Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC), 8 June 2022

Citizen science has made an important contribution to an FRDC-funded project to predict the impact of climate change on three fish species of increasing recreational and commercial importance in Tasmania.

The project set out to quantify the biology and diet of three key range-shifting species: Yellowtail Kingfish (Seriola lalandi), Snapper (Chrysophrys auratus) and King George Whiting (Sillaginodes punctatus) and to provide baseline data for effective management.

The project predicts that under future climate change projections, habitat suitability is likely to increase for Snapper and King George Whiting around the state and seasonal migration of Yellowtail Kingfish is likely to extend further south, and to last for a greater proportion of the year.

The project also predicted a low chance of ecosystem collapse due to the increased presence of the three species.

Data from the project was gathered from several sources, including fish frames (skeletons) donated by recreational fishers at 16 drop off points around Tasmania, which yielded 801 frames in the 24 months to July 2021. Frames were also donated by commercial fishers and fish processors.

The project, “Opportunities and impacts of range extending scalefish species, understanding population dynamics, ecosystem impacts and management needs”, reflects the theme of this year’s World Oceans Day on June 8, which was “Revitalization: Collective Action for the Ocean”. FRDC regularly funds research to underpin fisheries management and ensure sustainability.

Principal Investigator on the project was Associate Professor Dr Sean Tracey, Centre Head of Fisheries and Aquaculture at the Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), University of Tasmania. The Tasmanian Government and CSIRO were project partners.

Sean says the project was heavily reliant on engagement from the recreational fishing community, supplemented by historical data from the IMAS archives and fishery independent sampling for fish outside of the legal-size limits.

The data was used to determine parameters such as age, population structure, growth, reproduction, mortality and diet for the three species.

Lead author for the report, IMAS Research Fellow Dr. Alexia Graba-Landry says the information collected was used to develop models to predict how habitat suitability for each species may shift under future climate change projections. Alexia says. “The work also modelled the potential changes to the ecosystem (such as food web) if these species’ ranges were to extend southward,” she says.

“Ocean warming is already driving a shift in the distribution of marine species worldwide, with many moving towards the poles.

“Due to disproportionate warming in Tasmania, driven by the extension of the Eastern Australian Current, this region is a hotspot for species extending their range, having more records of range shifting species than anywhere else in Australia,” Alexia says. “The potential implications of range shifting species for resource management is important to consider.”

Sean says ongoing monitoring is necessary to gain an accurate representation of population dynamics of the three species in Tasmania over time. “It is important for management to be flexible and ready to implement proactive strategies to sustainably manage these emerging fisheries into the future,” he says.

This project is part of FRDC’s ongoing commitment to providing factual, scientifically accurate information to promote sound management of aquatic resources in the face of climate change.

At a national level, FRDC helps co-ordinate fisheries climate change R&D with government agencies, industry and stakeholders. This work builds on the vast bank of research undertaken over the past decade looking at climate variability and its impact on the fishing industry.

Read more about this project: 2018-070

This article was published by Fisheries Research and Development Corporation under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia Licence.