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RESEARCH ARTICLE (Open Access)
Contents Vol 76(2)

Trends in eastern blue groper (Achoerodus viridis) abundance along south-eastern Australia (New South Wales): the influence of latitude, climate change and potential depth refuges

Nathan A. Knott https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7873-0412 A * , Matthew J. Rees https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2472-6215 A , Tom R. Davis https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0199-2024 B , David Harasti https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2851-9838 C , Hamish A. Malcolm B , Matthew D. Taylor https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1519-9521 C , Belinda G. Curley D , Stephen Morris E , Neville S. Barrett F , Rick D. Stuart-Smith F , Graham J. Edgar F and Rachel Przeslawski https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0269-3755 A G
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Marine Ecosystems, Fisheries Research, Huskisson, NSW 2540, Australia.

B NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Marine Ecosystems, Fisheries Research, Coffs Harbour, NSW 2450, Australia.

C NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Marine Ecosystems & Fisheries Resource Assessment, Fisheries Research, Taylors Beach, NSW 2316, Australia.

D Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Marine Estate Management, Taylors Beach, NSW 2316, Australia.

E NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Biometry, Fisheries Research, Wollongbar, NSW 2477, Australia.

F Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Taroona, Tas. 7053, Australia.

G School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia.

* Correspondence to: nathan.knott@dpi.nsw.gov.au

Handling Editor: Bridie Allan

Marine and Freshwater Research 76, MF24130 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF24130
Submitted: 12 July 2024  Accepted: 18 December 2024  Published: 4 February 2025

© 2025 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND)

Abstract

Context

Eastern blue groper (Achoerodus viridis) is an iconic Australian fish and a trial prohibition of fishing for it has been implemented in New South Wales (NSW). A review of available data on this species is needed to inform future management.

Aims

To assess the temporal and spatial patterns in the abundance of A. viridis.

Methods

Data collected across four NSW bioregions from two systematic sampling programs, namely, baited remote underwater video (2010–23) and underwater visual census (2008–23), were analysed with the inclusion of two other common wrasse species as references.

Key results

Achoerodus viridis showed strong latitudinal variation: being least abundant in the warmer northern bioregion and peaking in abundance in the central Manning and southern Batemans Bioregions. Temporal trajectories for A. viridis were mixed with significant declines on shallow reefs in the Manning and Hawkesbury Bioregions, whereas abundances on deeper reefs were stable. Similar patterns of decline were observed for the two reference species, although both species were far more abundant than was A. viridis.

Conclusions

Achoerodus viridis, like other temperate wrasse, appears to be declining because of warming oceans, although depth may provide a thermal refuge

Implications

These analyses should assist decision-making for future management regulations for A. viridis.

Keywords: climate-change shifts, crimson banded wrasse, fishing regulations, Great Souther Reef, labrids, monitoring, Notolabrus gymnogenis, Ophthalmolepis lineolata, refugia, southern Maori wrasse.

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