Stock structure of tropical reef fish

This project addresses two key needs in northern Australia. The first is to fill in knowledge gaps on the ecology of key coastal reef fish species which have suffered significant declines across the tropics. Recent stock assessments in the Northern Territory have identified current harvest levels to be unsustainable. Managers have been unable to apply appropriate arrangements due to a lack of knowledge on the stock structure of these species. The second need is related to the indigenous community’s aspirations to develop their scientific research capability and to increase their involvement in co-management of their sea country fisheries resources with the aim of developing sustainable indigenous fisheries whose management is underpinned by scientific information collected by indigenous community members.

The three target species are the Golden Snapper (Fingermark Snapper, Lutjanus johnii), Grass Emperor (Lethrinus laticaudis) and Black Jewfish (Protonibea diacanthus). The biological stock structure of the species will be described using three techniques: genetic techniques, otolith microchemistry and parasite species composition.

Related News

• Genetic, parasite and otolith study on a northern Australian finfish (15/1/2018)
• Detecting and solving fraud in snapper markets (20/1/2017)
• Genetic tools for sustainable management of fish in northern Australia (1/9/2016)
• Stock structure of tropical reef fish – project meeting (28/4/2016)
• Working with DNA from northern Australian fish species. (31/3/2015)
• Collaborative sample collection effort underway in Northern Australia (9/3/2015)
• New scientific research on popular recreational fish species in the Australian tropics (25/9/2014)