Effects of moon phase and soak time on catches of Jasus (Sagmariasus) verreauxi recruits on collectors

Abstract

The hypothesis tested in this study was that catches of recruits (sum of pueruli to early-stage juveniles of the same year class) of Jasus (Sagmariasus) verreauxi on seaweed-type collectors were affected by lunar periodicity and by the soak time of the collectors. Mean numbers of recruits did not differ between phases of the moon, but significantly more recruits were caught on collectors soaked for four weeks than on those soaked for three or two weeks, which in turn were greater than on those soaked for one week. On the basis of these results, it was recommended that collectors should be soaked for four weeks. This information was used in developing a uniform and optimal methodology for full surveys to monitor the relative abundance of recruits of J. verreauxi along the coast of New South Wales.