Saltwater Trust Allocation

2008/09 - $25,500

• Monitoring and Research on Landed Fish at Game Fishing Tournaments in NSW 2002/2003  585.3 kb
  
• Monitoring and Research on Landed Fish at Game Fishing Tournaments in NSW 2003/2004  387.3 kb
  
• Monitoring and Research on Landed Fish at Game Fishing Tournaments in NSW 2004/2005  467.0 kb
  
• Monitoring and Research on Landed Fish at Game Fishing Tournaments in NSW 2005/2006  342.4 kb
  
• Monitoring and Research on Landed Fish at Game Fishing Tournaments in NSW 2006/2007  1.0 mb
  
• Monitoring and Research on Landed Fish at Game Fishing Tournaments in NSW 2007/2008  1.1 mb
  
• Vision in Billfish project report from Port Stephens Tournament 2002
  

Aim

Undertake formal sampling and monitoring of important game fish species caught during NSW tournaments.

Background

Biological and scientific monitoring of catches is an important part of studying any fishery. The gamefish fishery off the New South Wales coast is among the largest of its kind in the world, generating vital economic activity in regional towns and centres along the entire coast. A wide range of gamefish species are caught in the fishery, including black, blue and striped marlin, broadbill swordfish, yellowfin, bigeye, longtail, skipjack and mackerel tuna, albacore, dolphin fish, wahoo and cobia and many species of shark including mako, blue, tiger, hammerhead and whaler sharks. Over 90 percent of most of these species are now tagged and released, but the remainder of the catch, representing reasonable numbers of specimens, are also brought to the weigh station during tournaments and club activities. Tournaments and organized events provide excellent opportunities to undertake biological monitoring and research on the landed catch, and these opportunities have been acted upon in the past to varying degrees.

Gamefish Sampling

Sampling of fish species at a Gamefishing tournament in Bermagui

In the past, routine biological data has been collected by Pepperell Research on an ad hoc basis, especially during the major Interclub Tournament at Port Stephens which has been sampled continuously for over 20 years. Between 1998 and 2002, many sharks weighed at NSW tournaments were measured and sampled by Dr R Chan of UNSW for his Ph.D (supervised by Dr Pepperell). With the completion of this work, and the need for ongoing sampling of all fish, it was proposed that data collection should continue on a routine basis. All fish brought to the weigh station at the Interclub Tournament are measured, weighed, and sexed. Biological samples, such as fish tissue for DNA analysis and hard parts (such as fin spines) are sampled for ageing, labelled and either supplied for current research projects, or archived for future possible use.

Many research projects undertaken by a wide range of research organizations have been assisted via cooperation with game fishing tournaments in New South Wales. The Interclub Tournament in particular has attracted many researchers from around Australia and overseas, especially during the past decade or so.

Following success of initial sampling ongoing funding has been provided to Pepperell Consulting to set up a formal routine sampling and monitoring program for NSW gamefishing tournaments. The program seeks to organise, co-ordinate and report on biological research sampling at each of the tournaments.