Consequences of spatial patterns in life history characteristics of a coral reef fish subject to different harvest strategies (C3.4S)

Task leader: Ms Mikaela Bergenius, CRC Reef and James Cook University.

Task associate: Mr Martin Russell, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority.

Common coral trout Plectropomus leopardus is the major target species of the reef line fishery in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area (GBRWHA). Currently, this species is managed uniformly in the Marine Park, with little regard for localised or regional stock structure. However, failure to recognise or account for stock structure in exploited marine fish species can lead to overfishing and localised depletion of less productive stocks, erosion of key spawning components, and loss of genetic biodiversity.

Therefore, the aim of this project is therefore to investigate the stock structure of common coral trout in the GBRWHA. The objective is to use a multiple technique approach to maximise the probability of identifying stocks. This includes determining the spatial and temporal patterns in otolith elemental signatures, otolith morphology and incremental growth patterns of common coral trout throughout the GBRWHA. This information will subsequently be used in the development of spatially-structured fisheries models.