Aquaculture and Fisheries Commons^™

Report No 49 - Geographically Restricted Plants Of Southern Western Australia, Barbara L. Rye

Fisheries Research Reports

This publication lists 527 angiosperm species native to southern western Australia whose known geographical ranges are less than 100 kilometres long. A further 128 angiosperms are listed with geographical ranges between 100 and 160 kilometres. No fern or gymnosperm species in the region are known to be geographically restricted.

Apart from the presently unnamed species, a large majority of the rare plants of southern Western Australia are believed to be listed, including 86 of the species that have been gazetted as rare flora.

Less than 40% of the listed species are known to occur on conservation reserves and less than …

Fishery Report No 55 - The Western Rock Lobster Fishery 1961 - 1971, G. R. Morgan, E H. Barker

Fisheries Research Reports

The fishery for the western rock lobster, Panulinus cygnus is one of the most important single fisheries in Australia and one of the major rock lobster fisheries of the world with catches in recent years averaging some 8000 tonnes annually. The history of the commercial fishery extends back to 1944/45 factory when a canning was opened at the Abrolhos Islands (Figure 1) with a view to supplying the Australian armed forces. After the World war, an export market for fresh frozen rock lobster tails was quickly established in the U.S.A. and the industry, sharing in the advantages of postwar reconstruction, …

Fisheries Report No 50 - Feasibility Trawling Activities In The Great Australian Bight By The Korean Trawlers Dong Ban 91 And Dong Won 509 During The Period 15.11.79 To 12.1.80, Michael H. Walker, Stuart J. Blight, Gerald M. Cliff

Fisheries Research Reports

Four Korean fishing trawlers operated in Western Australian waters, largely on the Northwest shelf, during 1979 under State/Commonwealth feasibility fishing arrangements. Two of these vessels, Dong Bang 91 and Dong Won 509, were given permission by Government, late in 1979, to conduct demersal trawling operations in the Great Australian Bight between longitudes 116°£ to 138°E and outside of 12 miles from shore.

Two observers from the Western Australian Department of Fisheries and Wildlife were involved with monitoring the activities of these vessels at sea in the Bight.

This report describes the operations of these Korean vessels in detail and represents …

Fisheries Report No 51 - 'Taiyo Maru 71" Demersal Trawling Cruise In Western Australian Coastal Waters South Of 21 S, July-September, 1979, D. I. Heald, M. H. Walker

Fisheries Research Reports

A Japanese demersal trawler, 'Taiyo Maru 771' was given special permission to conduct exploratory trawling in the period 73.7.79-16.9.79 off the Western Australian coast between 21°S Latitude and 35°30'S Latitude, an area which partly overlapped the fishing grounds for the western rock Lobster. The vessel was required to complete a catch, fishing effort and species composition log book issued by the Commonweath Department of Primary Industry. Two Western Australian Department of Fisheries and Wildlife observers on board monitored fishing operations for the entire duration of the cause and undertook research.

Details of each trawl conducted are given and discussed. Catch …

Fisheries Report No 57 - Exploratory Fishing For Spanish Mackerel In Waters Off Western Australia During The Period June 16 To October 16, 1981, K. Donohue, P. Edsall, J. Robins, R. Tregonning

Fisheries Research Reports

The results of catching Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus commerson) by gillnet and troll lines during a survey extending from June 16 to October 16 1981 are presented.

The catch rate of mackerel obtained by trolling with six lines was found to be 14.35 times greater than that by gillnet, measuring 0.75 miles in length.

From the results presented, a professional fisherman should be able to assess the economic viability of fishing commercially for Spanish mackerel.

Analysis of biometrial and biological data on fish caught allowed determination of (a) length/weight relationship of (i) Spanish mackerel (ii) wahoo (Acanthocybium solandri); (b) sex ratios …

Fisheries Report No 52 - The Present State Of The Western Australian Fishery For Australian Salmon, Michael H. Walker

Fisheries Research Reports

In 1975, following a number of years of research by the CSIRO Division of Fisheries and Oceanography, it was decided to conduct. a renewed programme cooperatively between CSIRO and W.A. Department of Fisheries and Wildlife. The results of the joint programmes will be presented elsewhere. Meanwhile this paper. describes the Western Australian salmon fishery in 1981 and over the life of the current CSIRO/W.A. salmon research programme i.e. 1975-1981. It considers both the professional and amateur fishery, the disposal of the catch and attempts to discuss any changes in technique, effort, etc. which may have occurred in the period 1975-1981. …

State Of The Fisheries Report 1980, Department Of Fisheries And Wildlife, Western Australia

Status Reports of the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources

Western Australia has maintained its position as the top fishing State. The catch in Western Australia of fish, crustaceans and molluscs in 1979/80 was worth $85.7 million to the fishermen, which is 27 per cent of the total value for Australia.

Report No 41 - A Survey Method For Identifying Roadside Flora Suitable For Conservation In Western Australia, John K. Scott

Fisheries Research Reports

A survey method for identifying flora suitable for conservation alongside roads in south-western Australia was derived from an examination of characteristics of road verges. Two roads, from Midland to Toodyay and from Armadale to Bunbury, were examined. Width of verge, weed cover, soil disturbance, vegetation structure, presence of public utilities, evidence of fire and the type of adjoining land were measured at one mile (1.6 km) intervals on both sides of the road. Also recorded were aesthetic qualities such as stands of beautiful trees and sites of special interest, e.g. the presence of rare plants.

Three variables, percentage weed cover, …

Fisheries Report No 48 - The Western Rock Lobster Fishery 1976 - 1977, G. R. Morgan, E H. Barker

Fisheries Research Reports

The fishery for the western rock lobster Panuldinus cygnus is one of the most important single fisheries in Australia and an important export earner for the State. The fishery is governed by a complex set of regulations which have been reviewed by Bowen (1971) and which are designed to limit the total effort to acceptable levels and to enforce a legal minimum size. It is thus important to constantly monitor the state of the fishery both to ensure that the effort is remaining within the accepted limits and that the regulations are adequately performing their function of maintaining reasonably stable …

Fisheries Report No 43 - A Pit Trap Survey Of Small Mammals, Lizards And Frogs On The Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve, Stephen D. Hopper

Fisheries Research Reports

Ten pitlines were placed in open low woodlands near Moates Lake and in upland and coastal heathlands near Mount Gardner on Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve during February 1980 and February 1981. The trapping program established that Common Dunnarts (Smitnthopsts murina) and Honey Possums (Tarstpes spencerae) were widespread in the reserve, and added three lizards and one frog to the list of vertebrates known to occur on the reserve.

Twenty mammals (15 native and 5 feral), four snakes, fifteen lizards, one tortoise and six frogs are now known on Iwo Peoples Bay Nature Reserve. They constitute a representative sample of …

Report No 42 - A Guide To The Gazetted Rare Flora Of Western Australia, Barbara L. Rye, Stephen D. Hopper

Fisheries Research Reports

Descriptions and illustrations are provided for the first 100 taxa which have been gazetted as rare, likely to become extinct or in need of special protection under the Wildlife Conservation Act 1950-1979. Most of these rare taxa are restricted to the South-West Botanical Province and more than one-third occur in the Albany Wildlife District.

An outline is given of the means adopted to determine which taxa are gazetted as rare, the legal provisions for their protection and the biological data being sought for their management.

Fisheries Report No 46 - The Amateur Fishery For The Western Rock Lobster, Pamela N. Norton

Fisheries Research Reports

A study of the amateur fishery for the western rock Lobster, Paulinus cygnus George, was commenced by the W.A. Marine Research Laboratories in August, 1976, and was concluded in December, 1978. The main aims of this study were to collect and analyse data to give some estimate of the distribution and magnitude of this amateur fishery.

Prior to this survey, the only catch and fishing effort data available was that obtained from the commercial fishery. Data from the amateur fishery were required in order to make a full assessment of the Level of exploitation of the stocks. In addition, 144 …

State Of The Fisheries Report 1979, Department Of Fisheries And Wildlife, Western Australia

Status Reports of the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources

Western Australia has maintained its position as the top fishing State. The catch in Western Australia of fish, crustaceans and molluscs in 1978-79 was worth $91 million to the fishermen, which is 33 per cent of the total value for Australia.

State Of The Fisheries Report 1978, Department Of Fisheries And Wildlife, Western Australia

Status Reports of the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources

Western Australia has maintained its position as the top fishing State. The catch in Western Australia of fish, crustaceans, and molluscs in 1977-78 was worth $76 million to the fishermen, which is 36 per cent of the total value for Australia.

Fisheries Report No. 37 - An Inventory Of The Marine Resources Of The Bunbury Marine Area And Geographe Bay, Michael H. Walker

Fisheries Research Reports

The marine resources of the Geographe Bay/Bunbury marine area were investigated using a variety of fishing gear i.e. set lines, set nets, trawls, ring nets, beach seines, hand lines, trolling lines, traps and light attraction at night. All the ftsh species caught were documented as to breeding state and food habits.

Commercial species encountered as adults during fishing operations were: bronze whaler, whiskery and gummy sharks, Westralian jewfish, Australian herring, skippy, flathead, oriental bonito, blue and sandy sprat, pilchard, mulloway, whiting, yellowtail scad, flounder, and leatherjacket and as juveniles were: skippy, yellowtail scad, tailor, southern sea garfish, pilchard, blue and …

Fisheries Report No 33 - The Western Rock Lobster Fishery 1975 - 1976, G. R. Morgan, E H. Barker

Fisheries Research Reports

iTshe fishery for the western rock lobster Panultrus ecygnus one of the most important single fisheries in Australia and an important export earner for the State. The fishery is governed by a complex set of regulations which have been reviewed by Bowen (1971) and which are designed to limit the total effort to acceptable levels and to enforce a legal minimum size. It is thus important to constantly monitor the state of the fishery both to ensure that the effort is remaining within the accepted limits and that the regulations are adequately performing their function of maintaining reasonably stable catches. …

Fisheries Report No 34 - The Status Of The Salt-Water Crocodile In The Glenelg, Prince Regent And Ord River Systems, Kimberley, Western Australia, A. A. Burbidge, H. Messel

Fisheries Research Reports

Counts were made of Salt-water Crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus) in the estuarine portions of the Glenelg, Prince Regent and Ord River systems of the Kimberley Division, Western Australia. During the survey 581 crocodiles were seen, including 143 hatchlings. The number of non-hatchling crocodiles in present the Glenelg system is estimated to be 200 to 259, in the Prince Regent 190 to 246 and in the Ord 235 to 306 (95% confidence limits).

The number of non-hatchling crocodiles present in the six Kimberley river systems now counted is estimated to be between 957 and 1243 (95% confidence limits) and we believe that …

Fisheries Report No 38 - The Shark Bay Prawn Fishery (1970 - 1976), J. W. Penn, R. W. Stalker

Fisheries Research Reports

The existence of prawn stocks in Shark Bay, Western Australia, has been known since 1904 when the sailing ketch "Rip" on charter to the Western Australian Government, trawled large quantities of prawns from the area between Bernier Island and the mainland, Gale (1905). Although the Fisheries research vessel "Lancelin" trawled potentially commercial quantities of prawns from Shark Bay in the early 1950's, it was not until 1962 that a regular fishery was begun.

Today the prawn stocks of Shark Bay support Western Australia's largest and most consistent prawn fishery, having an annual production currently exceeding 2 000 tonnes. The catch …

The Inshore-Marine And Estuarine Licensed Amateur Fishery Of Western Australia, R.C. J. Lenanton

Fisheries Research Bulletins

A description of the inshore-marine and estuarine licensed amateur fishery of Western Australia is reported, emphasising important historical events which influenced the development of the fishery.

State Of The Fisheries Report 1977, Department Of Fisheries And Wildlife, Western Australia

Status Reports of the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources

The total value of the fisheries of Western Australia is the highest of any of the States, and the Western Australian rock lobster fishery is the most valuable single fishery in Australia.

Fisheries Report No 35 - Fish And Exploited Crustaceans Of The Swan-Canning Estuary, R C.J. Lenanton

Fisheries Research Reports

Fishes of the Swan-Canning estuarine system are typical of those found in other lower west coast estuarine systems of Western Australia. Species representing three families of elasmobranchs, several of which are commercially important, twenty families of teleosts, and two families of crustaceans (Table 1) commonly occur in this estuarine system. The many other species which occur less commonly in the Swan- Canning estuary are mostly members of the additional families listed in Table l.

The information contained in this document was made available for use by the authors of the following two publications : -

Forbes and Fitzkardinge (1977) Swan …

The Amateur Marron Fishery In Western Australia, N. M. Morrissy

Fisheries Research Bulletins

The amateur fishery in south-western Australia for marron, Cherax tenuimanus, the third largest Australian and world freshwater crayfish, is described, including the history of management regulations and the legal methods of capture of marron (scoop nets, drop nets and snares) in rivers and dams. Catch and effort data were obtained from research log books over the period 1971 to 1976. From the inception of the Inland Fisherman's License, largely intended for marron, in 1970, the number of licenses rose steeply from 6,500 to 20,000 by 1975. The calculated total annual catch by the 1974-75 and 1975-76 seasons was about 470,000 …

Early History Of The Shark Bay Prawn Fishery, Western Australia, R. J. Slack-Smith

Fisheries Research Bulletins

The factors leading to the development of the prawn fishery in Shark Bay have been discussed, and a history and account of the fishery to 1969 has been presented. A description has been given of the management measures introduced to control the growth of the fishery, together with some of the underlying rationale behind these measures.

State Of The Fisheries Report 1976, Department Of Fisheries And Wildlife, Western Australia

Status Reports of the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources

The total value of the fisheries of Western Australia is the highest of any of the States, and the Western Australian rock lobster fishery is the most valuable single fishery in Australia.

Fisheries Report No 28 - The Western Rock Lobster Fishery 1974-1975, G. R. Morgan, E H. Barker

Fisheries Research Reports

The fishery for the western rock lobster Panultrus eygnus is one of the most important single fisheries in Australia and an important export earner for the State. The fishery is governed by a complex set of regulations which have been reviewed by Bowen (1971) and which are designed to limit the total effort to acceptable levels and to enforce a legal minimum size. It is thus important to constantly monitor the state of the fishery both to ensure that the effort is remaining within the accepted limits and that the regulations are adequately performing their function of maintaining reasonably stable …

Fisheries Report No 20 - Trawl Caught Fish And Crustaceans From Cockburn Sound, J. W. Penn

Fisheries Research Reports

Cockburn Sound is one of the few sheltered embayments near the Perth metropolitan area and as such has been subjected to increasing usage by both the general public and industry. Historically the Sound has been a major commercial fishing area from which much of the fresh fish for the metropolitan area has been caught. More recently, as well as providing a significant commercial catch, a major sport fishery has developed in the area.

The first commercial trawling operations in Cockburn Sound were undertaken in the early part of this century when horses were used to tow small nets on the …

Fisheries Report No 31 - Pecten Scallop Survey On Southern Geographe Bay, September 1976, D. I. Heald

Fisheries Research Reports

Reports of Pecten scallops in Geographe Bay in late 1975 were followed up by a preliminary stock survey in February 1976 using 1.22 m dredges and by a more extensive survey in September 1976 using 1.22 m and 2.25 m scallop dredges and a 0.5 m* Baird grab. Two very limited concentrations of scallops were located adjacent to rough ground. The best dredge catch rates were equivalent to 44 kg per hour per standard haul and the maximum grab catch was equivalent to a density of six scallops per square metre. The extremely rough terrain resulted in considerable damage to …

Fisheries Report No 27 - A Survey Of Recreational Usage Of South Coastal Estuaries Of Western Australia, N. Caputi, R C.J. Lenanton

Fisheries Research Reports

Over recent years, factors such as the State's population increase, a generally higher standard of living which enables people to have more leisure time, and better roads, particularly from the Eastern States of Australia, have all contributed towards an increase in the general recreational usage of the Western Australian south coast estuaries.

To aid proper planning of facilities to cater for an increasing number of visitors in these south coast estuaries, management agencies must be able to quantify the recreational usage in this group of estuaries.

This survey, therefore, attempts to identify and quantify the different recreational pursuits of visitors …

Fisheries Report No 24 - The Status Of The Salt-Water Crocodile In Some River Systems Of The North-West Kimberley, Western Australia, H. Messel, A. A. Burbidge, A. G. Wells, W. J. Green

Fisheries Research Reports

Counts were made of Salt-water Crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus) in the estuarine portions of four river systems in the northwest Kimberley, Western Australia - the Lawley, Mitchell, Roe-Hunter and Prince Regent. During the ten day survey 463 crocodiles were spotted, including 109 hatchlings. The maximum number of non-hatchling crocodiles present tin the four systems is estimated at 697. Very few large crocodiles were seen.

Populations were particularly small in the Lawley and Mitchell Rivers and the potential for recovery in this area is also small. Prospects for recovery in the Roe-Hunter and Prince Regent were a little better but further surveys …

Fisheries Report No 29 - The Predation Of Pot - Caught Western Rock Lobster (Panulirus Longpipes Cygnus) By Octopus, L M. Joll

Fisheries Research Reports

The losses to the western rock lobster fishery through the predation of pot-caught rock lobsters by octopus were estimated from samples taken on commercial boats in the four seasons 1972/73 - 1975/76. In most seasons approximately 200 000 legal-sized rock lobsters were lost. In the 1975/76 season the estimated financial loss from octopus predation was $392 000. The estimated losses probably represent minimum values. Studies of the biology and behaviour of octopus were carried out to examine the methods of detection, location and entry into rock lobster pots by octopus. The use of octopus traps in rock lobster pots significantly …