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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 56(8)

Utility and efficiency of multi-mesh gill nets and trammel nets for sampling assemblages and populations of estuarine fish

Charles A. Gray A C , Martine V. Jones A , Douglas Rotherham A , Matt K. Broadhurst B , Daniel D. Johnson A and Lachlan M. Barnes A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A NSW Department of Primary Industries, Cronulla Fisheries Research Centre, PO Box 21, Cronulla, NSW 2230, Australia.

B NSW Department of Primary Industries, National Marine Science Centre, PO Box J321, Coffs Harbour, NSW 2560, Australia.

C Corresponding author. Email: charles.gray@dpi.nsw.gov.au

Marine and Freshwater Research 56(8) 1077-1088 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF05056
Submitted: 24 March 2005  Accepted: 11 August 2005   Published: 3 November 2005

Abstract

Two replicate multi-mesh gill and trammel nets, each comprising five 30 m long panels made from different-sized mesh (38, 54, 70, 90 and 100 mm stretched mesh openings) were fished in a south-east Australian barrier estuary over seven nights to evaluate their potential as sampling gears for fishery-independent surveys of estuarine fish assemblages. There were no differences in composition and structure of assemblages, mean abundance, or diversity of catches between the two types of net. The composition and structure of catches differed between mesh sizes, with the panels made from 38 and 54 mm mesh retaining significantly more fish and species than the larger-sized meshes. The two smallest mesh sizes were important for capturing sub-adults and juveniles of some species. Based on a greater precision of catch per unit effort (CPUE) estimates, less sampling effort and greater ease of use, the multi-mesh gill net was a better sampling unit than the trammel net for assessments of estuarine fish populations.

Extra keywords: CPUE, fishery-independent survey, power, variation.


Acknowledgments

This work was part of a co-operative study between the Wild Fisheries Program of the NSW Department of Primary Industries, The Centre for Research on Ecological Impacts of Coastal Cities at The University of Sydney and The Australian Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (Project 2002/059). Sampling was done under NSW Agriculture Animal Care and Ethics approval 2003/019. We thank Les Brown for technical advice and assistance with fishing, and Professor Tony Underwood and Dr Gee Chapman for advice on statistics and comments on the draft manuscript.


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