Sustainability of morwong stocks

MELBOURNE Ross Winstanley

During 2019, teams of fisheries scientists around the country conducted the fifth in a series of assessments of major Australian fish stocks. Among those covered in the Status of Australian Fish Stocks 2020 report were species taken by commercial and recreational fishers in two or more states. These included assessments of popular coastal and offshore morwong species: • Banded morwong, Cheilodactylus spectabilis • Blue morwong, Nemadactylus valenciennesi • Grey morwong, Nemadactylus douglasii • Jackass morwong, Nemadactylus macropterus

These and other morwongs are taken by a number of methods within the wide range used by recreational and commercial fishers: spearfishing, hooking, trapping, gill netting and trawling.

To counter the paucity of information on these species in the SAFS report, additional information on recreational catches has been taken from state surveys of recreational and charter fishing.

BANDED MORWONG

Growing to almost 60cm, banded morwong are a popular target species on open coastal reefs for spearfishers off southern NSW and Victoria. Previously regarded by the commercial fishery as a discard or by-catch species, targeted gillnetting for the Banded morwong are popular among spearos

in NSW and Victoria. Photo courtesy of Jordan Hill.

live fish market developed in Tasmania and Victoria during the 1990s.

While there is no information on stock structure, the SAFS assessment considered the Victorian and Tasmanian fisheries to be based on distinct populations. Tasmanian fishery

Banded morwong is a minor species among Tasmania’s recreational fishers. This was reflected in the 2017/18 survey which found the recreational catch to total two tonnes.

Until the lucrative livefish market began during the 1990s, this species was disrespectfully referred to as ‘carp’. After rapidly peaking at 145 tonnes in 1993, the new small-scale commercial fishery declined to 35 tonnes in 1999. Introduced in 2008, a Total Allowable Catch has been stepped down, to 39 tonnes in 2012, then to 31 tonnes in 2018. While banded morwong have been aged to 96 years, fish older than 20 years have become rare. At the same time, the proportion of fish younger than eight years in the population has increased and shown signs of faster growth and earlier maturity. A slot size (36-46cm) and spawning closure provide additional protection to help stabilise the population and its spawning potential.

These conservative measures contribute to the classification of banded morwong in the Tasmanian ‘management unit’ as a “sustainable stock”.

While not shown in the SAFS report, Victoria’s commercial fishery is closely managed under measures including a TAC, seasonal and spatial closures, and a size limit. Banded morwong in the Victorian management unit are classified as “undefined”.

BLUE MORWONG OR

QUEEN SNAPPER

Although it occurs in coastal waters, from NSW to southern WA, the stock structure of blue morwong is unknown. Consequently, the stock has been assessed at the jurisdictional level.

The SAFS report states, “the species is not a major component of recreational landings”. This is an understatement as only WA has a recorded combined recreational plus charter catch: 16 tonnes in 2017/18. At 44 tonnes in 2018, WA is also Regarded as unlikely to be targeted by recreational fishers, there are no annual estimates of blue morwong catches. South Australia

Blue morwong are not considered a “major component of recreational landings” and commercial catches have averaged 1.4 tonnes in the past 20 years. Hence, fishing has little impact on the stock.

SA’s 2013/14 recreational fishing survey found that 2705 blue morwong, weighing about three tonnes, were landed by recreational fishers. In the same year the commercial catch was one tonne.

Western Australia

In contrast to the other southern states, both recreational and commercial fishing regularly report catches of blue morwong, from the lower west coast and the south coast. Taken by hooking and spearfishing, the recreational catch in 2017/18 was more than 4000 fish, averaging 3kg and totalling 14 tonnes, while the commercial catch in 2018/19 was 45 tonnes, taken mainly by gillnetting. Commonwealth

Blue morwong occur as an incidental catch in spearfishers, this is a popular species and is widely referred to as blue morwong. In the absence of information on their stock structure, they have been assessed as a single East Coast stock.

With few caught off Queensland, and few records of catches off Victoria and Tasmania, the major fisheries are by NSW recreational and commercial fishers and by Commonwealth-managed commercial fisheries. Total annual catches have declined from 90 tonnes in 2010 to 40 tonnes in 2018. Queensland

The few grey morwong landed commercially as incidental catches off southern Queensland are recorded with other morwong species in combined annual totals of less than one tonne. Recreational catch numbers are equally obscure. New South Wales

Records show that commercial catches of grey morwong have declined since the 1970s. The shorter series of recreational catch records show a fall from 156 tonnes in 2000/01, to 22 tonnes in 2017/18. The sizes of fish landed have “declined

Dusky morwong, butterfish or strongfish are the largest

morwong species. Photo courtesy of Jordan Hill.

the only state where average annual commercial catches exceed one tonne.

New South Wales

While well regarded as a table fish, as blue morwong are not targeted by recreational or commercial fishers in NSW, catches are consistently low (one tonne in 2018/19). Hence, the impacts of fishing on the stock are considered to be small. Tasmania

Annual commercial catches total less than one tonne and occur as a small by-catch from gillnetting. Commonwealth-managed hook, gillnet and trawl fisheries, with a combined catch of 21 tonnes in 2018.

Based on the scant available information overall, blue morwong stocks “are classified as sustainable in WA, negligible in NSW and SA, and undefined with limited data in TAS and by the Commonwealth.”

GREY MORWONG

Grey or ‘rubber lip’ morwong occur on the continental shelf, from southern Queensland to Tasmania’s east coast. Among substantially” and there is no sign of recovery of the species off NSW.

The estimated numbers retained by recreational fishers fell from 43,000 in 2013/14 to 27,000 in 2017/18 (including 4000 from estuaries). Despite the continuing decline, grey morwong still feature prominently in coastal recreational catches. A 2017/18 study showed that, with 14,000 retained, this species is ranked third to bluespotted flathead and snapper among catches from the charter fishery, particularly off the central to

south coasts.

The classification of grey morwong off NSW as “overfished” in 2008 led to measures aimed at reducing fishing pressure. These included an increase in the minimum length, to 30cm, and a reduction in the recreational fishing bag limit, to 10/day.

The 2020 assessment concluded that fishing pressure continues to prevent recovery “from a recruitment impaired state.” As the NSW data provide the only basis for assessment, East Coast grey morwong are classified as a “depleted stock”. Commonwealth

Grey morwong are taken as an incidental catch, mainly by trawling, with small numbers spread across other Commonwealth-managed gillnet, hook and trap fisheries. The combined catch from

Grey morwong are popular among anglers and spearfishers

in NSW coastal waters. Photo courtesy of Jordan Hill.

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Banded morwong Grey morwong Jackass morwong Red morwong

All species –30cm 30cm 30cm

23cm

5 10 10 5

5 combined

Banded morwong

36-46cm Jackass and other morwongs 25cm

Blue morwong 38 cm 2 10 combined

5

Blue morwong, West Coast 41cm Blue morwong, other regions 41cm 2 4

Current daily recreational catch limits around southern Australia. Note: additional fishing restrictions, apply in some states.

these fisheries in 2018/19 was 21 tonnes.

JACKASS MORWONG

Jackass morwong occur from northern NSW to the Great Australian Bight, with some evidence of separate stocks east and west of Tasmania.

Eastern management zone

The assessment of this part of the stock is based on a stock assessments for the Commonwealth-managed trawl, hook and gillnet fisheries, which include data from the small NSW, Victorian and Tasmanian fisheries. From 2010, the total commercial catch from this zone fell from 366 tonnes to 149 tonnes in 2018/19.

Catches, principally from NSW’s commercial trap and line fishery, have ranged between one and ten tonnes in the past decade, presenting little pressure on the stock. Recreational catches in 2018/19 were rated as “negligible”, with just 306 fish recorded from charter fishing; the commercial catch was 2.6 tonnes.

Victoria recorded zero commercial landings in 2019/20 and recreational fishing pressure is low.

Tasmania is where this species comes into its own among recreational fishers. Also known as silver perch, juveniles are taken by hook and gillnet in inshore waters while larger adults of up to 70 cm long are hooked offshore. Like the overall commercial catch, Tasmania’s recreational catch fell from 16 tonnes in 2013/14 to eight tonnes in 2017/18. The commercial catch in 2018/19 was 2.3 tonnes.

On the basis of considerable evidence and ongoing assessments, jackass morwong of the Eastern management unit are classified as a “sustainable stock”. Western management zone

The only significant catches of jackass morwong from this zone come from the Commonwealth trawl fisheries, from Tasmania to the Great Australian Bight. Apart from reported annual catches of about one tonne off Tasmania’s west coast, there are no reported catches by commercial or recreational fishers off western Victoria and SA.

Unlike the trend in the Eastern zone, total commercial catches have remained stable: 45 tonnes in 2010 and 42 tonnes in 2019. Based on the available evidence, jackass morwong in the Western management zone are classified as a “sustainable stock”. OTHER

MORWONG SPECIES

Several other morwong species are taken mainly by spearfishers and anglers on coastal reefs around southern Australia.

Dusky morwong Dactylophora nigricans, commonly called butterfish (Vic and Tas) or strongfish (SA) is a particular favourite among spearfishers as it grows to more than 10kg. It is edible at smaller sizes, but larger fish have a strong weedy flavour. In 2013/14, SA fishers were reported to have taken 4928, and a WA survey found that 51 were taken in 2013/14.

Magpie perch Cheilodactylus nigripes, painted morwong Cheilodactylus ephippium and red morwong Cheilodactylus fuscus are also caught in relatively small numbers. In 2017/18, NSW recreational fishers landed an estimated 8247 red morwong.

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