Seasonal variation in the species and size composition of the clupeoid assemblages in Western Port, Victoria

Abstract

The size composition of three species of clupeoid fish was monitored from monthly samples taken between May 1992 and April 1994 in Western Port, Victoria. Anchovy and pilchard were the dominant species in most samples and sandy sprat were occasionally common. Seasonal variations in catches indicate that adult clupeoids are temporary inhabitants in Western Port, migrating into the bay between October and December and leaving between February and June. Juvenile anchovy and pilchard were common in catches between February and April, indicating that Western Port serves as a nursery area for both species. Sizes of adult anchovy and pilchard collected in Western Port were at the lower end of the known range and these probably represent a single age-group of young adult fish. Comparisons with published data from Bass Strait and Port Phillip Bay show the importance of different habitats for different sizes of clupeoids in western Victoria.