The distribution patterns of exploited girellid, kyphosid and sparid fishes on temperate rocky reefs in New South Wales, Australia

Abstract

Girellids and sparids rank highest as the groups of fishes taken by rock fishers in New South Wales, Australia. Rapid visual counts that were stratified by depth and transects that were stratified by habitat (e.g. kelp forest and urchin grazed barrens) showed that girellids were most abundant in shallow water (< 3m deep). A few aggregations (primarily Girella bicuspidate) were found in waters up to 15 m deep. No juvenile G. bicuspidate were observed on reefs, all of the fish in counts were greater than 200mm SL In contrast, G. elevata of all size classes (30-300mm SL) were found in water less than 3 m deep. Almost all Kyphosus (98%) were in shallow water. Spends (57%) were found in shallow water, although some (Pagrus auratus) were only found in deep or mid-depth strata. Girellids, kyphosids and some sparids used the intertidal at high tide. Girellids were observed to feed in the shallows. Juvenile G. elevate (30-70 mm SL) fed in the intertidal mostly on rocky surfaces, tubeworms and the backs of large limpets (Cellana spp.) where algae were abundant. Shallow waters and the intertidal of rocky reefs have probably been underestimated in terms of importance to fisheries.