attikiouzel
Professor Ian Potter
Associate Professor Norm Hall
Dr Margaret Platell
Centre member
Centre member
Centre member
Centre member
Head of School
External representative
Student representative
Dr Howard Gill
Dr Jennie Chaplin
Dr Lynnath Beckley
Dr Stan Fenwick
Associate Professor Max Cake
Associate Professor Rod Lenanton
Mr David Fairclough
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2004 ANNUAL REPORT
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Director’s report
The staff and research of our Centre for Fish and Fisheries Research have continued to
expand. During 2004, a total of fifteen members of academic staff, six research fellows and
four adjunct appointments were involved in the activities of the Centre. In addition, staff
supervised 34 PhD, two masters and five honours students. The areas of research undertaken
by staff and students, which range widely and broadly, include population and community
biology, systematics, fisheries and ecosystem modelling, recreational fishing, marine
protected areas, restocking, aquaculture and fish health (see Table 1 at the end of this section
for list of taxa studied in 2004). Furthermore, research is being conducted over a wide
geographical area, extending southwards from the Pilbara/Kimberley region in north-western
Australia to the cape region at the south-western tip of Australia and then eastwards to
Esperance (see Figure 1, at the end of this section, for the location of research activities). This
corresponds to a distance along the coastline of over 4000 km! Research also encompasses
different types of environments, including lakes, rivers, estuaries and coastal marine waters.
Several major studies were completed in 2004. These included projects aimed at
elucidating the biology of four hermaphroditic species of tuskfish (Labridae), the distribution,
commercial catch characteristics and reproductive biology of two species of deep sea crabs,
and the biology of the freshwater crustaceans Cherax quinquecarinatus and Cherax
destructor. In addition, the FRDC project aimed at developing a fishery model for use with
the types of parsimonious data that are typically available for recreational finfish fisheries was
successfully completed.
Other studies, which are making good progress and nearing
completion, are those that are focussing on determining the biological characteristics of the
mulloway (Argyrosomus japonicus), silver trevally (Pseudocaranx dentex), sand trevally
(Pseudocaranx wrighti), freshwater sawfish (Pristis microdon) and southern fiddler ray
(Trygonorrhina fasciata).
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2004 ANNUAL REPORT
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William White’s taxonomic and biological studies of the sharks and rays that are
caught and marketed in Indonesian waters is making excellent progress and will add to our
knowledge of a fauna that has a close relationship with that of northern Australia. David
Morgan and Howard Gill have developed great relationships with aboriginal communities in
the remote Kimberley region of Western Australia and this has facilitated studies of the fish
fauna of the King Edward River. Moreover, David’s involvement has enabled him to produce
a compendium of the aboriginal names for each of the fish species found in that river.
The escalating problem of algal blooms and fish deaths in the Swan River Estuary led
to the acquisition of funding for an analysis of past data. This study ascertained whether there
were indications that the composition of the fish fauna of the Swan Estuary had changed over
the last three decades and to elucidate the responses of fish to the effects of toxic algae and
hypoxia. The preliminary results of this study, which was led by Fiona Valesini and run
jointly with the Department of Fisheries, have encouraged us to apply for funds to explore, in
greater detail, the factors that influence the abundance and species composition of the fish
fauna in this important estuary. Such a study would build on the results of a recentlycommenced FRDC project that will develop new approaches to determine the relationship
between species composition and habitat type in selected Western Australian estuaries.
Lynnath Beckley’s group has continued to be very active. She has developed some
excellent collaborative studies with Neil Sumner at the Department of Fisheries in which they
are examining the implications of recreational catch and effort data at several sites in Western
Australia. Lynnath and Nicola Fox have also been undertaking research aimed at establishing
priority areas for the conservation of coastal fishes in our State. Together with Anja Waite at
the University of Western Australia and colleagues at CSIRO, Lynnath has developed a very
strong group working on biological oceanography in WA.
Studies in the Fish Health Unit have continued to focus strongly on aspects of
aquaculture in the inland saline waters of Western Australia. Particular emphasis has been
placed on the environmental management of such aquaculture and developing a genetic
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2004 ANNUAL REPORT
11
approach to increasing the growth rates of black bream in these waters. A number of other
projects were initiated in 2004, including the development of an environmental system for
aquaculture in disused mine lakes, determining the ramifications of the appearance of red
claw crayfish in the Kimberley and the use of fish parasites as bioindicators of ecosystem
health.
During 2004, the staff in the Centre were involved in approximately 50 separate
projects, which attracted total funding of about $4 million. The main funding bodies were the
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC), the Australian Centre for
International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), the Western Australian Department of
Fisheries and, through its support for research students, Murdoch University. We are greatly
indebted to the support of those funding authorities. Much of our research has been aimed at
providing the types of data that are required by fisheries and environmental managers for
producing appropriate and realistic plans for conserving fish stocks and important habitats and
thus focus on the crucial issue of ecological sustainability in Western Australia.
The staff and students of the Centre have continued to publish a substantial number
of papers in international journals, provide detailed reports to their funding agencies and
present the results of their studies at conferences and workshops. The details of the staff and
students and their publications and grants are provided in the ensuing pages of this annual
report. In the context of students, I would like to congratulate two students in particular, (1)
Nicola Fox won the Fred Connell scholarship from the Western Australian Fishing Industry
Council and the award for best student presentation at the annual Australian Marine Science
Association meeting for her work on marine protected areas and (2) Corey Wakefield
received the award for the best student presentation at the Australian Society of Fish Biology
annual conference for his study on the biology of pink snapper.
2004 was my last year as the Director of the Centre for Fish and Fisheries Research. I
would like to express my gratitude to the numerous people who have contributed to the
development of the Centre and its current success. Particular thanks are extended to Norm
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2004 ANNUAL REPORT
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Hall, Max Cake, Val Alder and Andris Stelbovics at Murdoch for their support and advice
during 2004, and to Peter Rogers, the Executive Director of the WA Department of Fisheries,
Frank Prokop, the Executive Director of RecFishWest, and Richard Stevens, the Research and
Development Manager of the Western Australian Fishing Industry Council, for their
continuing support and encouragement. However, I also fully recognise that the research of
the Centre is dependent on the efforts of its numerous and highly motivated research students,
postdoctoral fellows and staff.
Murdoch has appointed Neil Loneragan as Professor of Fisheries Science and he takes
up this position early in 2005. After graduating with a BSc from the University of Western
Australia, Neil received a first class honours and a PhD from Murdoch University. He then
took up a position with CSIRO in Brisbane where his studies focussed on the ecology and
fisheries of prawns in tropical areas. Those research activities attracted very substantial funds
from both FRDC and ACIAR. His areas of research interest, ability to obtain research
funding and his excellent network of contacts throughout Australia made him an ideal
candidate for our Chair in Fisheries Science.
Ian Potter
Director
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2004 ANNUAL REPORT
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Centre staff and students in 2004
Back row left to right: David Fairclough, Kim Smith, Matthew Pember, Michael Travers,
Bryn Farmer, Andrew Winzer, Dean Thorburn, Jennie Chaplin, Alex Hesp, Margaret Platell,
Steve Moore, Steeg Hoeksema, Tim Carter, Elaine Lek
Front row left to right: Lynnath Beckley, Howard Gill, David Morgan, Glen Young, Steve
Beatty, Ashlee Jones, Lindsay Marshall, William White
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2004 ANNUAL REPORT
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Committee membership/
Community service
Lynnath Beckley
• Editorial Board of African Journal of Marine Science
• WA Marine Parks and Reserves Authority (member)
• Australian Marine Sciences Association (National Council member; WA Branch
Committee (newsletter editor))
• Rottnest Island Authority (Technical advisor (Marine Management Working Group)
• Environmental Protection Authority (State of the Environment reporting (Marine
Panel))
• 7th Indo-Pacific Fish Conference (International Advisory Committee)
• WA Marine Conservation Strategy Group (Technical advisor to Community Group)
David Fairclough
• IUCN – member of the specialist group for groupers and wrasse
Howard Gill
• RecfishWest Committee
• Murdoch University Animal Ethics
• Freshwater Fish Environment Research
Norm Hall
• Editorial Advisory Committee of Marine and Freshwater Research - Advice on
miscellaneous papers and editorial matters
• Northern Prawn Fishery Assessment Group - Review of stock assessments and
scientific advice
• 40th Stock Assessment Review Committee panel at the Northeast Fisheries Science
Center in Woods Hole, Massachusetts for the Center for Independent Experts,
University of Miami “A review of the assessments for monkfish (Lophius americanus)
and weakfish (Cynoscion regalis)” November 29 – December 2, 2004
• W.A. Department of Fisheries - Advice on matters relating to the stock assessment
and management of fisheries
David Morgan
• Invasive Species Committee (Australian Society for Fish Biology) - State
representative
• Recreational Freshwater Fisheries Stakeholder Sub-committee (RFFSS)
• WA representative on the Exotic Fishes Committee of the Australian Society for Fish
Biology
Ian Potter
• Editorial Board of Environmental Biology of Fishes
• WA Fisheries Research Advisory Board
Malcolm Tull
Joint Editor of The International Journal of Maritime History
William White
• IUCN - member of the Shark Specialist Group for the Asia-Northwest Pacific and
Australian Regions
• NSRG - Department of Heritage member (DEH) National Shark Recovery Group
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2004 ANNUAL REPORT
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Scholarships and awards
Nicola Fox
Fred Connell Scholarship from the Western Australian Fishing
Industry Council. $1,000
Australian Marine Science best student presentation on Marine
Protected Areas, Hobart 2004. $900 for conference travel
Australian Marine Science Association (WA) branch, Annual
Honours Prize. $300
Corey Wakefield
Australian Society of Fish Biology, best student paper. Adelaide,
2004. Presentation of his PhD studies on pink snapper
Independent
Study Contract
Abbreviated title and other details
Cossington, Steve
Preliminary investigation into the biology of the western foxfish
Bodianus frenchii (Family: Labridae) in marine waters off Rottnest
Island
Supervisors: Norm Hall and Alex Hesp (DSE)
Honours students
Abbreviated title and other details
Douglas Bearham
A mtDNA study of the population structure of silver trevally
Pseudocaranx dentex and the relationship between silver and sand
trevally Pseudocaranx wrighti in Western Australian waters. Class I
Supervisors: Jenny Chaplin and Ian Potter (DSE)
Dermot Blackweir
Assessment of aerial shark surveillance over Perth metropolitan
coastal waters. Class IIA
Supervisors: Lynnath Beckley (DSE) and Rory McAuley (WA
Fisheries)
Farhan Bokhari
Measures of riparian ecosystem function along an experimental
salinity gradient. Class I
Supervisors: Alan Lymbery and Rob Doupé (DHS)
Benjamin Chuwen
The biology of black bream Acanthopagrus butcheri (Teleostei:
Sparidae) in three estuaries on the south coast of Western Australia.
Class I Supervisors: Ian Potter and Norm Hall (DSE)
Chan Siew Kee
Genetic and environmental factors that influence growth and sexrelated traits in sub-adult black bream Acanthopagrus butcheri.
Class IIA
Supervisors: Alan Lymbery and Rob Doupé (DHS)
Warren Chisholm
Spatial distribution of tailor (Pomatomus saltatrix) larvae off
Western Australia. Class IIA
Supervisor: Lynnath Beckley (DSE)
(Completed in 2004)
(Completed in 2004)
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2004 ANNUAL REPORT
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Matthew Harvey
An evaluation of Western Australian recreational fishing
regulations with a case study from a metropolitan boat ramp. Class I
Supervisor: Lynnath Beckley (DSE)
Michelle Ingram
Assessment and mitigation of ammonia and aluminium in mine
lake aquaculture. Class I
Supervisors: Louis Evans (Curtin University) and Alan Lymbery
(DHS)
Elaine Lek
Diets of three carnivorous fish species in marine waters of the west
coast of Australia. Class I
Supervisors: Ian Potter and Alex Hesp (DSE)
Lindsay Marshall
Biology of the southern fiddler ray Trygonorrhina fasciata in
south-western Australian waters. Class I
Supervisor: William White and Ian Potter (DSE)
Honours students
Abbreviated thesis title and other details
Tim Carter
Biology of the sand trevally, Psuedocaranx wrighti
Supervisors: Ian Potter and Alex Hesp (DSE)
Gavin Kay
Constructed wetlands for the treatment of saline, nutrient-enriched
aquaculture effluent
Supervisors: Alan Lymbery and Rob Doupé (DHS)
Steven Moore
Biology of the breaksea cod Epinephelides armatus
Supervisors: Ian Potter and Alex Hesp (DSE)
Michelle Tay
The diet of wild and cultured rainbow trout, Onchorhynchus
mykiss, in Western Australia
Supervisor: Alan Lymbery (DHS)
Paul Wise
Comparison of mapping habitats at the Houtman Abrolhos Islands
using traditional marine habitat mapping and GIS methods
Supervisors: Halina Kobryn and Lynnath Beckley (DSE)
MSc student
Abbreviated title and other details
Raquel Carter
The influence of environmental variables on the nesting activity of
green turtles at North West Cape, Western Australia
Supervisors: Lynnath Beckley and Stephen Davies (DSE)
MVSc student
Abbreviated title and other details
Neil Griffiths
Characterisation of external structures found on the gills of
Barramundi and Murray cod
Supervisor: Shane Raidal (DHS)
(Enrolled in 2004)
(Enrolled in 2004)
(Enrolled in 2004)
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2004 ANNUAL REPORT
17
PhD students
Thesis titles and other details
Rob Doupé
Selection for faster growing black bream
Supervisor: Alan Lymbery (DHS)
William White
Aspects of the biology of elasmobranchs in a subtropical
embayment in Western Australia and of chondrichthyan fisheries in
Indonesia
Supervisor: Ian Potter (DSE)
PhD students
Thesis titles and other details
David Fairclough
Biology of four species of tuskfish in Western Australia (Labridae)
Supervisor: Ian Potter (DSE)
Christine Lamont
Sex allocation and reproductive costs in a gull with a long breeding
season
Supervisors: Stuart Bradley and Ron Wooller (DSE)
Carina Marshall
Evolutionary genetics of barramundi (Lates calcarifer) in the
Australian region
Supervisors: Howard Gill (DSE) and Alan Lymbery (DHS)
Chris Powell
The breeding biology of the flesh-footed shearwater Puffinus
carneipes
Supervisors: Ron Wooller and Stuart Bradley (DSE)
Ertug Sezmis
Population genetic structure and recent evolutionary history of the
blue crab Portunus pelagicus in Australian waters
Supervisors: Jennie Chaplin and Ian Potter (DSE)
Kimberley Smith
Distribution, abundance and reproductive biology of deep sea crabs
Hypothalassia acerba and Chaceon bicolor in south-western
Australia
Supervisors: Ian Potter and Norm Hall (DSE)
Brent Wise
Age composition and growth rates of selected fish species in
Western Australia
Supervisors: Ian Potter and Norm Hall (DSE)
PhD students
Thesis title and other details
Stephen Beatty
Biology of two endemic and one introduced species freshwater
crayfishes in Western Australia, including their ecological roles
Supervisors: David Morgan and Howard Gill (DSE)
Sara Belmont
A modelling study of the marine ecosystem off the south-western
coast of Western Australia
Supervisors: Norm Hall and Graeme Hocking (DSE)
(awarded)
(submitted)
(enrolled in 2004)
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2004 ANNUAL REPORT
Natasha Coen
The hyperbenthos of four morphologically divergent estuaries in
south-western Australia
Supervisors: Fiona Valesini and Ian Potter (DSE)
Peter Coulson
Size and age compositions, growth and reproductive biology of the
western blue groper, queen snapper and bar-tailed flathead on the
south coast of Western Australia
Supervisors: Ian Potter and Norm Hall (DSE)
Bryn Farmer
Biology, stock structure and mortality of the
Argyrosomus japonicus
Supervisors: Norm Hall and Jennie Chaplin (DSE)
Nicola Fox
Marine reserve planning in data poor environments: A case study
from north west Australian waters adjacent to the Kimberley coast
Supervisor: Lynnath Beckley (DSE)
Marina Hassan
Parasites of native and introduced freshwater fish in south-western
Australia
Supervisors: Alan Lymbery, Stan Fenwick (DHS) and David
Morgan (DSE)
Steeg Hoeksema
Studies of the fish communities in degraded temperate Western
Australian estuaries
Supervisor: Ian Potter (DSE)
Mathew Hourston
Meiofauna of Western Australian estuaries
Supervisors: Ian Potter and Fiona Valesini (DSE)
Gary Jackson
Fisheries biology and management of pink snapper, Pagrus
auratus, in the inner gulfs of Shark Bay, Western Australia
Supervisors: Ian Potter, Norm Hall (DSE) and Rod Lenanton
(DFWA)
Ashlee Jones
Biology of elasmobranchs on the lower west coast of Australia
Supervisor: Ian Potter (DSE)
Indre Kirsten
Nestling provisioning in little shearwater and wedge-tailed
shearwaters on the Western Australian coast
Supervisors: Ron Wooller and Stuart Bradley (DSE)
Karen Marshall
Enzymatic mechanism(s) involved in the partitioning of fatty acids
into either catabolic or anabolic processes
Supervisors: Max Cake and Ian Potter (DSE)
Heather McLetchie
Aphanomyces infestations in freshwater crayfish
Supervisors: Stan Fenwick and Phil Nicholls (DHS)
Barbara Muhling
Ichthyoplankton assemblage structure in coastal and shelf waters
off Western Australia
Supervisors: Lynnath Beckley (DSE) and Tony Koslow (CSIRO)
Gavin Partridge
The effect of variable ionic compositions on the growth and health
of marine fish cultured in saline groundwater
Supervisors: Alan Lymbery and Shane Raidal (DHS)
mulloway
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2004 ANNUAL REPORT
19
Matthew Pember
Characterisation of fish communities in coastal waters of northwestern Australia, including studies of the biology of the threadfin
salmons Eleutheronema tetradactylum and Polydactylus macrochir
Supervisor: Ian Potter (DSE)
Kellie Pendoley
Sea turtles and environmental management of industrial activities in
north-western Australia
Supervisor: Stuart Bradley (DSE)
Andrew Rowland
The biology and ecology of samson fish (Seriola hippos), with
emphasis on the sportfishery targeting deep water spawning
aggregations west of Rottnest Island
Supervisors: Howard Gill (DSE) and Mike Mackie (DFWA)
Emilia Santos-Yap
Genetic structure of natural and cultured populations of black
bream, Acanthopagrus butcheri
Supervisors: Jennie Chaplin and Ian Potter (DSE)
Zoe Spiers
Identification of an intracellular ciliate parasite of pearl oysters in
Western Australia
Supervisors: Shane Raidal, Amanda O’Hara (DHS) and Brian Jones
(DFWA)
Dean Thorburn
Freshwater and estuarine elasmobranchs in northern Australia, with
particular focus on trophic relationships in the Fitzroy River,
Kimberley
Supervisors: Howard Gill (DSE) and Eric Paling (DSE)
Michael Travers
Fish communities in offshore waters of the Kimberley
Supervisor: Ian Potter (DSE)
Corey Wakefield
A biological assessment of snapper (Pagrus auratus, Sparidae) in
the Perth region, including comparisons of northern and southern
stocks in Western Australia
Supervisors: Norm Hall, Ian Potter (DSE) and Rod Lenanton
(DFWA)
Michelle Wildsmith
Benthic macroinvertebrates of Western Australian estuaries, with
particular reference to the effects of eutrophication
Supervisors: Fiona Valesini, Ian Potter (DSE) and Russ Babcock
(CSIRO)
Andrew Winzer
The Biology and prevalence of sea lice (Isopoda : Cirolanidae) and
their effect on the Western Rock Lobster fishery
Supervisors: Howard Gill (DSE) and Roy Melville Smith (DFWA)
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20
2004 ANNUAL REPORT
External funding
Project
Beatty, Stephen,
David Morgan, and
Howard Gill
Mitigation of fisheries
values during remedial work
at Waroona Dam
Water Corporation of
Western Australia
Jan 2004Dec 2004
15,000
Beatty, Stephen,
Morgan, David and
Gill, Howard
Monitoring the adequacy of
environmental water
provisions for fish fauna in
the Harvey and Harris rivers
Water Corporation of
Western Australia
Oct 2004Mar 2005
15,888
Beatty, Stephen
and David Morgan
Assessment of barriers to
fish passage in Gingin
Brook
Gingin LCDC / Fishcare
WA
Jan 2004Oct 2004
2,960
Beckley, Lynnath
Beach usage in the Perth
Metropolitan area
WA Department of
Planning and Infrastructure
2004
21,400
Beckley, Lynnath
Aerial surveillance for
sharks in the Perth
Metropolitan area
WA Department of
Fisheries
2004
1,100
Beckley, Lynnath
Marine reserve planning in
the Kimberley, WA
Murdoch University REGS
2004
10,936
Beckley, Lynnath
Rottnest Island creel survey
WA Department of
Fisheries
Jan 2003Mar 2004
5,400
Beckley, Lynnath
Estuarine fisheries (World
Fisheries Conference)
Murdoch University
2004
2,000
Beckley, Lynnath
and Barbara
Muhling
Ichthyoplankton
assemblages in WA
Strategic Research Fund
for the Marine
Environment
Jan 2003Dec 2005
47,850
Buller, Nicky,
Stan Fenwick and
Phil Nicholls
New diagnostic tests for
Aphanomyces astaci
Fisheries Research and
Development Corporation
Jan 2004Dec 2005
70,860
Fisheries Research and
Development Corporation
Jul 2003Jun 2005
15,000
Chaplin, Jennie and Studies of the stock
Ian Potter
structure of mulloway
Funding Body
Duration
Total
funds ($)
Name
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21
2004 ANNUAL REPORT
Collin, Shaun
(University of
Queensland) and
Ian Potter
The evolution of colour
vision in vertebrates
ARC (Discovery)
Jan 2002Dec 2004
345,000
Doupé, Rob and
Alan Lymbery
The biology and
management of introduced
redclaw in lake Kununurra
WA Department of
Fisheries
July 2004July 2007
21,000
Gill, Howard
Development of a recovery
plan for the pouched
lamprey Geotria australis in
south-western Australia
Fishcare WA
Nov 2004Nov 2005
4,945
Hall, Norm
Development and testing of
a dynamic model for data
from recreational fisheries
Fisheries Research and
Development Corporation
Jul 2002Sep 2004
112,207
Hall, Norm
Development of research
methodology and
quantitative skills for
integrated fisheries
management in WA
Fisheries Research and
Development Corporation
Jul 2001Dec 2005
579,814
Hall, Norm and
Alex Hesp
Estimation of natural and
fishing mortality using
length composition data
Fisheries Research and
Development Corporation
Jan 2004Dec 2006
318,425
Hall, Norm (in
conjunction with
DFWA)
Spatial scales of exploitation
among populations of
demersal scalefish:
implications for wetline
management
Fisheries Research and
Development Corporation
Jun 2004Jun 2006
30,000
Jenkins, Greg
(TAFE) and Ian
Potter
Restocking of the
Blackwood River Estuary
with black bream
(Acanthopagrus butcheri) extension and monitoring
Fisheries Research and
Development Corporation
Jul 2004Jun 2005
64,350
Jenkins, Greg
(TAFE) and Ian
Potter
Restocking of the
Blackwood River Estuary
with black bream
(Acanthopagrus butcheri)
Fisheries Research and
Development Corporation
Jul 2000Jun 2004
24,860
Koslow, Tony
(CSIRO), Lynnath
Beckley, Anya
Waite (UWA) and
Stephane Pesant
(UWA)
Seasonality in community
structure, productivity and
energy flows in the pelagic
environment off SW
Australia (SRFME transect)
National Research Facility
RV Southern Surveyor
Aug 2003Jan 2004
510,000
CFFR
22
2004 ANNUAL REPORT
Lymbery, Alan
Environmental management
system for trout production
in inland saline waters
Rural Industries Research
and Development
Corporation
Jul 2001Dec 2004
163,122
Lymbery, Alan
Identifying parasitic disease
threats to native freshwater
fish in the southwest of
Western Australia
Fishcare WA
Aug 2004Aug 2007
Lymbery, Alan
Environmental management
system for mine lake
aquaculture
Centre for Sustainable
Mine Lakes
Jan 2003Dec 2006
186,600
Lymbery, Alan and
Rob Doupé
Pond production traits in
hatchery-selected black
bream (Acanthopagrus
butcheri)
Aquaculture Development
Fund
Dec 2003Dec 2004
10,382
Lymbery, Alan,
David Morgan and
Rob Doupé
The importance of parasites
in the conservation of native
freshwater fish
Australia and Pacific
Science Foundation
Aug 2004Aug 2007
34,410
Morgan, David and
Stephen Beatty
Fish survey of the Vasse
River and the distribution of
goldfish in the river
Goecatch / Fishcare WA
Dec 2003Mar 2004
2,836
Morgan, David,
Dean Thorburn,
Howard Gill and
the Kimberley
Land Council
Biology of cultural
significance of the
freshwater sawfish (Pristis
microdon) in the Fitzroy
River, Western Australia
Threatened Species
Network, Fishcare WA
Sep 2003Nov 2004
28,000
Morgan, David,
Dean Thorburn and
the Kimberley
Land Council
Fish passage on the Fitzroy
River, Kimberley
Land and Water Australia
Aug 2004Jul 2005
8,700
Morgan, David and
the Kimberley
Language Resource
Centre
Biodiversity and cultural
significance of fishes in the
King Edward River,
Kimberley, Western
Australia
Land and Water Australia
Aug 2004Jul 2005
41,750
Morgan, David and
Stephen Beatty
Destocking of Churchman
Brook Reservoir
Water Corporation of
Western Australia
Nov 2004Nov 2005
11,515
4,180
CFFR
23
2004 ANNUAL REPORT
Morgan, David and
Stephen Beatty
Destocking of Pinwernying
Dam
Water Corporation of
Western Australia
Apr 2004Sep 2004
8,370
Morgan, David and
Stephen Beatty
Monitoring of Boddington
Fishway
Peel Harvey Catchment
Council
Aug 2004Mar 2005
7,556
Morgan, David and
Stephen Beatty
Fish surveys of Ellensbrook
and Gunyulgup Brook
Ribbons of Blue /
Waterwatch WA / Fishcare
WA
Aug 2004Dec 2004
5,000
Morgan, David and
Stephen Beatty
Freshwater faunal
environmental survey of
Pinwernying Dam
Water Corporation of
Western Australia
Jan 2004Mar 2004
4,731
Platell, Margaret
and Norm Hall
Synthesis and gap
assessment of fish dietary
data required for modelling
ecosystems in south-western
Australia
Fisheries Research and
Development Corporation
Jul 2002Sep 2004
121,209
Potter, Ian
Determination of biological
parameters for managing the
fisheries for mulloway and
silver trevally in Western
Australia
Fisheries Research and
Development Corporation
Jul 2002Sep 2005
199,217
Potter, Ian
Impact of environmental
changes on the biota of
Western Australian southcoast estuaries
Fisheries Research and
Development Corporation
Jul 2002Sep 2005
115,374
Potter, Ian and
Ashlee Jones
Biology of the Port Jackson
shark Heterodontus
portusjacksoni on the lower
west coast of Australia
Fishcare WA
Jan 2004Jul 2004
4,186
Potter, Ian
Biological parameters
required for managing
western blue groper, queen
snapper and bar-tailed
flathead
Fisheries Research and
Development Corporation
Jul 2004Jun2007
233,684
Potter, Ian and
Fiona Valesini
Relationships between fish
faunas and habitat type in
south-western Australian
estuaries
Fisheries Research and
Development Corporation
Jul 2004Jun2008
477,328
Potter, Ian
REGS allocation
Murdoch University
2004
17,744
CFFR
24
2004 ANNUAL REPORT
Potter, Ian and
William White
Phase II - Artisanal shark
and ray fisheries in East
Indonesia: their socioeconomic and fishery
characteristics and
relationship to Australian
resources
Australian Centre for
International Agricultural
Research
Jan 2004Jun 2006
223,368
Raidal, Shane
Description of a new
intracellular ciliate parasite
of pearl oysters
Fisheries Research and
Development Corporation
Nov 2004Nov 2007
122,720
Shane Raidal
Aquatic Animal Health
Exotic Disease Manual
Fisheries Research and
Development Corporation
July 2002July 2004
48,780
Thorburn, Dean,
David Morgan and
Howard Gill
Search for the northern river
shark (Glyphis sp. C),
Kimberley
Environment Australia
Mar 2003Mar 2004
22,608
Thorburn, Dean,
David Morgan and
Howard Gill
Wet season migration of
freshwater elasmobranchs in
the Fitzroy River,
Kimberley
Environment Australia
Mar 2003Mar 2004
22,229
Valesini, Fiona and
Ian Potter
Implications of fish kills in
the upper Swan Estuary
Fisheries WA
Oct 2003Sep 2004
96,669
Fisheries Research and
Development Corporation
Jul 2002Jun 2005
336,077
Young, Glen, Steve Biological parameters for
Newman (DFWA) managing the fisheries for
and Ian Potter
blue and king threadfin
salmons, estuary rockcod,
malabar grouper and
mangrove jack in northwestern Australia
TOTAL
PROJECTS 49
GRAND
TOTAL ($)
4,777,340
CFFR
2004 ANNUAL REPORT
25
Funding sources
(2000-2007)
TOTAL
($)
Aquaculture Development Fund
Australia and Pacific Science Foundation
Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR)
Australian Research Council – Discovery (ARC)
Centre for Sustainable Mine Lakes
Department of Fisheries Western Australia (DFWA)
Environment Australia
Fish Care Western Australia
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC)
Geocatch/Fishcare WA
Gingin/Fishcare WA
Land and Water Australia
Murdoch University REGS
National Research Facility RV Southern Surveyor
Peel-Harvey Catchment Council
Ribbons of Blue/Waterwatch WA/Fishcare WA
Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation
Strategic Research Fund for the Marine Environment (SRFME)
Threatened Species Network/Fishcare WA
Water Corporation of Western Australia
Western Australian Department of Planning and Infrastructure
10,382
34,410
223,368
345,000
186,600
27,500
44,837
109,980
2,869,905
2,836
2,960
50,450
30,680
510,000
7,556
5,000
163,122
47,850
28,000
55,504
21,400
CFFR
2004 ANNUAL REPORT
Kimberley Language
Resource Centre
26
CFFR
27
2004 ANNUAL REPORT
Kimberley
INDIAN
OCEAN
Pilbara
Southwest
SOUTHERN OCEAN
Study sites
King Edward River
Fitzroy River (sawfish)
Northern River Shark
Pilbara inland fish survey
Fishway locations
Kimberley MPA
SRFME transect
Abrolhos GIS
Leeuwin Current eddies
Rottnest rec fishing
Kimberley offshore survey
Stream monitoring
Dam draindowns
Leeuwin boat ramp
Tailor larvae
Marron
Gilgie
Redclaw (Ord River)
Yabbies
Sea lice
Pilbara offshore survey
Black bream restock
Black bream aquaculture trials
Cultured rainbow trout diets
Tuskfish/yellowfin bream
Whiting
Sand trevally
Silver trevally
Mulloway
Threadfin salmon
Queen snapper, blue groper
Demersal sharks and rays
Aerial shark surveillance
Green turtle nesting
Pink snapper
Mangrove jack and estuary cod
Samson fish
Western foxfish
Breaksea cod
Bar-tailed flathead
Dhufish
Canning offshore survey
Centre Research Locations 2004
Figure 1. Map of Western Australia showing the extent of
CFFR research activities in 2004.
Table 1. Summary of the taxa, focus of study and region studied by Centre researchers during 2004.
Taxa
Common name
Study
Region/locality
Researchers
Funding body
FUNGI
SAPROLEGNIALES
Aphanomyces invadans
Red-spot disease
Parasitology
South-west
Heather McLetchie (DSE)
FRDC
Crystal crab
Biology
South-west
Kimberley Smith (DSE)
FRDC
Champagne crab
Biology
South-west
Kimberley Smith (DSE)
FRDC
Blue crab
Population genetics
Australia
Ertug Sezmis (DSE)
Marron
Biology
South-west
Steven Beatty (DSE)
Cherax quinquecarinatus
Gilgie
Biology
South-west
Steven Beatty (DSE)
Cherax destructor
Yabbie
Biology
South-west
Steven Beatty (DSE)
ISOPODA
CIROLANIDAE
Cirolana Hesperia
Sea lice
Biology/parasitism
South-west
Andrew Winzer
MURS, WAFIC
Pearl oysters
Parasitology
North-west
Zoe Spiers (DHS)
FRDC
CEPHALASPIDIMORPHI
PETROMYZONTIFORMES
GEOTRIIDAE
Geotria australis
Pouched lamprey
Biochemistry
Phylogeny, feeding
morphology, vision
South-west
Karen Marshall (DSE)
MURS
NSF
ARC
CHONDRICHTHYES
SQUALIFORMES
CENTROPHORIDAE
Centrophorus spp.
Gulper sharks
Taxonomy – species
complex
All Indo-Pacific region
(including all Australia)
William White (DSE)
ACIAR, CSIRO
ARTHROPODA
CRUSTACEA
DECAPODA
GERYONIDAE
Chaceon bicolour
ERIPHIIDAE
Hypothalassia acerba
PORTUNIDAE
Portunus pelagicus
PARASTACIDAE
Cherax cainii
MURS, NHT,
DFWA, Water
Corp.
MURS, NHT,
DFWA, Water
Corp.
MURS, NHT,
DFWA, Water
Corp.
MOLLUSCA
BIVALVIA
FILIBRANCHIA
PTERIIDAE
Pinctata maxima
CHORDATA
HETERODONTIFORMES
HETERODONTIDAE
Heterodontus portusjacksoni
LAMNIFORMES
ALOPIIDAE
Alopias pelagicus
Port Jackson shark
Biology
South-west
Ashlee Jones (DSE)
FRDC?
Pelagic thresher
shark
Biology
Eastern Indonesia
William White (DSE)
ACIAR
Bali catshark
Catshark
Taxonomy – new species
Taxonomy – new species
Eastern Indonesia
Eastern Indonesia / NW
Australia
William White (DSE)
William White (DSE)
ACIAR
ACIAR
TRIAKIDAE
Mustelus spp. (~5 species)
Gummy sharks
Taxonomy – species
complex
Eastern Indonesia / NW
Australia
William White (DSE)
ACIAR
HEMIGALEIDAE
Hemigaleus spp.
Weasel shark
Taxonomy/Biology –
new species (Aust)
Eastern Indonesia /
northern Australia
William White (DSE)
ACIAR
CARCHARHINIDAE
Carcharhinus falciformis
Carcharhinus leucas
Silky shark
Bull shark
Biology
Biology - diets
Eastern Indonesia
Kimberley
William White (DSE)
Dean Thorburn (DSE)
Northern river shark
Biology - diets
Kimberley
Dean Thorburn (DSE)
ACIAR
MURS, NHT,
KLC, Env. Aus.
Scalloped
hammerhead
Biology
Eastern Indonesia
William White (DSE)
ACIAR
Australian angel
shark
Biology
South-west
Ashlee Jones (DSE)
IPRS
Freshwater sawfish
Biology - diets
Kimberley
Dean Thorburn (DSE)
Dwarf sawfish
Biology - diets
Kimberley
Dean Thorburn (DSE)
MURS, NHT,
KLC, Env. Aus.
Western shovelnose
ray
Southern fiddler ray
Biology
South-west
Ashlee Jones (DSE)
IPRS
Biology
South-west
Lindsay Marshall (DSE)
MURS, FRDC
Biology
Eastern Indonesia
William White (DSE)
ACIAR
Biology
Eastern Indonesia
William White (DSE)
ACIAR
Biology
Eastern Indonesia
William White (DSE)
ACIAR
CARCHARHINIFORMES
SCYLIORHINIDAE
Atelomycterus baliensis
Halaelurus sp.
Glyphis sp.
SPHYRNIDAE
Sphyrna lewini
SQUATINIFORMES
SQUATINIDAE
Squatina australis
RAJIFORMES
PRISTIDAE
Pristis microdon
Pristis clavate
RHINOBATIDAE
Aptychotrema vincentiana
Trygonorrhina fasciata
DASYATIDAE
Dasyatis kuhlii
Dasyatis zugei
Himantura walga
Blue spotted
maskray
Sharp-snouted
stingray
Dwarf whipray
MYLIOBATIDAE
Myliobatis australis
ACTINOPTERYGII
SILURIFORMES
PLOTOSIDAE
Cnidoglanis macrocephalus
SALMONIFORMES
SALMONIDAE
Onchorhynchus mykiss
SCORPAENIFORMES
PLATYCEPHALIDAE
Platycephalus endrachtensis
PERCIFORMES
CENTROPOMIDAE
Lates calcarifer
PERCICHTHYIDAE
Maccullochella peelii peelii
SERRANIDAE
Epinephelides armatus
Epinephelus coioides
Epinephelus malabaricus
APOGONIDAE
Apogon rueppellii
POMATOMIDAE
Pomatomus saltatrix
CARANGIDAE
Pseudocaranx wrighti
Pseudocaranx dentex
Seriola hippos
LUTJANIDAE
Lutjanis sebae
SPARIDAE
Acanthopagrus butcheri
Southern eagle ray
Biology
South-west
Ashlee Jones (DSE)
IPRS, DFWA
Cobbler
Biology
Western Australia
Brent Wise (DSE)
Rainbow trout
Biology/Diet
Aquaculture
South-west
Springfield Waters Aquaculture,
Northam
Michelle Tay (DSE)
Gavin Partridge (DSE)
MURS
Bar-tailed flathead
Biology
Swan Estuary
Peter Coulson (DSE)
MURS, FRDC
Barramundi
Morphology
Evolutionary genetics
Aquaculture
WA, SA, NT, Vic.
North-west
Springfield Waters Aquaculture,
Northam
Neil Griffiths (DHS)
Carina Marshall (DSE)
Gavin Partridge (DSE)
MURS
Murray cod
Morphology
SA, Vic.
Neil Griffiths (DHS)
Breaksea cod
Estuary rock cod
Malabar groper
Biology
Biology
Ecology
Biology
South-west
Pilbara/Kimberley, north-west
Pilbara/Kimberley, north-west
Pilbara/Kimberley, north-west
Steven Moore (DSE)
Alex Hesp/Glen Young (DSE)
Michael Travers (DSE)
Alex Hesp/Glen Young (DSE)
Gobbleguts
Biology
Western Australia
Brent Wise (DSE)
Tailor
Larval fish distribution
South-west
Warren Chisholm (DSE)
Sand trevally
Skipjack trevally
Samson fish
Biology
Biology
Biology/ecology
Perth to Mandurah
Kalbarri-Augusta
South-west
Tim Carter (DSE)
Dan French (DSE)
Andrew Rowland (DSE)
Hons
MURS, FRDC
FRDC
Red emperor
Ecology
North-west
Michael Travers (DSE)
MURS, FRDC
Black bream
Population genetics
Aquaculture
Biology
Genetics
Restocking
Tank experiments
Tank experiments
South-west
Australia
Blackwood River Estuary
Chan Siew Kee (DHS)
Rob Doupé (DHS)
Benjamin Chuwen (DSE)
Emilia Santos-Yap (DSE)
Dan French (DSE)
Hons
FRDC
MURS, FRDC
FRDC
FRDC
Pagrus auratus
LETHRINIDAE
Lethrinis nebulosus
POLYNEMIDAE
Eleutheronema Tetradactylum
Polydactylus macrochir
SCIAENIDAE
Argyrosomus japonicus
TERAPONTIDAE
Amniataba caudavittata
Pink snapper
Biology
Biology/management
Carnarvon to Esperance, N/W
Shark Bay
Corey Wakefield (DSE)
Gary Jackson (DSE)
FRDC?
DFWA
Spangled emperor
Ecology
North-west
Michael Travers (DSE)
MURS, FRDC
Blue threadfin
salmon
King threadfin
salmon
Biology
Pilbara/Kimberley, north-west
Matthew Pember (DSE)
MURS, FRDC
Biology
Pilbara/Kimberley, north-west
Matthew Pember (DSE)
MURS, FRDC
Mulloway
Biology/genetics
South-west
Bryn Farmer (DSE)
MURS, FRDC
Yellowtail trumpeter
Biology
Western Australia
Brent Wise (DSE)
Aquaculture
Springfield Waters Aquaculture
in Northam
Hybridisation
Gavin Partridge (DSE)
Peter Coulson (DSE)
Steve Cossington (DSE)
Elaine Lek (DSE)
David Fairclough (DSE)
Elaine Lek (DSE)
David Fairclough (DSE)
David Fairclough (DSE)
David Fairclough (DSE)
MURS, FRDC
Hons
FRDC
MURS, FRDC
FRDC
David Fairclough (DSE)
Elaine Lek (DSE)
David Fairclough (DSE)
Elaine Lek (DSE)
David Fairclough (DSE)
Elaine Lek (DSE)
David Fairclough (DSE)
MURS, FRDC
MURS, SRFME
Spangled perch
NHT
Leiopotherapon unicolour
LABRIDAE
Achoerodus gouldii
Bodianus frenchii
Choerodon rubescens
Western blue groper
Western foxfish
Baldchin groper
Biology
Biology
Biology
Choerodon schoenleinii
Black spot tuskfish
Biology
South-west
Rottnest Island, off Fremantle
Geraldton and Shark Bay, northwest
Shark Bay, north-west
Choerodon cyanodus
Choerodon cauteroma
Blue tuskfish
Blue-spotted
tuskfish
Purple tuskfish
Western King
Wrasse
Brown-spotted
wrasse
Maori wrasse
Biology
Biology
Shark Bay, north-west
Shark Bay, north-west
Distribution
Biology
Shark Bay, north-west
Lower west coast
Biology
Lower west coast
Biology
Lower west coast
Blue-spot goby
Swan River goby
Biology
Biology
Western Australia
Western Australia
Brent Wise (DSE)
Brent Wise (DSE)
Green Turtle
Environmental
Management
Environmental variables
Environmental
management
North-west
North-west Cape
Kellie Pendoley (DSE)
Raquel Carter (DSE)
North-west
Kellie Pendoley (DSE)
Choerodon cephalotes
Coris aurocularis
Notolabrus parilus
Opthalmolepis lineolatus
GOBIIDAE
Pseudogobius olorum
Favonigobius lateralis
REPTILIA
CHELONIA
CHELONIIDAE
Chelonia mydas
Eretmochelys imbricata
Hawksbill Turtle
MURS,FRDC
MURS, FRDC
MURS, SRFME
MURS, SRFME
Natator depressus
AVES
CHARADRIFORMES
LARIDAE
Larus novaehollandiae
SPHENISCIFORMES
SPHENISCIDAE
Eudyptula minor
PROCELLARIIFORMES
PROCELLARIIDAE
Puffinus carneipes
Puffinus assimilis
Puffinus pacificus
Flatback Turtle
Environmental
management
North-west
Kellie Pendoley (DSE)
Silver gull
Reproductive biology
Penguin Island
Christine Lamont (DSE)
Little penguin
Biology
Rottnest Island
Belinda Cannell (DSE)
Flesh-footed
shearwater
Little shearwater
Wedge-tailed
shearwater
Reproduction
Woody Island, off Esperance
Chris Powell (DSE)
MURS
Reproduction
Reproduction
Abrolhos to Rottnest Island
Abrolhos to Rottnest Island
Indre Kirsten (DSE)
Indre Kirsten (DSE)
APA
APA
Table 2. Summary of the modelling, mapping, faunal community and aquaculture studies by the Centre in 2004.
Broad category of study
MODELLING
MAPPING
Focus of study
Region
People
Funding
Marine conservation
planning using
remote sensing
Modelling
Kimberley coast, north-west
Nicola Fox (DSE)
Marine ecosystem
Modelling
south-west coast
Sara Belmont (DSE)
Houtman Abrolhos Islands,
north-west
Paul Wise (DSE)
Ecology
South-west
Mathew Hourston (DSE)
MURS
Morphology
South-west coast
Natasha Coen
MURS
Ecology
South-west
Michelle Wildsmith (DSE)
Ecology
Kimberley, north-west
Michael Travers (DSE)
MURS, FRDC
Ecology
Kimberley, north-west
Matt Pember (DSE)
MURS, FRDC
Species composition
Eastern Indonesia
William White (DSE)
ACIAR
Ecology
100 km offshore from Two
Rocks
Barbara Muhling (DSE)
Mapping habitats
and GIS methods
APA
COMMUNITY STUDIES
MEIOFAUNA
Meiofauna of
estuaries
HYPERBENTHOS
MACROINVERTEBRATES
Macrofauna
FISH
ICHTHYOPLANKTON
AQUACULTURE
Ichthyoplankton
assemblages
Aquaculture effluent
Gavin Kay (DHS)
Hons
CFFR
2004 ANNUAL REPORT
33
2. RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
Research in the Centre covers four broad themes:
•
•
•
•
The biology of fish, crustaceans and non-fish marine vertebrates (seabirds and turtles)
(this includes population biology, population genetics and phylogeny, functional
morphology and systematics);
The ecology of fish and crustacean communities ;
Modelling and resource use; and
Fish health and production.
The research on each of these themes covers a wide variety of environments (Figure 1) and
taxa (Tables 1 and 2) in Western Australia.
Biology
Population Biology
Teleosts
Good progress has continued to be made on determining the age and size
compositions, growth and reproductive biology of five commercially and recreationally
important finfish species on the Kimberley and Pilbara coasts. These studies, which have
focused on estuary rockcod (Epinephelus coioides), Malabar grouper (Epinephelus
malabaricus), mangrove jack (Lutjanus argentimaculatus), blue threadfin salmon
(Eleutheronema tetradactylum) and king threadfin salmon (Polydactylus macrochir), are
being conducted in collaboration with Steve Newman of the Department of Fisheries, Western
Australia. Since Glen Young, who was principal investigator on this project, has taken up a
position with RPS Bowman Bishaw Gorham, Environmental Management Consultants, the
coordinating role has been assumed by Ian Potter. Matthew Pember has collected excellent
data on the two species of threadfin salmon and Alex Hesp has assumed the responsibility for
developing and analysing the data for the estuary cod and Malabar grouper.
CFFR
2004 ANNUAL REPORT
34
The two species of threadfin salmon have been shown to be protandrous
hermaphrodites, i.e. individuals change sex from male to female with increasing body size
and age, while the two Epinephelus species are protogynous hermaphrodites (Fig. 1), i.e.
individuals change sex from female to male, and the mangrove jack is a gonochorist, i.e. does
not change sex during its life cycle. All five species grow rapidly and particularly in the cases
of the two threadfin salmon species, which attain total lengths in excess of 380 mm before the
end of their second year of life. The two species of threadfin salmon spawn in spring and
early summer, while the two Epinephelus species and mangrove jack spawn from late spring
to early autumn. All of the above five species use shallow nearshore waters as nursery
habitats, with the two Epinephelus species and the mangrove jack being particularly abundant
in mangroves.
Figure 2. Histological sections of gonads of estuary rockcod Epinephelus coioides
showing evidence of protogynous hermaphrodism (sex change from female to
male). A gonad (left) with both ovarian tissue containing small previtellogenic (pv)
oocytes and testicular tissue with spermatocytes (s) and a male gonad containing
spermatocytes (s) and spermatids (st) and a lumen. The lumen is a structure formed
in the ovaries of females prior to the fish changing sex and its gonads becoming
testes.
For his PhD, Matthew Pember is combining his studies on the biology of the two
threadfin salmon species (Fig. 2) with the data he has already obtained on the fish
assemblages in nearshore waters along the same Kimberley and Pilbara coastline.
CFFR
2004 ANNUAL REPORT
35
Figure 3. A blue threadfin salmon, Eleutheronema tetradactylum, with its
otoliths being removed (left) and a small juvenile of the same species (right).
During 2004, Steve Cossington undertook an Independent Study Contract with Alex
Hesp and Norm Hall during which he studied the biology of western foxfish Bodianus
frenchii (Fig. 3). Steve’s results provided strong evidence that this species is a protogynous
hermaphrodite, i.e. changes sex from female to male with increasing body size and age, as is
the case with several other labrid species. Although B. frenchii rarely attains total lengths of
400 mm and weights of 1 kg, the presence of more than 50 opaque zones in the otoliths of
some individuals of western foxfish suggests that this species can live for more than 50 years.
Steve Cossington will continue his studies on B. frenchii for his Honours, which commences
in February 2005. Steve was very fortunate to receive a scholarship to work, during the
summer, on fish diets of pelagic species in the Gulf of Carpentaria with research scientists at
the Cleveland laboratory of CSIRO.
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Figure 4. The western foxfish Bodianus frenchii (left) and a sectioned otoloith from a
western foxfish containing a large number of opaque zones (right). These zones may be
formed on an annual basis.
Bryn Farmer has been continuing his work on the biology of the mulloway
Argyrosomus japonicus and his investigation as to whether this species is represented by
different stocks in different regions of Australia. Bryn has established a magnificent network
with recreational fishers (Fig. 3), which has been crucial for obtaining samples of a wide size
range of fish from different regions and at different stages of gonadal maturation.
Figure 5. The mulloway Argyrosomus japonicus (left) and sampling for
mulloway with the help of local recreational fishers in Kalbari, Western
Australia (right).
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2004 ANNUAL REPORT
Preliminary estimates of the total length at first maturity (L50) indicate that the males
and females typically attain maturity at ca 920 and 950 mm, respectively, which greatly
exceeds 500 mm, the current minimum length for retention of this species. Mulloway grow
rapidly up to the end of their sixth year of life, at which age they attain maturity, and after
which growth slows markedly (Fig. 4). Bryn has found that mulloway spawn in the Swan
River Estuary, a finding that was not anticipated and probably represents a situation that, at
least in south-western Australia, is found only in this estuary which is unusual in that it
contains substantial areas of deep water.
1600
1400
Total length (mm)
1200
1000
800
Females
600
M ales
400
200
0
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
A ge (years)
Figure 6. von Bertalanffy growth curves for mulloway Argyrosomus
japonicus. Separate curves have been fitted to the lengths at age of females
(closed
circles)
and
males
(open
circles).
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Bryn Farmer has extended his biological studies on mulloway to investigate the
population genetic structure of this species in Western Australian waters using a mtDNA
marker. The necessary tissue samples have now been obtained for assemblages in three
different locations on the west coast and the procedures required by extracting DNA from
muscle tissue and for the PCR-amplification of the target region of the mtDNA have been
developed. The project is thus well placed to start generating population genetic data in 2005.
Ongoing studies of the silver trevally Pseudocaranx dentex by Dan French, who
worked on this species for his Honours thesis for which he received a first class award,
demonstrate that this species moves offshore as it becomes larger and increases in size.
However, among larger individuals, the growth rate of this species is far greater in deep than
shallow water. The possible reasons for this surprising finding will be explored during the
coming year. The trends exhibited by monthly gonadosomatic indices (Fig. 5) and
prevalences of sequential gonadal maturity stages demonstrate that P. dentex spawns earlier
and for a longer period in the more northern than southern regions of the west coast,
presumably reflecting the presence of higher temperatures in the former region. During the
coming year, reproductive studies will focus on deriving reliable estimates of the size and age
at maturity of silver trevally in different regions.
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2004 ANNUAL REPORT
6
Females
16
Gonadosomatic index
5
4
3
16
35
19
2
50
19
35
50
1
35
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6
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52
49
13
13
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28
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27
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17
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35
12
J
F
M
A
M
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Males
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Gonadosomatic index
8
6
35
35
20
66
4
2
21
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0
21
32
32
J
J
A
S
O
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D
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Females
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Gonadosomatic index
13
10
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8
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12
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13
0
6
Males
24
Gonadosomatic index
5
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1
6
5
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6
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M
A
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0
J
J
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J
F
Month
Figure 7. Mean monthly gonadosomatic indices ±SE for silver trevally
Psuedocaranx dentex collected from the lower west (left) and upper west
(right) coasts of south-western Australia. Numbers above error bars refer to
sample sizes.
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The population genetic structure of silver trevally on the west coast of Australia was
studied by Honours student, Douglas Bearham, using a mtDNA (control region) marker.
Doug found a very high level of diversity in the control region of the mtDNA of P. dentex
with most individuals sampled from Geraldton, inshore and offshore waters off Perth and
NSW having unique haplotypes. Although the ability to use the data to test for the presence of
genetic heterogeneity in this species in these waters was hindered by the high levels of
diversity in the marker, there was some evidence of genetic differentiation between Geraldton
and Perth.
For his PhD, which commenced early in 2004, Peter Coulson is investigating the
biology of three important recreational and/or commercial species, namely the western blue
groper (Achoerodus gouldii), queen snapper (Nemadactylus valenciennesi) and bar-tailed
flathead (Platycephalus endrachtensis). Substantial samples of western blue groper and queen
snapper are being obtained from the lower west and south coasts of Western Australia, while
the sampling for bar-tailed flathead is focused in the Swan River Estuary, where there is a
significant recreational fishery for this species. Preliminary results suggest that western blue
groper and queen snapper are relatively long-lived and that all three species spawn over the
relatively protracted period of late spring to early autumn.
Steve Moore and Tim Carter both commenced their part-time Honours studies in
February 2004. Steve is studying aspects of the biology of the breaksea cod Epinephilides
armatus, a species that is endemic to south-western Australia, where it occurs over reefs and
is increasing in recreational importance. Tim is investigating the biology of the sand trevally
Psuedocaranx wrighti, a major bycatch species of the commercial scallop and prawn trawl
fishery that operates on the lower west coast of Australia.
Elaine Lek’s excellent studies on the diets of dhufish (Glaucosoma hebraicum),
baldchin groper (Choerodon rubescens) and black spot tuskfish (Choerodon schoenleinii)
were completed in November 2004 and were rewarded with a first class honours. Elaine
found that, as dhufish increase in size, their diet changes from mainly crustaceans to largely
teleosts. Although the two congeneric labrid species, C. rubescens and C. schoenleinii, are
similar in their morphology and the size they attain, their diets differ markedly. Thus,
baldchin groper ingests large volumes of echinoids, while the black spot tuskfish consumes
mainly mytilids. The differences in the diets of these two species reflect differences in the
habitats occupied by these two species and thus in their respective prey.
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David Fairclough submitted his PhD on the biology of four species of tuskfish
(Choerodon: Labridae) in Shark Bay in September 2004. Each of these species was shown to
be a protogynous hermaphrodite, i.e. individuals change sex from female to male during their
life, a common occurrence among labrids. However, the proportion of females that change to
males showed marked interspecific variation. The four species occupy different habitats and
spawn at different times in Shark Bay, thus reducing the potential for interspecific
competition for spatial and food resources.
A comparative study of the biology of the baldchin groper (C. rubescens)
demonstrated that this recreationally and commercially important species grew faster in Shark
Bay than in the Abrohlos Islands about 400 km further south. This difference in growth rate
accounts, in part, for differences in the age at which maturity and sex change occur in the
populations from those two regions. The consequences of the different reproductive trends
exhibited by the four tuskfish species for management were explored in detail and provided to
the Western Australian Department of Fisheries. The results have also been communicated to
a broader audience in the form of presentations to the Department of Conservation and Land
Management and at the Australian Society of Fish Biology Conference in Adelaide in 2004.
With the assistance of Associate Professor Yvonne Sadovy and Dr Andrew Cornish of the
University of Hong Kong, David has assessed the four Choerodon species for the 2004 IUCN
red list of threatened species (assessments can be found at http://www.redlist.org).
David has recently accepted a position as a Postdoctoral fellow with Professor Ian
Potter and will now be responsible for investigating the impact of closed fishing areas on fish
faunas in the Jurien Bay Marine Park. This three year project, which is part of the SRFME
mid-west project led by Dr Russ Babcock at CSIRO, will also involve collaboration with the
Department of Fisheries, Western Australian, the Western Australian Museum and Edith
Cowan University, and is funded by the Strategic Research Fund for the Marine Environment
(SRFME). Specifically, David will be conducting surveys of fish communities, using
underwater visual censuses, video and acoustic tagging, as well as studying the biology of
selected important teleost species in the region.
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2004 ANNUAL REPORT
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Sharks and rays
William White and Ian Potter have completed their study of the reproductive biology,
size compositions and growth of the batoid ray Urolophus paucimaculatus in south-western
Australian waters. This species was found to attain approximately 50% of its asymptotic size
at the time of its birth. The relatively large size at birth accounts for this species producing
only 1 to 2 young per litter. As with the other three urolopids found in south-western
Australian waters, the growth of U. paucimaculatus throughout the whole of pre- and
postnatal life can be described by a single smooth growth curve.
Urolophus paucimaculatus conceives in early to mid summer and gives birth in late
spring to early summer, thereby closely paralleling the situation with the co-occurring
Urolophus lobatus. However, the other two members of the family Urolophidae, namely
Trigonoptera personata and Trigonoptera mucosa, conceive in late autumn to mid-winter and
give birth 10-12 months later. The intergeneric differences in time of birth help account for
differences in the diets of the two Urolophus and two Trigonoptera species.
Ashlee Jones has been continuing her PhD studies on the biology of the Port Jackson
shark Heterodontus portusjacksoni, the Australian angel shark Squatina australis, the western
shovelnose ray Aptychotrima vincentiana and the southern eagle ray Myliobatus australis.
These four species are important components of the bycatch of the trawl fishery and the
demersal gillnet and long-line fishery, which operate off the lower west coast of Australia.
Ashlee is also studying the composition of the total fish catch that is taken by the above
fisheries. During her studies on the Port Jackson shark, Ashlee found one individual with
fully-developed male and female reproductive organs, which provided one of the few
examples of such hermaphroditism in any species of elasmobranch.
We were delighted that Ashlee, who came to us from Canada, was awarded a
Murdoch University postgraduate scholarship in recognition of the excellent progress that she
had made in her studies since her arrival at Murdoch. Ashlee was fortunate in being able to
attend a workshop on techniques for ageing elasmobranchs that was conducted by Dr Terry
Walker at the Department of Primary Industries and Resources, Victoria. Our Fish and
Fisheries Research Centre at Murdoch is indebted to Terry for the generosity and advice that
he has extended to our research students who are working on elasmobranchs as this has
increased the skills and knowledge of these students.
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Lindsay Marshall produced a very good honours on the biology of the southern fiddler
ray Trygonorrhina fasciata (Fig. 6) in waters on the lower west coast of Australia, for which
she was awarded a first class honours. Lindsay collected samples both by long-lining and
from the bycatch of trawl fishers. Her studies of the reproductive biology demonstrated that
ovulation occurred between late March and early May and that parturition took place
approximately 12 months later. There was strong evidence that, following their fertilization,
the eggs remained in a state of embryonic diapause for about eight months, prior to embarking
on a four month period of rapid embryonic growth. Birth occurs at a length of about 280 mm.
Lindsay found that the dietary composition of the southern fiddler ray underwent a marked
change with increasing body size, with small crustaceans dominating the diets of small fish,
while larger crustaceans, teleosts, polychaetes and cephalopods were the most abundant
components of the diets of large fish. However, the dietary compositions of T. fasciata varied
significantly with locality, indicating that, to a certain extent, this species fed
opportunistically on the available prey in its environment.
Figure 8. The southern fiddler ray Trygonorrhina fasciata. Hand drawing by
Lindsay Marshall.
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2004 ANNUAL REPORT
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William White has continued his work on chondrichthyan fisheries in Indonesia. This
work is supported by a second grant from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural
Research (ACIAR) and is being conducted in conjunction with staff at the CSIRO Marine
Research laboratories in Cleveland and Hobart and at the Research Centre for Capture Fishes
and the Indonesian Institute of Sciences in Indonesia. Further market survey trips of Indonesia
in 2004 have resulted in the collection of biological data for species whose stocks are
potentially shared with Australia, e.g. many of the whaler shark species. New records for
Indonesia include a juvenile megamouth shark, that was washed ashore in the Aceh region of
Sumatra and represents one of only 25 recorded worldwide, and a ~3 m false catshark, which
occurs in deep water and has been found sporadically worldwide.
William has also continued collecting images and preparing the text for a field guide
to the sharks and rays of Indonesia which will be published by the end of 2006. Taxonomic
work on the numerous undescribed species from Indonesia and their relationship with
Australian species has continued in conjunction with Peter Last (CSIRO) and help from other
experts in this field, such as Leonard Compagno, Dave Ebert and Marcelo de Carvahlo.
Descriptions are almost complete for two new species of both shovelnose ray and gummy
shark, and work has commenced on describing two new species of catshark and one new
species of weasel shark.
William attended an IUCN Shark Specialist Group International Red List workshop
on batoid rays in Cape Town, South Africa in September where he assisted in running the
workshop and completed a number of Red List assessments for ray species occurring in
Indonesia. William also attended the Seventh Asian Fisheries Forum in Penang, Malaysia in
December where he presented a talk on the longline fisheries that target large sharks in
Indonesia.
Freshwater sharks and rays
A collaborative study involving Dean Thorburn, David Morgan and Howard Gill from
Murdoch University, the Kimberley Land Council, the Kimberley Language Resource Centre
and numerous communities of the west Kimberley led to the capture and then release of 79
endangered Freshwater Sawfish (Pristis microdon) in King Sound and the Fitzroy, May and
Robinson rivers between 2002 and 2004 (Thorburn et al. 2004). Forty of these individuals
were tagged. This culturally significant species, is not only an important food source, but is
included in a number of stories and beliefs of the peoples of the Fitzroy River, where it is
referred to as ‘galwanyi’ in Bunuba and Gooniyandi, ‘wirridanyniny’ or ‘pial pial’ in Nyikina,
and ‘wirrdani’ in Walmajarri. Length-frequency, aging and maturity data indicate that the
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Fitzroy River is an important nursery for juveniles of the species, which appear to live in the
river for up to 4 or 5 years before leaving the river to mature. Examination of the stomach
contents of nine individuals showed that the diet of this species is dominated by the ariid
catfish Arius graeffei, but also contained fine detrital matter and cherabin. The research on
the morphometrics of P. microdon found that the number of rostral teeth can be used to
separate males and females with a high degree of certainty. The high abundance of
P. microdon immediately below Camballin Barrage, and the fact that six of the eight
recaptures of the 40 tagged individuals were also caught at this locality, emphasises that the
fact the Barrage hinders the upstream migration of this species. This work was funded by the
Department of Environment and the Threatened Species Network. Similar work on the Dwarf
Sawfish Pristis clavata has commenced.
Seven individuals of the critically endangered and undescribed Northern River Shark
Glyphis sp. C were collected by Dean Thorburn and David Morgan, from macrotidal
mangrove systems near the town of Derby in the Kimberley region of Western Australia,
which represents their first capture in this state (Thorburn and Morgan 2004). The five males
and two females ranged in length from 906 to 1,418 mm TL, weighed between 5,150 and
18,640 g and had a vertebral count range outside that previously reported for the species, i.e.
142-151 cf 147-148. The unusually high incidence of fused vertebrae and spinal deformation
suggests inbreeding depression in association with a small gene pool. Previous records of this
species were restricted to rivers in the Northern Territory (Australia) and Papua New Guinea.
The presence of a small eye (mean diameter 0.87% of total length), large dorsal and pectoral
fins, and well defined sensory ampullae may reflect their living in an environment subjected
to extreme turbidity and flows.
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2004 ANNUAL REPORT
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Crustaceans
Biology of deep sea crabs
Studies of the biology of the champagne crab Hypothalassia acerba and crystal crab
Chaceon bicolor in south-western Australian waters were completed in 2004 (Fig. 7). This
project, which was funded by the FRDC, allowed Kim Smith to work on these interesting
species of deep sea crabs for his PhD. Kim, whose studies were supervised by Ian Potter and
Norm Hall, submitted his PhD at the end of 2004.
The champagne crab was found to live predominantly in water depths of 200 and
145 m on the west and south coasts, respectively, whereas the crystal crab occupies depths of
450 to 1220 m. The above interspecific differences in depths are paralleled by differences in
water temperature, with the champagne crab occurring in waters of 16 to 17°C, compared with
4 to 6.5°C for the crystal crab.
The champagne crab reproduces seasonally, whereas the crystal crab breeds
throughout the year, the latter presumably reflecting, in part, the more constant water
temperatures found in the deeper waters in which this species is found. The far more restricted
period of reproduction of the champagne crab than crystal crab is accompanied by a greater
fecundity. There was strong circumstantial evidence that the champagne crabs found on the
south coast migrate to the lower west prior to reaching maturity and, as a consequence,
breeding is believed to be restricted very largely to the lower west coast.
Detailed statistical testing demonstrated that the chelae (claws) of the males of the two
species of deep sea crabs do not exhibit the types of marked allometric change that are
undergone at puberty by certain other species of decapod. This means that the size at maturity
of the males of the champagne and crystal crabs has to be estimated from the maturity status
of the testes. Our results raise the question as to whether the assumption that the claws of male
crabs, in general, can always be assumed to undergo allometric changes and thus be able to be
used as the basis for determining morphometric maturity.
Figure 9. The champagne crab Hypothalassia acerba (above) and the crystal crab Chaceon
bicolour. Picture taken by Kim Smith.
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2004 ANNUAL REPORT
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Sea lice
Research into the distribution and abundance of sea lice (Fig. 8) and their effect on the
western rock lobster fishery continued in 2004 with the ongoing assistance of commercial
fishers in the Fremantle zone. This work, which forms part of Andrew Winzer’s PhD, also
involves testing different methods of deploying rock lobster baits and determining the efficacy
of different bait-saving devices. A bait saver was designed for use in this study, which was
seen to rival the other two commercially available designs with respect to lobster catch rates.
The various bait-saving devices were tested in conjunction with the Western Rock Lobster
breeding stock survey conducted in zone B of the fishery (off Lancelin) over a 12 day trial
sponsored by the Western Australian Fishing Industry Council (WAFIC). The aim of this
study was to determine whether pots using different bait savers that containing reduced
quantities of bait would catch the same numbers of lobsters (both legal and undersize) as
conventional pots using the typical amounts of bait employed in the fishery. Another
component of research into these bait saving devices involves working with deep sea crab
fishers and determining whether these devices can reduce the impact of sea lice on deep-sea
crab baits. These trials will take place throughout 2005.
Figure 10. Cirolana hesperia, the most common species of sea
lice caught in Zone C of the Western Rock Lobster fishery (size
range 2.5 mm to 12.5 mm).
Freshwater crayfish
Stephen Beatty, as part of PhD supervised by David Morgan and Howard Gill, tested
the hypothesis that marron Cherax cainii displays plasticity in its biology, by comparing a
translocated riverine population at the northernmost extent of its range (i.e. Hutt River) to a
southerly (cooler) population (Waroona Dam). Female C. cainii were found to mature at a
larger size in the Hutt River, the northernmost population in this State, than in other riverine
and most reservoir populations occupying more southerly (higher latitude), cooler habitats.
The length at first maturity (L50s) of the females and males (ca 70 and 40 mm orbital carapace
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length, respectively) were approximately 32 and 11 mm longer, respectively, than those of the
Waroona Dam population, near the centre of its range. Based on the temporal patterns of
gonadal development and gonadosomatic indices, C. cainii in the Hutt River spawns between
July and September, which is earlier than the more southern populations. The spawning rate
of C. cainii in the Hutt River was low compared with that recorded within its natural range.
It is proposed that the much larger lengths at first maturity and low spawning rate in
the Hutt River were due to faster growth rates caused by relatively high water temperatures
and a response to competition with the sympatric, introduced crayfish, the Yabbie Cherax
destructor, respectively. This highlights the plasticity of the biology of C. cainii and has
considerable implications for effective management of the size-regulated recreational fishery.
Stephen Beatty is also co-investigator on a FRDC project determining the causes of
decline of the recreational marron fishery. This work, conducted in collaboration with Brett
Molony and Martin DeGraaf of the Department of Fisheries, Western Australia, examined the
influence of environmental variables on marron catches, has provided preliminary data which
suggest that rainfall and stream flow are the key variables, influencing recreational marron
catch. The project is currently determining the relative sources of mortality and the degree of
biological plasticity in river and reservoir populations. This research will have considerable
implications for the regulation and recovery of the recreational Marron fishery.
Stephen Beatty has also studied the biology of the Gilgie Cherax quinquecarinatus, a
south-western Australian endemic freshwater crayfish that occupies a broad range of aquatic
systems, to assess whether it is an important component of the aquatic food webs in those
systems and subject to recreational fishing pressure. Key biological parameters of
C. quinquecarinatus in Bull Creek (south-western Australia) were determined.
Cherax
quinquecarinatus was found to mature at a relatively small size (cf C. cainii) with the L50s for
females and males being 18.8 and 24.5 mm OCL, respectively, with the majority of
C. quinquecarinatus first spawning at the end of their second year of life. The potential
(ovarian) and pleopodal fecundities of C. quinquecarinatus were relatively low compared
with other freshwater crayfishes, i.e. 81.7 (±5.93 s.e.) vs 77.1 (±13.76 s.e.), respectively.
Cherax quinquecarinatus has an extended spawning period of late winter to late summer (i.e.
August to February). Three spawning events were facilitated by short brood and rapid gonadal
recovery periods, traits consistent with other crayfish species able to exist in temporary
environments. Estimates of total mortality (Z) were relatively high at 2.34 and 1.95 year-1,
based on an age-converted catch curves for females and males, respectively, with a
considerable proportion of this attributed to fishing mortality (exploitation rates of 0.76 and
0.75 for females and males, respectively). Cherax quinquecarinatus exhibited traits of both an
r- and a K-strategist, which has probably contributed to the success of this species in a wide
range of permanent and temporary systems.
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Although anecdotal evidence suggested that the introduced yabbie C. destructor had
recently spread into many natural aquatic systems in Western Australian, this had not been
verified. During our studies, they were found in many wild aquatic systems in the southern
Pilbara and Southwest Coast Drainage Divisions of Western Australia. This is of great
concern as all native freshwater crayfishes in Western Australia are restricted to the
southwest, while the aquatic systems of the Pilbara Division do not naturally house freshwater
crayfish.
Despite the reported impacts of invasive freshwater crayfish species on native crayfish
species and food webs, the biology and ecology of C. destructor in natural systems in
Western Australia was unknown and therefore an assessment of their potential impact has not
previously been possible. Cherax destructor was collected monthly from the Hutt River
(Pilbara Drainage Division) to elucidate their life-cycles and reproductive biology in a natural
aquatic system in Western Australia. Their proliferation in that system was attributed to
specific traits, including a small size at first maturity with 50% (L50) of females and males
maturing at 21.6 and 26.5 mm OCL, respectively, a size attained at the end of their first year
of life, a protracted spawning period (July to January), high mean ovarian fecundity of 210.2
(±9.24 s.e.), and a rapid growth rate that was comparable to the larger sympatric C. cainii in
this system. Life-history characteristics of C. destructor in the Hutt River were typical of
many other invasive crayfish species and were likely to have aided in its establishment.
Rob Doupé, Stephen Beatty, Alan Lymbery, David Morgan and Howard Gill received
funds from the Department of Fisheries W.A. to examine the implications surrounding
Redclaw Crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus) in Lake Kununurra (Ord River) in the
Kimberley. This work aims to identify the genetic origins and extent of this species
throughout the Ord River, and to examine the reproductive biology, parasitology and trophic
interactions of this with other decapod species. The funding is being used as seed money for
a more complete study under consideration by the Australian Research Council.
Seabirds and turtles
Recent studies by Christine Lamont on northern hemisphere gulls have indicated that
breeding females, in reduced body condition because of protracted laying of a number of
eggs, bias the sex ratio of their eggs to produce more female progeny. Female gulls are
smaller than males, and therefore female chicks require less resources to rear into adulthood.
In her PhD studies, supervised by Stuart Bradley and Ron Wooller, Christine studied the
silver gull (Larus novaehollandiae), which has a more protracted breeding season than its
northern counterparts, to test this effect. The breeding of the silver gull was studied on
Penguin Island from 2000 to 2002. Completed clutches were removed from breeding pairs to
induce repeat laying in order to determine the effect of increased reproductive effort on
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maternal body condition, egg production ability, offspring sex ratio and chick rearing
capacity.
Although female silver gulls did not lose condition with increasing clutch number,
there was a significant shift in the offspring sex ratio toward females, indicating that strategies
were in place to cope with the increased reproductive effort incurred as a consequence of
repeat laying. This suggests that the change in sex ratio toward the “cheaper” sex is a well
established strategy to maximise lifetime reproductive success, and hence individual fitness,
in gulls.
Shearwaters (Family Procellariidae) are among the most marine of all birds and have
been important in illuminating how animal life-histories can be shaped by the environment.
Particularly puzzling has been the apparent overfeeding by shearwater parents of their single
nestling, which often reaches up to 150% of adult weight before later becoming independent
at adult size. Chris Powell, in his PhD studies (supervised by Ron Wooller and Stuart
Bradley), showed that earlier explanations of nestling obesity as a buffer against irregular
feeding were unlikely for the flesh-footed shearwater (Puffinus carneipes). Rather, it serves
to ensure that the young have extra fat stores to see them through early independent life.
The key findings and significance of this research were:
• This was the first complete account of the breeding biology of the least known of all
the shearwaters that breed off the coast of Australia.
• Nestling obesity was similar to other shearwaters studied.
• The nestling was fed almost nightly, with meal sizes comparable to other shearwaters
studied, even in poor years.
• The nestling was fed until just before it departed at adult weight.
• Nestling obesity appears to stem from lipid accumulation for use early in free-living
life, rather than as a buffer against erratic feeding schedules and long intervals
between meals while a nestling.
Genetics, stock structures and systematics
Barramundi Lates calcarifer
Carina Marshall (supervised by Howard Gill and Alan Lymbery) completed a PhD on
the population structure of barramundi Lates calcarifer in northern Australia in mid-2004.
This work demonstrated that, contrary to previous studies, there is no genetic evidence for an
east/west division of barramundi populations, and that, in spite of its catadromous life history,
barramundi can be regarded as a freshwater rather than marine species. The most likely origin
of Australian barramundi is the Ord River in the Kimberley with Indonesia as the source of
migration. The populations in different biogeographical provinces have been substantially
isolated over a long period of time and are likely to represent independently evolving
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populations. The results of this research have very important implications regarding the
management of specific fisheries, e.g. Pilbara and Kimberley, and translocation issues for the
restocking of rivers and for aquaculture.
David Morgan, in conjunction with Michael Hammer (Adelaide University), has
commenced examining the genetics of the rare Trout Minnow (Galaxias truttaceus), a species
that, in Western Australia, is restricted to a few kilometers of the Goodga and Angove Rivers.
David submitted an application to have this species listed as threatened at both a State and
Federal level. The aim of project is to compare south-western and south-eastern Australian
populations.
Blue swimmer crab Portunus pelagicus
Ertug Sezmis completed his PhD study on the population genetic structure of the blue
swimmer crab, Portunus pelagicus, in Australian waters. This study, which was supervised by
Jennie Chaplin, was based on the patterns of variation at both microsatellite and mtDNA loci
in samples of this species collected throughout Australia. The data indicate that the level of
population genetic subdivision in P. pelagicus differs markedly among different geographical
regions. In particular, the extent of sub-division along a 1,500 km stretch of the east coast of
Australia, ranging from Mackay and Port Stephens, appears to be minimal and far less than
that along a 1,500 km stretch of the west coast, ranging from Exmouth Gulf to Geographe
Bay, and over the entire ~400 km range of this species in South Australian waters. This
variation in population genetic structure appears to mainly reflect variation in the levels of
ongoing gene flow in association with the distribution of sheltered coastal environments,
(which are the required habitat of the juveniles and adults of this species.
The genetic data were also used to infer the recent evolutionary history of P. pelagicus
in Australian waters. These data, together with other information on the recent history of
Australian coastal environments, indicate that P. pelagicus has expanded its range, from north
to south, along the west and east coasts of Australia and into South Australian waters
(probably via the east coast). The exact timing of this putative expansion is uncertain, but is
likely to have occurred before the present day but after ~7,000 years ago, when the most
direct marine route between the east and west coasts of Australia (i.e. Torres Strait) was most
recently opened.
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Lampreys
Howard Gill, Ian Potter and their colleagues in North America (Rick Mayden,
University of St Louis; Kevin Roe and Claude Renaud, Museum of Nature, Ottawa; Francois
Chapleau, University of Ottawa) have continued their molecular and morphological studies on
the relationships of lampreys. This work was funded by the National Science Foundation
(USA). Howard, Ian and Claude are currently writing the lamprey chapter for a book on North
American lampreys that is being edited by Rick Mayden.
Lamprey biology
Sampling in south-western Australia over the last three decades has provided strong
circumstantial evidence that the densities of the larvae (ammocoetes) of the pouched lamprey
Geotria australis in the rivers of this region have declined markedly in recent years. It is
hypothesised that this decline in the sole species of lamprey found in Western Australia is
related to the effects of construction of numerous dams on these rivers. Such constructions
have reduced the ability of the adult lampreys to migrate to their upstream spawning areas and
have altered patterns of river flow with the result that the areas of soft substrate in which the
ammocoetes live have declined. Howard Gill has commenced a study aimed at elucidating the
impact of the construction of dams on the abundance of the pouched lamprey.
Lampreys are of importance from an evolutionary point of view because they are one
of the two surviving groups of living agnathan (jawless) vertebrates. Ian Potter has continued
his studies on lamprey eyes with Shaun Collin and his colleagues at the University of
Queensland and in the UK. These studies have provided further evidence that the
morphological, ultrastructural and molecular characteristics of the eyes of the two southern
hemisphere families of lampreys (Geotriidae and Mordaciidae) differ markedly both from
each other and from those of northern hemisphere lampreys (Petromyzontidae). All five
pigment (opsin) genes in G. australis have been successfully cloned. Comparisons between
their full sequences and those of each of the other major vertebrate groups have increased our
understanding of the phylogeny of opsin genes in the agnathan and gnathostome (jawed)
vertebrate lineages.
Karen Paton is nearing the completion of her study on aspects of the bioenergetics of
the southern hemisphere lamprey Geotria australis, which is being supervised by Max Cake
and Ian Potter. Karen’s most recent work has explored the extent to which, after exercise, the
glycogen stores become replenished at various stages of the 16-month upstream spawning
migration, when the lamprey does not feed. Karen’s results show that, in the early stages of
the migration, the lamprey uses glycogen as an energy source during exercise but later, when
total energy reserves have become very depleted, it has developed a mechanism for
conserving glycogen.
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Ecology
Biological Oceanography
In December 2004, the Strategic Research Fund for the Marine Environment
(SRFME) biophysical oceanography programme completed three years of regular field
sampling for physical and chemical oceanography, phytoplankton, zooplankton and
ichthyoplankton on the transect across the WA shelf and slope. Barbara Muhling continued
with her PhD (supervised by Lynnath Beckley) using these samples to investigate the
characteristics of the larval fish assemblages occurring in shelf and Leeuwin Current waters.
Preliminary results indicate that distinct inshore, shelf and oceanic assemblages are present,
characterised by different fish families, and that there are some interesting dispersal
phenomena associated with oceanographic events.
Work also continued on processing the ichthyoplankton samples obtained using both
bongo nets and the EZ net during the RV Southern Surveyor Leeuwin Current eddies cruise in
2003. Preliminary results of this collaborative inter-institutional project were presented at a
special eddies symposium held at the Australian Marine Sciences Conference in Hobart in
July 2004. A further application for ship’s time on the RV Southern Surveyor (National
Research Facility) by a consortium from UWA, CSIRO and Murdoch University to study
eddies during their formation on the shelf edge was successful and a three week research
cruise will be undertaken in autumn 2006. Warren Chisholm completed his honours project
examining spatial and temporal distribution of tailor (Pomatomus saltatrix) larvae using large
sets of archived zooplankton samples collected by CSIRO and the Department of Fisheries
along the coast of WA from north west Cape to Cape Leeuwin. Results indicated that larvae
were present on the mid-west shelf in late summer and autumn. Use of the CSIRO
connectivity interface Ausconnie (which simulates ocean currents around Australia) allowed
estimation of the source of the larvae.
Community Ecology
The fish and freshwater crayfish populations of a number of rivers were monitored
during 2004. These included the Fitzroy and King Edward Rivers in the Kimberley, and sites
on Ellen Brook, Cowaramup Brook, Rosa Brook, Gunyulgup Brook, Gingin Brook, Goodga
River, Drakes Brook, Harvey River, Collie River and the Hotham River in the south-west.
The studies focussed on faunal associations, impact of river regulation and allocation of
environmental flows.
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Faunal/habitat relationships
As part of a FRDC grant to Fiona Valesini and Ian Potter, work has commenced on
classifying the different types of habitat that are found in four selected estuaries in southwestern Australia. These estuaries comprise the permanently open Swan and Peel Harvey
estuaries on the lower west coast and the seasonally-closed Wilson Inlet and normally-closed
Wellstead Estuary on the south coast. Work is initially focusing on the Swan Estuary and on
developing a suite of data using GIS techniques for distinguishing quantitatively between the
different types of habitat in that system. Michelle Wildsmith, Mathew Hourston and Natasha
Coen, who, as part of their PhDs, are undertaking studies on the invertebrate communities in
the above estuaries, have played a major role in exploiting the potential for GIS for
identifying habitat types.
The approaches being developed for identifying habitats and relating quantitatively the
compositions of the fish and invertebrate faunas in estuaries to habitat type represent a natural
extension of the work that Fiona and her colleagues conducted in nearshore waters along the
lower west coast of Australia. The results of that nearshore study have continued to be written
up, with papers being produced on the relationships between both the benthic
macroinvertebrate and nematode faunas and habitat type and on the ways in which different
fish species respond to variations in the relative amounts of different available in various
habitat types.
David Morgan received funding from Land and Water Australia to examine the fish
fauna of the King Edward River in the remote Kimberley region. This work, which is being
conducted in conjunction with the Kimberley Language Resource Centre, and is to be
completed in 2005, will provide an account of not only the fishes of the river but also of their
Aboriginal language names. Language names have been recorded for the Ngarinyin and
Belaa (Kwini) peoples with future work aimed at documenting the Wunambal/Gaambera
names. During October and November 2004, 30 sites on the King Edward and Carson Rivers,
in the northern Kimberley region of Western Australia, were sampled for fish. A total of 24
fish species were recorded in the catchment (this includes a species of rainbowfish captured in
the adjacent Dominic Creek but not recorded in the King Edward or Carson Rivers). Species
captured were photographed and the Ngarinyin and Belaa names were recorded for most of
the fish species captured. The fish fauna in the upper King Edward differed markedly from
that of the Carson and Morgan Rivers. For example, the sites sampled in the King Edward
were dominated by spangled perch, western rainbowfish, black bream (Jenkin’s grunter),
long-nose grunter, Hyrtl’s tandan, false-spotted gudgeon, an unidentified species of glassfish
and possibly also Rendahl’s catfish. In contrast, the Carson and Morgan rivers were far more
diverse, containing not only the above species, but also barramundi, silver cobbler, lessersalmon catfish, black catfish, Macleay’s glassfish, Prince Regent hardyhead, oxeye herring,
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seven-spot archer fish, flathead goby, bony bream, Butler’s grunter, barred grunter, mouth
almighty, longtom and an unidentified and potentially new species of gudgeon.
David Morgan and Howard Gill published in Zootaxa, a paper that identified and
described the distribution of fishes in the inland waters of the Pilbara (Indian Ocean) Drainage
Division of Western Australia. A total of 48,842 fish representing 29 species (including one
undescribed plotosid catfish) were recorded from 148 of the 171 sites sampled in 21 river
systems throughout the Pilbara Drainage Division, i.e. from the Irwin River in the south to the
DeGrey River in the north. Of these, 26,844 were from 13 native freshwater species (this
total includes the catadromous Indian short-finned eel Anguilla bicolor McClelland 1844 and
an undescribed plotosid catfish), 3,099 were from 12 marine/estuarine species and a further
18,899 were from four introduced species. In addition, the Pilbara Drainage Division
contains two endemic cave fishes in the North West Cape (Humphreys and Adams 1991;
Allen et al. 2002). Although historically considered a single ichthyological province, the
results of this study, based on faunal associations, demonstrated that the Pilbara Drainage
Division can be divided into three subprovinces: one for the westwards flowing rivers, i.e.
from the Greenough to Lyndon (Southern Pilbara Subprovince); another for the northwards
flowing rivers, i.e. from the Yannarie to the DeGrey (Northern Pilbara Subprovince); and a
third for the subterranean waters of North West Cape (North West Cape Subprovince).
Marine protected areas
The project on priority areas for conservation of the neritic fish species of Western
Australia, undertaken by Nicola Fox, was accepted for publication. Nicola has enrolled for a
PhD, supervised by Lynnath Beckley, examining the vexing issue of marine protected area
planning in data-poor environments using the Kimberley region of Western Australia as a
case study. This project will entail the use of remotely sensed data, Marxan reserve selection
software and ecological modelling.
Trophic interactions
Stephen Beatty, David Morgan and Howard Gill have recently completed a study on
trophic interactions of the introduced Yabbie (Cherax destructor) and the native Marron
(Cherax cainii). The hypothesis that C. cainii and C. destructor occupied similar trophic
positions and overlapped in terms of assimilated food resources in the Hutt River was tested.
A multiple stable isotope analysis study in the Hutt River showed that the trophic positions
and assimilated food items of C. cainii and C. destructor approximated each other during
summer; both primarily being predators. Cherax cainii retained this role in winter. The small
introduced teleost Gambusia holbrooki was of major importance to the diets of both species
during summer and also of C. cainii in winter, with a small native goby Pseudogobius
olorum, the gastropod Plotiopsis sp. and course particulate organic matter (course detritus)
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also being of variable importance depending on crayfish species and season. The high
densities of G. holbrooki in the Hutt River, particularly during summer, accounts for it being
the major food item ingested by both crayfish species and thus their occupation of similar
trophic positions and overlap in terms of food sources. Although C. cainii continued to be a
major predator during winter, the δ13C and δ15N isotopic signatures of C. destructor became
significantly depleted during winter and thus the diet of this species appeared to shift towards
herbivory. However, both species also appeared to assimilate detritus and/or terrestrial
vegetation to some degree in both seasons. It was therefore likely that volumetrically large
amounts of the latter food items were consumed as an unassimilated energy source, resulting
in their being functional omnivores.
This study is the first to examine the diet and trophic position of sympatric populations
of two species of freshwater crayfish in Australia. It appeared that C. destructor and C. cainii
were keystone species in the Hutt River and likely to be of great importance in the cycling of
nutrients and in structuring the aquatic food web, which may have been considerably altered
by their introduction into this system. Furthermore, the two crayfishes overlapped in terms of
assimilated food sources, which may have serious implications as C. destructor continues to
spread into wild aquatic systems that house the unique crayfishes of the region.
Environmental rehabilitation
Restocking
A study has continued on determining aspects of the efficacy of restocking the
Blackwood River estuary with the black bream Acanthopagrus butcheri, a species whose
numbers have apparently declined markedly in this estuary during recent years.
This project, which is being conducted in collaboration with the Aquaculture
Development Unit at Fremantle TAFE and is funded by the FRDC, has involved using an
alizarine complexone solution to tag the otoliths (ear bones) of black bream that had been
cultured at Fremantle and then releasing those young fish into the Blackwood River estuary
(Fig. 9). To our delight, the red stain is still remaining visible in the otoliths of even the first
group of fish, which were tagged three years ago. Our results strongly suggest that natural
recruitment of recent year classes into the Blackwood Estuary population has been poor and
that the growth of the tagged fish is similar to that of the natural population in the estuary.
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Figure 11. Monitoring of restocked black bream Acanthopagrus butcheri in the
Blackwood River Estuary by Greg Jenkins (left), Fremantle Challenger TAFE
and Dan French (right), Centre for Fish and Fisheries Research, Murdoch
University.
Freshwater
During 2004, the Freshwater Fish Group (David Morgan and Stephen Beatty) was
involved in monitoring fishways in the south-west (Goodga River, Margaret River and
Hotham River). These structures have provided native fishes with both upstream and
downstream passage around weirs that have long impeded their movement. We also assessed
the fish fauna above and below barriers in Gingin Brook (Moore River) and made
recommendations to the Gingin LCDC as to the requirement for fishways in this river.
David Morgan, Stephen Beatty and Howard Gill were also involved in the assessment
of the aquatic fauna of water storage facilities that were due to be drained for remedial works.
The dams included Phillips Creek Reservoir, Pinwernying Dam, Bottle Creek Reservoir,
Churchman Brook Dam and Waroona Dam (Lake Navarino). Part of this work lead to many
of these dams being “destocked” of native fish and freshwater crayfish prior to draining.
Phillips Creek Reservoir, Bottle Creek Reservoir and Waroona Dam were both restocked with
native fish and the latter also with freshwater crayfish once the dams refilled. Phillips Creek
Reservoir was also restocked with Marron. The group also stocked native fish and freshwater
crayfish into a number of artificial waterbodies in the metro area. During this work,
introduced species such as Yabbies (Cherax destructor), Eastern Mosquitofish (Gambusia
holbrooki), Redfin Perch (Perca fluviatilis), Brown Trout (Salmo trutta) and Rainbow Trout
(Oncorhynchus mykiss) were eradicated from systems.
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Non-native species were also eradicated in the Vasse River where a Goldfish
(Carassius auratus) population had become established. The introduction of goldfish into the
Vasse River probably occurred relatively recently and the dominance of juveniles born in
October 2003 will presumably result in a rapid increase in the population in the next few
years. The growth rates of goldfish in the Vasse River far exceed those reported elsewhere,
with individuals attaining total lengths of over 180 mm at the end of their first year, the age at
which they also mature. Goldfish are known to be vectors for diseases, may prey on native
fish (including their eggs and larvae), reduce aquatic plant biomass and resuspend nutrients
further fuelling algal blooms. Furthermore, recent studies have demonstrated that significant
growth of cyanobacteria is stimulated by the passage through goldfish intestines. Goldfish
which attained lengths of over 40 cm in the Vasse River therefore have the potential to
contribute to algal blooms. It was recommended that flushing of the river could occur by
removing the slot-boards at the Old Butter Factory and diverting flows from the Diversion
Drain back into the river, thus attempting to return environmental flows to a more natural
regime. A goldfish eradication programme would be of great value in the lower Vasse River.
This programme also provides an excellent opportunity to gain further information on their
biology and ecological impact in the system, particularly with regard to their role in algal
blooms. An education programme should also be implemented, outlining the problems
caused by releasing aquarium fish into wild aquatic systems.
Estuaries
Estuaries on the south coast of Western Australia
Fish communities
Steeg Hoeksema, Ben Chuwen and Ian Potter have continued their studies of the fish
communities of the Stokes, Culham and Hamersley inlets in the eastern region of the south
coast of Western Australia. The results continue to demonstrate that the severe degradation to
which the latter two of these estuaries have been subjected during recent years has been
accompanied by large fish mortalities and a reduction in both the diversity and density of their
fish faunas. The detrimental environmental changes that have occurred in these two estuaries
include marked reductions in water level, highly elevated salinities and greatly reduced
oxygen levels. Conditions in the Stokes Inlet have not deteriorated to the same extent as those
in the other two estuaries and, consequently, the diversity and densities of fish in Stokes Inlet
are appreciably greater.
Ben Chuwen was awarded a First Class Honours for his studies on black bream in the
above three estuaries. Ben’s work demonstrated that growth rates varied greatly among
estuaries and, in Culham Inlet, even between upstream and downstream regions of the
estuary. Furthermore, although the age at first maturity was similar in each estuary, the size at
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which maturity was reached differed markedly among the three estuaries. It is becoming clear
that black bream are unable to tolerate the very high salinities now being found in the basins
of Culham and Hamersley Inlets and that upstream pools in these estuaries act as important
refugia for this species.
Swan Estuary
Following the development in 2003 of more massive algal blooms in the Swan
Estuary and the accompanying deaths of large numbers of fish, Mr Peter Rogers, the
Executive Director of the W.A. Department of Fisheries (DFWA), funded a one year study
aimed at developing better information on the current status of the fish fauna and fishery of
this estuary. This study team was led by Fiona Valesini and included Norm Hall, Steeg
Hoeksema and Ian Potter from Murdoch and Kim Smith and Rod Lenanton from the DFWA.
The use of data collected on the fish fauna over nearly 30 years and of fish catch statistics
provided very strong evidence that the species composition had changed markedly during the
last three decades and that the abundances of several important recreational and commercial
species had declined. The results also indicated that some individuals of species, such as the
black bream Acanthopagrus butcheri, emigrate from areas of dense blooms and later return to
other areas when the blooms have resided. The study highlighted the need to investigate, in
greater depth, the impact of algal blooms on the fish faunas of estuaries such as the Swan and
to develop a monitoring regime that would be able readily to detect any changes that occur in
the diversity, density and species composition in the future.
Modelling and Resource Use
Ecosystem modelling
Further development of an ecosystem model that could be applied to the types of data
that are typically collected by fisheries agencies throughout Australia was undertaken by
Norm Hall for FRDC project 2000/311. Although this model was successfully fitted to the
available data for many less valuable species, the recorded effort data often does not
incorporate adjustment for increases in efficiency, and the resulting estimates of biomass are
therefore biased. Work was initiated to produce a set of synthetic data from a simulated
ecosystem, such that the model could be fitted to the synthetic data and the validity of the
resulting estimates tested by comparing the biomass predicted by the model against that
recorded for the simulation model, which had generated the artificial data. Sara Belmont, a
PhD student at Murdoch University, also made considerable progress in the development of an
ecosystem model for Cockburn Sound, using a more traditional modelling approach.
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Fishery assessments
The difficulty of obtaining the recreational fishery data necessary for traditional forms
of fishery modelling has hindered the stock assessment of many of Australia’s recreational
fish species for many years. It is thus pleasing to record that the stock assessment model
developed for FRDC project 2002/075 by Norm Hall has now been completed. This model
analyses the types of data collected for fisheries in which there is a substantial level of
recreational fishing and for which details of recreational catch and effort are infrequently
obtained. For a simulated fishery of this nature, the model succeeded in producing good
estimates of the time series of fishing mortality and allowed the state of the stock to be
reassessed. This result suggests that models, such as those developed in our study, are likely
to be of considerable value to fisheries scientists in Australia and overseas.
FRDC have recently granted funding to the W.A. Department of Fisheries for a project
entitled “Management and monitoring of fish spawning aggregations within the West Coast
Bio-region of Western Australia”. This is a three year project led by Mike Mackie at the
Research Division of Fisheries, in collaboration with three universities (Murdoch, Curtin and
UWA) and the recreational and charter fishing community. A major component of this
FRDC funded research will concentrate on the samson fish (Seriola hippos) spawning
aggregations west of Rottnest Island. Consequently, Andrew Rowland has recently
commenced his PhD, supervised by Howard Gill and Mike Mackie (DFWA), focusing on
determining the biological characteristics of the samson fish on the west and south coasts
(age, growth and reproduction). A further part of this project is focused on the lucrative catch
and release sportfishery that targets large, deep-water spawning aggregations of samson fish
that form near Perth during summer. The emphasis of this part of the project is to determine
fishing mortality, and develop catch care and fish-handling protocols to maximise the survival
of released fish. A large-scale tag-recapture study was undertaken to investigate the
survivorship and movement patterns of samson fish captured and released from spawning
aggregations west of Rottnest Island. During this time, almost 2,600 fish were tagged by
recreational anglers and researchers in a study designed to enable the influence of release,
handling and retrieval methods to be quantified (to enable weighting to be used in the tagrecapture method for estimating fish numbers, and to establish protocols for future fishing
practices). In addition, damage to the internal organs (barotrauma) of fish captured from the
deep water aggregations will be assessed using histological techniques. This project has been
developed in liaison with Recfishwest, the Australian National Sportsfishing Association,
Australian Anglers Association, Charter Boat Owners and Operators Association,
Recreational Fishing Advisory Committee and non-affiliated fishers, who have given support
for the project. The outcomes of this study will lead to the establishment of protocols for
capture, handling and release of samson fish within the sport fishery, based on social and
biological considerations, mortality levels of released fish and other relevant parameters, that
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will enable objective management decisions to be made in the light of current and future
fishing pressure. This large community based research project will also instigate a positive
attitude by stakeholders (recreational fishers) towards management and care of the resource.
Marine resource usage
The analysis of the data from the creel survey of shore-based recreational fishing (a
creel survey) and the survey of recreational boating activity at Rottnest Island, led by Lynnath
Beckley, was completed in 2004 and two manuscripts submitted for publication. Matthew
Harvey completed his Honours project evaluating WA recreational fishing regulations
particularly minimum size limits and daily bag limits and was awarded a First Class Honours
for his excellent work. Catches at a Perth metropolitan boat ramp were used to examine size
frequency of the retained catch and attainment of daily bag limits. These results for 2004
were compared with a WA Department of Fisheries survey conducted at the same ramp in
1998.
Lynnath Beckley and Suzie Avayzian (WA Department of Fisheries) undertook a
study comparing estuarine fisheries and conservation in south-western Australia and South
Africa for presentation as the keynote paper in the Estuaries session at the World Fisheries
Conference in Vancouver. The study indicated the reduction in commercial fishing in WA
estuaries, highlighted the proliferating subsistence fisheries in South African east coast
estuaries, contrasted the monitoring of recreational fishing in the two countries and pointed to
the stock declines of estuarine-dependent fish species in both countries.
Early in 2004, Lynnath Beckley worked with Bernadine Everett and Sean Fennessy at
the Oceanographic Research Institute in South Africa to complete the analysis of the large
data set collected on shore-angling in Richards Bay, South Africa and a manuscript has been
prepared for publication.
Coastal management
Honours student Dermot Blackweir, who was supervised by Lynnath Beckley,
completed an assessment of the aerial surveillance for sharks conducted over Perth
Metropolitan waters during the summer months. Regular daily flights enabled human usage
patterns at Perth metropolitan beaches to be ascertained and analysis of these data showed
clear spatial and temporal distribution in beach activities such as swimming, surfing etc.
Raquel Carter, supervised by Lynnath Beckley and Stephen Davies, commenced a
Masters project on environmental factors affecting nesting of green turtles at Ningaloo near
North West Cape using data collected by the community monitoring programme run by the
Department of Conservation and Land Management, World Wildlife Fund and Murdoch
University.
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Fish Health and Aquaculture
Research
The research focus of the Fish Health Unit includes the health of cultured and wild
aquatic species, and the environment in which they are found. The major areas of research in
2004 were fish genetics, environmental management of aquaculture and aetiology of fish
diseases.
Fish genetics
Research focussed on understanding the genetic variation in growth of black bream
and population genetic studies of barramundi in northern Australia and resulted in the
successful completion of two PhD theses in 2004 (Rob Doupé and Carina Marshall). Rob
Doupé’s study of quantitative genetic parameters in cultured black bream Acanthopagrus
butcheri showed that there was considerable additive genetic variance for growth rate and
favourable genetic correlations between growth rate and other production traits. His studies
have paved the way for the implementation of a genetic improvement programme for the
species. Rob’s findings were further developed in 2004 in an Honours project by Chan Siew
Kee, who found that selecting for faster growing black bream was unlikely to have any
correlated genetic effects on sexual maturation rate. Carina Marshall’s study of the
population genetics of barramundi contradicted the current theory of a historical east/west
division of barramundi, and instead found strong evidence for the structuring of populations
between historical drainage divisions across Australia. Carina’s work has important
implications for the management of barramundi fisheries and restocking programmes e.g.
restocking programmes should only be using juveniles grown from spawners taken in the
same drainage division.
Environmental management
The Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) funded project
to develop an environmental management system for the culture of rainbow trout in saline
groundwater, was completed in 2004. This study conducted a risk assessment of potential
environmental impacts from inland saline aquaculture, tested the efficacy of various treatment
systems to minimise the impacts, and conducted a survey of consumer perceptions of
environmentally friendly fish production. These studies have been used to develop an
environmental management system to be implemented by the Saltwater Trout Alliance, an
industry association of inland trout farmers in Western Australia. Our studies on inland saline
aquaculture are continuing with a PhD project by Gavin Partridge on the effects of the
different ionic composition of saline groundwater on fish growth and health, an Honours
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project by Michelle Tay on natural food sources for cultured trout and an Honours project by
Gavin Kay to investigate salt-tolerant livestock forage crops as a nutrient and salt filter for
aquaculture effluent. Gavin Kay’s project has arisen directly from two completed Honours
studies; Farhan Bokhari’s study that demonstrated the potential for saline effluent to seriously
disrupt ecosystem function in natural riparian communities, and Tom Bennett’s work, which
found that native estuarine reeds had only limited success in removing the salt load from
saline effluent.
During 2004, we began work on an environmental management project to develop an
environmental management system for mine lake aquaculture. This study, funded by the
Centre for Sustainable Mine Lakes, is centred on disused opencut coal mining voids in the
Collie basin. These voids cannot be economically backfilled and rehabilitated, and have been
left to fill with groundwater. Aquaculture has been proposed as a beneficial end use for the
water in these mine lakes, and our study will investigate the potential environmental impacts
and treatment procedures. Michelle Ingram, co-supervised through the Fish Health Unit,
completed her Honours at Curtin University on in-pond treatments for nutrient and aluminium
in mine lake water.
Rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum) has become an established species
of introduced freshwater fish in the inland waters of Western Australia and an Honours
project (2004-2005) by Michelle Tay (supervised by Alan Lymbery and David Morgan) aims
to determine the diets of both wild (Churchman Brook Reservoir) and cultured rainbow trout
in inland saline systems(Mount Barker). Diets were determined via stomach content analyses
from subsamples of rainbow trout collected. In Churchman Brook Reservoir, rainbow trout
are preying heavily on marron. Additionally, naturally occurring invertebrate communities
present within ponds are being examined and compared with the invertebrate composition in
rainbow trout stomachs to determine the possible prey preferences of trout. The results
obtained will help gain a better knowledge of the diets of wild populations of rainbow trout at
various stages of growth in Churchman Brook, as compared with those of farmed rainbow
trout in semi-intensive production at Mount Barker. In addition, a better understanding of
optimising primary productivity within ponds will be made. The results of this project should
result in a decrease in both production costs and adverse environmental impacts through
reduced consumption of fishmeal-based trout pellets.
Disease aetiology
Aphanomyces astaci is a major infective disease of freshwater crayfish. Heather
McLetchie, a PhD student supervised by Stan Fenwick and Phil Nichols, has been working on
an FRDC funded project to develop rapid, molecular diagnostic techniques for the pathogen,
and these studies will continue through 2005. To date, a diagnostic PCR test for the related
pathogen Aphanomyces invadans (epizootic ulcerative syndrome - EUS) has been shown to
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be specific and sensitive. The test has been optimised and is being validated by independent
laboratories around Australia and in the UK, USA and Thailand. The test can be used both on
fish tissue and on fungal cultures and allows a diagnosis in 2-3 days rather than the 15 days
needed for traditional culture and identification, and is also more objective. Rapid and
accurate diagnosis of EUS will be of benefit to fish farmers, recreational fishers, the
ornamental fish trade, researchers, diagnostic laboratories and regulators. Several PCR primer
pairs have shown great promise in being specific for Aphanomyces astaci, with optimisation
and development of real-time PCR now in progress.
A new project commenced in 2004, with funding from the Australia and Pacific
Science Foundation and Fishcare WA, to study the parasitic diseases in native and introduced
freshwater fish in Western Australia. This is a badly neglected area of research, which may
yield important data for the conservation of Western Australia’s unique freshwater fish fauna.
Two PhD students will be involved in the project; Marina Hassan, who enrolled in November
2004, and Mahmoud Rashnavadi, who will commence in 2005.
Stephen Beatty discovered a serious microsporidian disease of freshwater crayfishes in
a wild population of the introduced crayfish species. Microsporidians were found to be
infecting marron (C. cainii) and yabbies (C. destructor) in the Hutt River. The recently
described Thelohania parastaci was identified in C. destructor in the Hutt River and Vavraia
parastacida, previously recorded from C. cainii and C. quinquecarinatus populations
elsewhere in the region, appeared to be infecting C. cainii. Although not confirmed to have
infected C. cainii, the presence of T. parastaci in the sympatric C. destructor is of serious
concern as the disease has the potential to be transmitted to the native congeners of the region,
particularly as C. destructor establishes itself in other natural water-bodies.
Teaching
The Fish Health Unit has established attractive facilities, including four large
recirculating tanks, a bank of 24 aquaria, laboratory, seminar room, kitchen and a fish health
library, to assist with undergraduate teaching. These facilities are now used on a weekly basis
by final year veterinary students as part of their fish health rotation, and by third year
biomedical students for fish parasitology projects. In addition, the Fish Health Unit
coordinated and taught, on a contract basis, a unit in Genetics and Stock Management to third
year Aquatic Science students at Curtin University.
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Refereed publications - 2004 and onwards
Allen, M., Morgan, D.L. and Gill, H.S. in press. Distribution, zoogeography and biology of
Craterocephalus cuneiceps Whitley, an atherinid endemic to the Indian Ocean (Pilbara)
Drainage Division of Western Australia. Ecology of Freshwater Fish
Bartels, H. and Potter, I.C. 2004. Cellular composition and ultrastructure of the gill
epithelium of larval and adult lampreys: Implications for osmoregulation in fresh and
seawater. Journal of Experimental Biology 207: 3447-3462.
Beatty, S.J., Morgan, D.L. and Gill, H.S. in press. Role of life history strategy in the
colonisation of Western Australian aquatic system by the introduced crayfish Cherax
destructor. Hydrobiologia
Beatty, S.J., Morgan, D.L. and Gill, H.S. 2005. Life history and reproductive biology of the
gilgie Cherax quinquecarinatus, a freshwater crayfish endemic to south-western
Australia Journal of Crustacean Biology 25.
Beatty, S.J., Morgan, D.L. and Gill, H.S. 2004. Biology of a translocated population of the
large freshwater crayfish, Cherax cainii (Austin and Ryan, 2002) in a Western
Australian river. Crustaceana 77: 1329-1351.
Collin, S.P., Hart, N.S., Wallace, K.M., Shand, J. and Potter, I.C. 2004. Vision in the
southern hemisphere lamprey Mordacia mordax: spatial distribution, spectral
absorption characteristics and optical sensitivity of a single class of retinal
photoreceptor. Visual Neuroscience 21 : 765-773.
Coulson, P.G., Hesp, S.A., Potter, I.C. and Hall, N.G. in press. Comparisons between the
biology of two co-occurring species of whiting (Sillaginidae) in a large marine
embayment. Environmental Biology of Fishes
Doupé, R.G., and Lymbery, A.J. 2004. Indicators of genetic variation for feed conversion
efficiency in black bream. Aquaculture Research 35: 1305-1309.
Doupé, R.G., Morgan, D.L. and Gill, H.S. in press. Prospects for a restorative fishery
enhancement of Lake Kununurra: a high-level tropical impoundment on the Ord River,
Western Australia. Ecological Management and Restoration
Fox, N.J. and Beckley, L.E. in press. Priority areas for conservation of Western Australian
coastal fishes: a comparison of hotspot, biogeographical and complementarity
approaches. Biological Conservation
Gill, H.S., Morgan, D.L., Doupé, R.G. and Rowland, A.J. in press. The fishes of Lake
Kununurra, a highly regulated section of the Ord River in northern Western Australia.
Records of the Western Australian Museum
Hall, N. G., Hesp, S. A. and Potter, I. C. 2004. A Bayesian approach for overcoming
inconsistencies in mortality estimates using, as an example, data for Acanthopagrus
latus. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 61: 1202-1211.
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Hall, N.G., Smith, K.D., de Lestang, S. and Potter, I.C. in press. Do the chelae of the males of
three crab species undergo allometric changes that can be used to determine
morphometric maturity? ICES Journal of Marine Science
Hesp, S. A., Hall, N. G. and Potter, I. C. 2004. Size-related movements of Rhabdosargus
sarba in three different environments and their influence on estimates of von
Bertalanffy growth parameters. Marine Biology 144: 449-462.
Hesp, S. A., Potter, I. C. and Hall. N. G. 2004. Reproductive biology and protandrous
hermaphroditism in Acanthopagrus latus. Environmental Biology of Fishes 70: 257272.
Hesp, S. A., Potter, I. C. and Schubert, S. R. M. 2004. Factors influencing the timing of
spawning and fecundity of the goldlined seabream (Rhabdosargus sarba) (Sparidae) in
the lower reaches of an estuary. Fishery Bulletin 102: 648-660.
Hourston, M., Platell, M. E., Potter, I. C. and Valesini, F. J. 2004. Factors influencing the
diets of four morphologically divergent fish species in nearshore marine waters.
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the U.K. 84 : 805-817.
Hourston, M., Warwick, R.M., Valesini, F.J. and Potter, I.C. in press.To what extent are the
characteristics of nematode assemblages in nearshore sediments on the west Australian
coast related to habitat type, season and zone? Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science
Lever, C., Lymbery, A.J. and Doupé, R.G. 2004. Preliminary comparisons of yield and profit
achieved from different rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) production systems in
inland Western Australia. Journal of Applied Aquaculture 16: 63-74.
Morgan, D.L., Chapman, A. and Beatty, S.J. in press. Distribution of Galaxias maculatus
(Teleostei: Galaxiidae) in Western Australia. Records of the Western Australian
Museum
Morgan, D., Allen, M., Bedford, P. and Horstman, M. 2004. Fish fauna of the Fitzroy River in
the Kimberley region of Western Australia – including the Bunuba, Gooniyandi,
Ngarinyin, Nyikina and Walmajarri Aboriginal names. Records of the Western
Australian Museum 22: 147-161.
Morgan, D.L., Rowland, D., Gill, H.S and Doupé, R.G. 2004. Implications of introducing a
large piscivore (Lates calcarifer) into a regulated northern Australian river (Lake
Kununurra, Western Australia). Lakes and Reservoirs: Research and Management 9:
181-193.
Morgan, D.L. and Gill, H.S. in press. Osteology of the first dorsal fin in two terapontids,
Leiopotherapon unicolor (Günther, 1859) and Amniataba caudavittata (Richardson,
1845), from Western Australia: evidence for hybridisation? Records of the Western
Australian Museu.
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Morgan, D.L. and Gill, H.S. 2004. Fish fauna in inland waters of the Pilbara (Indian Ocean
Drainage Division) of Western Australia – evidence for two bioregions. Zootaxa 636:143.
Morgan, D.L., Gill, H.S., Maddern, M.G. and Beatty, S.J. 2004. Distribution and impacts of
introduced freshwater fishes in Western Australia. New Zealand Journal of Marine and
Freshwater Research 38: 511-523.
Partridge, G. J., Sarre, G. A., Hall, N. G., Jenkins, G. I., Chaplin, J. and Potter, I. C. 2004.
Comparisons between the growth of Acanthopagrus butcheri cultured from broodstock
from two estuarine populations that are reproductively isolated and differ markedly in
growth rate. Aquaculture 231 : 51-58.
Smith, K.D., Hall, N.G. and Potter, I.C. 2004. Relative abundances and size compositions of
champagne crabs, Hypothalassia acerba (Brachyura : Eriphiidae), on two coasts and in
different water depths and seasons. Marine and Freshwater Research 55 : 653-661.
Smith, K.D., Potter, I.C. and Hesp, S.A. 2005. Comparisons between the reproductive biology
of two species of deep sea crabs that live in different water depths. Journal of Shellfish
Research 23: 887-896.
Smith, K.D., Hall, N.G., de Lestang, S. and Potter I.C. 2004. Potential bias in estimates of the
size of maturity of crabs derived from trap samples. ICES Journal of Marine Science
61: 906-912.
Stephens F.J., Raidal S.R. and Jones, B. 2004. Haematopoietic necrosis in a goldfish
(Carassius auratus) associated with an agent morphologically similar to herpesvirus.
Australian Veterinary Journal 82:167-169.
Thorburn, D.C. and Morgan, D.L. In press. Threatened fishes of the world: Glyphis sp. C
(Carcharhinidae). Environmental Biology of Fishes
Thorburn, D.C. and Morgan, D.L. In press. Threatened fishes of the world: Pristis microdon
(Pristidae). Environmental Biology of Fishes
Thorburn, D.C. and Morgan, D.L. 2004. The northern river shark Glyphis sp. C
(Carcharhinidae) discovered in Western Australia. Zootaxa 685: 1-8.
Valesini, F., Potter, I.C. and Clarke, K.R. 2004. To what extent are the fish compositions at
nearshore sites along a heterogeneous coast related to habitat type? Estuarine Coastal
and Shelf Science 60 : 737-754.
White, W.T. and Potter, I.C. 2005. Reproductive biology, size and age compositions and
growth of the batoid Urolophus paucimaculatus, including comparisons with other
species of the Urolophidae. Marine and Freshwater Research 56 : 101-110.
White, W.T., Fahmi, Adrim, M. and Sumadhiharga, K. 2004. A juvenile megamouth shark
Megachasma pelagios (Lamniformes: Megachasmidae) from northern Sumatra,
Indonesia. The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 52: 603-607.
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White, W.T. and Potter, I.C. 2004. Habitat partitioning among four species of elasmobranch
in nearshore, shallow waters of a sub-tropical embayment. Marine Biology 145: 10231032.
White, W.T., Platell, M.E. and Potter, I.C. 2004. Comparisons between the diets of four
abundant species of elasmobranchs in a subtropical embayment: implications for
resource partitioning. Marine Biology 144: 439-448.
Wildsmith, M.D., Potter, I.C., Valesini, F.J. and Platell, M.E. 2005. Do the assemblages of
macroinvertebrates in nearshore waters of Western Australia vary among habitat types,
zones and seasons? Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the U.K. 85: 217232.
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Other publications in 2004 and onwards
Beatty, S. and Morgan, D. 2004. Assessing the requirement for fishways on Gingin Brook.
Report to the Gingin Land Conservation District Committee.
Blackweir, D.G. and Beckley, L.E. 2004. Evaluation of aerial surveillance for sharks over
Perth metropolitan waters. Summary report for Western Australian Department of
Fisheries. 6pp.
Blackweir, D.G. and Beckley, L.E. 2004. Beach usage patterns along the Perth metropolitan
coastline during shark surveillance in summer 2003/04. Report for Western Australian
Department for Planning and Infrastructure. 122pp.
Doupé, R.G. and Lymbery, A.J. 2004. Selection for faster growing black bream
(Acanthopagrus butcheri). Final report to the Aquaculture Development Council of
Western Australia.
Fairclough, D.V., Hesp, S.A., Potter, I.C. and Hall, N.G. 2004. Determination of the
biological parameters required for managing the fisheries of four tuskfish species and
western yellowfin bream. Project No. 2000/137.
Lymbery, A., Starcevich, M. and Doupé, R. 2004. Managing environmental impacts in inland
saline aquaculture: a case study for trout production from saline groundwater in
Western Australia. Final report to the Rural Industries Research and Development
Corporation.
Morgan, D. and Beatty, S. 2004. Fish fauna of the Vasse River and the colonisation by feral
goldfish (Carassius auratus). Report to Fishcare WA and Geocatch.
Morgan, D. and Beatty, S. 2005. Fish and crayfish fauna of Ellen Brook, Cowaramup Brook
and Gunyulgup Brook in the Cape to Cape Region of Western Australia. Report to
Ribbons of Blue / Waterwatch WA.
Morgan, D. and Beatty, S. 2004. Fish utilisation of the Goodga River Fishway conserving the
Western Australian trout minnow (Galaxias truttaceus). Report to Fisheries Western
Australia.
Morgan, D. and Beatty, S. 2004. The aquatic macrofauna of Pinwernying Dam (Katanning).
Report to the Water Corporation of Western Australia.
Morgan, D. and Beatty, S. 2004. Margaret River Fishway. Report to the Margaret River
Regional Environment Centre.
Morgan, D. and Beatty, S. 2004. Monitoring the Lion’s Weir Fishway Hotham River, Western
Australia. Report to the Department of Environment, Government of Western
Australia.
Morgan, D., Beatty, S., Gill, H., Thorburn, D. and Rowland, A. 2004. Assessment of
groundwater discharge from the Yarragadee Aquifer on the fish and decapod fauna of
Rosa Brook. Report to the Water Corporation of Western Australia.
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Raidal S.R., Cross G.M, Fenwick S., Nicholls P.K, Nowak N., Ellard K. and Stephens F.
2004. Aquatic Animal Health Exotic Disease Training Manual. FRDC Project
2002/645. Murdoch Print. ISBN0869058479. http://numbat.murdoch.edu.au/fish/exotic/
Smith, K.D., Potter, I.C. and Hall, N.G. 2004. Biological and fisheries data for managing the
deep-sea crabs Hypothalassia acerba and Chaceon bicolor in Western Australia.
Project Nos 1999/154 and 2001/055.
Thorburn, D., Morgan, D., Gill, H., Johnson, M., Wallace-Smith, H., Vigilante, T., Croft, I.
and Fenton, J. 2004. Biology and cultural significance of the freshwater sawfish (Pristis
microdon) in the Fitzroy River Kimberley, Western Australia. Report to the Threatened
Species Network.
Thorburn, D.C., Morgan, D.L., Rowland, A.J. and Gill, H.S. 2004. Elasmobranchs in the
Fitzroy River, Western Australia. Report to the Natural Heritage Trust.
Thorburn, D.C., Morgan, D.L., Rowland, A.J. and Gill, H.S. 2004. The northern river shark
(Glyphis sp. C) in Western Australia. Report to the Natural Heritage Trust.
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Conference and workshop presentations
Beckley, L.E. and Avayzian, S.G. Submitted. Oceans apart? Estuarine fisheries and
conservation in south-eastern Africa and south-western Australia. Proceedings 4th
World Fisheries Conference, American Fisheries Society.
Beckley, L.E. Submitted. Reconciling fisheries and conservation in estuaries. Proceedings 4th
World Fisheries Conference, American Fisheries Society.
Kobryn, H.T., Wise, P., Beckley, L.E. and Dibden, C. 2004. Integration of remotely sensed
data and bathymetric information for marine habitat classification in the Abrolhos
Islands, Western Australia. 12th Australasian Remote Sensing and Photogrammetry
Conference. Fremantle, Australia.
Harvey, M. and Beckley, L.E. 2004. Do size and bag limits really work? A case study from
the Western Australian recreational boat fishery. Australian Society for Fish Biology
Conference. Adelaide, Australia.
Chisholm, W. and Beckley, L.E. 2004 Tailor made? Larval distribution of tailor (Pomatomus
saltatrix) off Western Australia. Australian Society for Fish Biology Conference.
Adelaide, Australia.
Beckley, L.E. and Avayzian, S.G. 2004. Oceans apart? Estuarine fisheries and conservation in
south-eastern Africa and south-western Australia. World Fisheries Conference,
Vancouver, Canada.
Beckley, L.E. and Smallwood, C.B. 2004. Marine reserve or marine caravan park?
Assessment of recreational boating at Rottnest Island. Australian Marine Science
Association Conference, Hobart, Australia.
Beckley, L.E. and Smallwood, C.B. 2004. Questionnaire and creel surveys of shore-based
recreational anglers at Rottnest Island. Australian Society for Fish Biology Conference.
Adelaide, Australia.
Blackweir, D.G. and Beckley, L.E. 2004. Beach usage and aerial surveillance for sharks in
Perth metropolitan waters. Australian Marine Science Association Conference, Hobart,
Australia.
Fenton, J., Morgan, D. and Thorburn, D. 2004. Fish passage along the Fitzroy River. Land
and Water Australia Funded R&D with an Indigenous Focus. Coordination Meeting.
School of Australian Indigenous Knowledge Systems, Charles Darwin University,
December 2004, Darwin.
Fox, N.J. and Beckley, L.E. 2004. Hotspots, biogeography, complementarity and pragmatism:
Priority areas for conservation of western Australian coastal fishes. Australian Marine
Science Association Conference, Hobart, Australia.
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Hesp, S.A. 2004. Biology of the Western Australian Dhufish Glaucosoma hebraicum.
Workshop on Dhufish held by Recfishwest and W.A. Department of Fisheries at
Murdoch University, June 2004.
Hesp, S.A. 2004. Biology of the Western Australian Dhufish Glaucosoma hebraicum. CALM
Marine Conservation Branch, Fremantle, July 2004.
Hesp, S.A. 2004. Biology of the tarwhine (silver bream) Rhabdosargus sarba in Western
Australia. CALM Marine Conservation Branch, Fremantle, August 2004.
Hesp, S.A. 2004. Biology of western yellowfin bream (Acanthopagrus latus) in Shark Bay.
CALM Marine Conservation Branch, Fremantle, November 2004.
Morgan, D. Allen, M., Bedford, P. and Horstman, M. 2004. Freshwater fishes of the Fitzroy
River (Kimberley) – including the Bunuba, Gooniyandi, Ngarinyin, Nyikina and
Walmajarri names. Australian Society for Fish Biology, Annual Meeting, Adelaide,
South Australia.
Morgan, D. 2004. Biodiversity and cultural significance of fishes in the King Edward River.
Land and Water Australia Funded R&D with an Indigenous Focus. Coordination
Meeting. School of Australian Indigenous Knowledge Systems, Charles Darwin
University, December 2004, Darwin.
Muhling, B. and Beckley, L.E. 2004. Ichthyoplankton in two meso-scale Leeuwin Current
eddies: preliminary results. Australian Marine Science Association Conference,
Hobart, Australia
Muhling, B., Beckley, L.E. and Koslow, A. 2004. Preliminary analysis of ichthyoplankton in
coastal, shelf and offshore waters of south-western Australia. Australian Marine
Science Association Conference, Hobart, Australia
Smallwood, C.B., Beckley, L.E. and Sumner, N. R. 2004. Recreational angling in the Rottnest
island reserve: Catch, effort and participation estimates. Australian Marine Science
Association Conference, Hobart, Australia.
White, W.T. 2004. Artisanal Elasmobranch Fisheries in South-Eastern Indonesia: the target
longline fishery for sharks in Lombok. Oral Presentation at the 7th Asian Fisheries
Forum, Penang, Malaysia, 30th Nov.- 4th Dec. 2004.