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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 61(10)

Spatial and fishing effects on sampling gear biases in a tropical reef line fishery

David J. Welch A B E , Bruce D. Mapstone C , Campbell R. Davies C and Garry R. Russ D
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries, Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, PO Box 1085, Oonoonba, 4811 Qld, Australia.

B Fishing and Fisheries Research Centre, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld 4811, Australia.

C CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research, Castray Esplanade, Hobart, Tas. 7005, Australia.

D School of Marine and Tropical Biology and ARC Centre for Coral reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld 4811, Australia.

E Corresponding author. Email: david.welch@jcu.edu.au

Marine and Freshwater Research 61(10) 1134-1146 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF09278
Submitted: 2 November 2009  Accepted: 27 April 2010   Published: 14 October 2010

Abstract

Biased estimates of population parameters for harvested stocks can have severe implications for fishery management strategy choices. Hook-and-line fishing gear is size-selective and therefore collects biased samples from wild populations. Such biases may also vary in space and time. To assess this assertion, we compared line- and spear-caught samples of the main target species of an Australian hook-and-line fishery to quantify relative bias in size and age structure estimates. We also assessed the consistency of biases among four fishery regions and between two management zones – areas open and closed to fishing. Fish less than 310 mm and younger than 4 years comprised a larger proportion of the speared than the line samples regardless of region or management zone. Conversely, hook-and-line sampled more fish in larger size classes (>370 mm) and older age classes (≥6 years) relative to spear fishing. These biases were qualitatively, but not quantitatively, consistent in all regions and management zones. This variation in sampling resulted in different inferences about regional and zone-related patterns in population size and age structure. We recommend careful consideration of sampling bias when drawing conclusions about regional and management zone effects on fish populations.

Additional keywords: bias, coral trout, Great Barrier Reef, hook-and-line, no-take zones, selectivity, spearfishing.


Acknowledgements

We thank Lizard Island Research Station, the crews of ‘Whyllaway’, ‘Hamdon Star’ and ‘RV James Kirby’, Judy Horsfall, Matt Kenway, and members of the Townsville Skindiving Club, particularly Bill Roberts and John Robinson, for assisting in the field collections. Ashley Williams (AW in Methods) assisted with otolith counts. The CRC Reef Research Centre is acknowledged for the financial support. We are grateful for the constructive comments received from the Editor, Professor Andrew Boulton, and two anonymous referees. Sampling work was conducted under the following permits: GBRMPA permits G96/454, QFMA Permit No. 42294, and JCU Ethics approval No. A771_02. This manuscript is a contribution from the Co-operative Research Centre’s Reef Effects of Line Fishing Project.


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