An Observer-based Assessment of the Estuarine Fishery for Eastern Sea Garfish (Hyporhamphus australis) in Australia

The estuarine fishery for eastern sea garfish (Hyporhamphus australis) in New South Wales (NSW), Australia was assessed using observers to quantify retained and discarded catches and interactions with threatened species. The fishery uses seine nets that are designed to fish the surface layers. Observers recorded 40 taxa caught during two fishing seasons between April 2005 and March 2006. Eight taxa were retained and 39 were discarded. The target species, eastern sea garfish, represented ~90% of the total catch by weight and numbers. The majority of discarded fish were small individuals of non-commercially important species. Overall, ratios of retained to discarded catch were ~ 23:1 by numbers and weight. During the period of assessment, this beach-based estuarine fishery had limited by-catch, did not target juvenile or spawning aggregations of con-specifics, had no record of deleterious interactions with threatened species and was unlikely to have had any major ecological impacts. The relatively low levels of by-catch and juvenile-sized eastern sea garfish probably reflect regulations that: (i) prohibited fishing over beds of the seagrass Posidonia australis; and (ii) increased the minimum size of mesh in fishing nets.