Where are all the big kingfish?
Led by the Sydney Institute of Marine Science (in collaboration with Macquarie University, UNSW and DPI) an extensive field campaign using specialist recreational fishers to catch and deploy satellite tags on mature kingfish at key sites in NSW commenced in 2022. This project uses satellite-tracking to reveal spawning habitats and recruitment ‘hotspots’ to provide crucial insights to address urgent knowledge gaps. The project aims to help increase quality fishing opportunities for this iconic recreational species.
Key achievements:
- More than 900 recreational anglers successfully engaged through @project_kingfish social media channels
- Analysis from the Gamefish Tagging Program (consisting of almost 40,000 kingfish tagged and 3,000 recaptured since 1973) revealed common migratory routes for kingfish in eastern Australia as well as champion anglers in the community who have dedicated their time to contributing invaluable citizen science data
- Sponsorship by Project Kingfish of the Biggest Kingfish Prize at the Lord Howe Island Annual Fishing Tournament with a number of kingfish tagged and released during the event.