Recreational Fishing Identification Guide

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Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development

Recreational fishing identification guide

June 2020 Contents

About this guide �� 1

Offshore demersal �� 3

Inshore demersal �� 4

Nearshore ��12

Estuarine ��19

Pelagic ��20

Sharks ��23

Crustaceans ��25

Molluscs ��27

Freshwater ��28

Cover: West Australian dhufish Glaucosoma hebraicum. Photo: Mervi Kangas.

Published by Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Perth, Western Australia.

Fisheries Occasional Publication No. 103, sixth edition, June 2020. ISSN: 1447 – 2058 (Print) ISBN: 978-1-921258-58-9 (Print) ISSN: 2206 – 0928 (Online) ISBN: 978-1-921258-59-6 (Online) ii Recreational fishing identification guide About this guide

his guide has been developed to help you identify the more common species in Western Australia that you may encounter.T The purpose of this recreational fishing guide is to enhance consistent and accurate species identification. If you are unsure about a particular species (or if it is not in this guide), please discuss it with a representative of the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Western Australia. You can access additional information on the website dpird.wa.gov.au

Six broad ecological depth-based habitats are recognised within each bioregion. Finfish species are listed in the habitat where they most commonly occur. Sharks and crustaceans are presented separately as they may occupy many habitats.

Land

Freshwater page 28 Pelagic page 20 Estuarine page 19

20m Nearshore page 12

250m Inshore demersal page 4

Offshore demersal page 3

Recreational fishing identification guide 1 About this guide (continued)

Throughout this guide you will see all or some of the marine bioregion symbols with each fish illustration, indicating where the species is most likely to occur.

NC North Coast GC Gascoyne Coast WC West Coast SC South Coast

Freshwater species inhabit the inland bioregions, which are shown on the map on page 28.

114° 50' E North Coast (Pilbara/Kimberley) Kununurra Gascoyne NC Coast Broome GC Port Hedland 21°46' S Karratha Onslow A sh bur Exmouth ton R iver Carnarvon Denham 27°S Kalbarri Geraldton

West Coast Eucla Perth

WC Esperance Augusta Black Point Albany South Coast 115°30' E SC

2 Recreational fishing identification guide Offshore demersal

Eightbar grouper Blue-eye trevalla (Grey banded rockcod, eightbar cod) Hyperoglyphe antarctica Hyporthodus octofasciatus

Hapuku Ruby snapper Polyprion oxygeneios Etelis carbunculus

Bass groper Flame snapper Polyprion americanus Etelis coruscans

Recreational fishing identification guide 3 Inshore demersal

Juvenile Juvenile Pink snapper West Australian dhufish (Snapper, pinkie) (Dhuie) Chrysophrys auratus Glaucosoma hebraicum

Bight redfish Northern pearl perch (Red snapper, nannygai) Glaucosoma buergeri Centroberyx gerrardi

Yelloweye redfish Foxfish Centroberyx australis (Western foxfish) Bodianus frenchii

Swallowtail Sunburnt pigfish Centroberyx lineatus (Goldspot foxfish) Bodianus solatus

4 Recreational fishing identification guide Baldchin groper Blackspot tuskfish (Baldie) (Bluebone) Choerodon rubescens Choerodon schoenleinii

Blue tuskfish Bluebarred parrotfish (Bluebone) Scarus ghobban Choerodon cyanodus

Juvenile Bluespotted tuskfish Western blue groper Choerodon cauteroma Achoerodus gouldii

Purple tuskfish Humphead Maori wrasse (Grass tuskfish, bluebone) PROTECTED SPECIES Choerodon cephalotes Cheilinus undulatus

Recreational fishing identification guide 5 Inshore demersal (continued)

Juvenile Breaksea cod Rankin cod (Black arse snapper) (Whitespotted rockcod) Epinephelides armatus Epinephelus multinotatus

Blackspotted rockcod Goldspotted rockcod (Malabar cod, estuary cod, slimy cod) (Estuary cod, slimy cod, greasy Epinephelus malabaricus grouper) Epinephelus coioides

Duskytail grouper Yellowspotted rockcod (Spotted trout, trout cod) (Spotted cod, honeycomb cod) Epinephelus bleekeri Epinephelus areolatus

Frostback rockcod Tomato rockcod (Spotted cod, honeycomb cod, Cephalopholis sonnerati frostback cod) Epinephelus bilobatus

6 Recreational fishing identification guide Harlequin fish Barcheek coral trout Othos dentex (Inshore coral trout) Plectropomus maculatus

Barramundi cod Common coral trout Chromileptes altivelis (Leopard coral trout) Plectropomus leopardus Mainly offshore in NC and GC

Potato rockcod PROTECTED SPECIES Yellowedge coronation trout (Potato cod) (Coronation trout, lunartail trout) Epinephelus tukula Variola louti

Juvenile Juvenile Queensland groper PROTECTED SPECIES Chinamanfish (Giant grouper, Queensland grouper) (Chinaman) Epinephelus lanceolatus Symphorus nematophorus

Recreational fishing identification guide 7 Inshore demersal (continued)

Red emperor Mangrove Jack (Reds) (Jacks) Lutjanus sebae Lutjanus argentimaculatus

Juvenile Crimson snapper Darktail snapper (Crimson seaperch, red snapper) (Maroon seaperch, dark tailed seaperch) Lutjanus erythropterus Lutjanus lemniscatus

Saddletail snapper Moses’ snapper (Scarlet seaperch) (Moses’ perch, fingermark bream) Lutjanus malabaricus Lutjanus russellii

Golden snapper (Fingermark seaperch, fingermark bream) Lutjanus johnii

8 Recreational fishing identification guide Stripey snapper Goldband snapper (Spanish flag, stripey seaperch) Pristipomoides multidens Lutjanus carponotatus

Brownstripe snapper Rosy snapper (Flagfish) (Rosy jobfish, crimson jobfish) Lutjanus vitta Pristipomoides filamentosus

Maori snapper Sharptooth snapper (Maori seaperch) (Sharptooth jobfish) Lutjanus rivulatus Pristipomoides typus

Recreational fishing identification guide 9 Inshore demersal (continued)

Grass emperor Spangled emperor (Black snapper, blue-lined emperor, Lethrinus nebulosus grass snapper, tricky snapper) Lethrinus laticaudis

Bluespotted emperor Redthroat emperor (Lesser spangled emperor) (Sweetlip emperor) Lethrinus punctulatus Lethrinus miniatus

Longnose emperor Yellowtail emperor (Long-nosed emperor) Lethrinus atkinsoni Lethrinus olivaceus

Redspot emperor Robinson’s seabream (Pink-eared emperor) (Robinson’s bream, Robinson’s perch) Lethrinus lentjan Gymnocranius grandoculis

10 Recreational fishing identification guide Blue morwong Painted sweetlips (Queen snapper) (Slatey bream, sweetlip) Nemadactylus valenciennesi Diagramma labiosum

Sergeant baker Rosy threadfin bream Aulopus purpurissatus Nemipterus furcosus

Sea sweep Frypan bream Scorpis aequipinnis Argyrops notialis

Bighead gurnard perch (Gurnard perch) Neosebastes pandus

Recreational fishing identification guide 11 Nearshore

No dot markings on Faint or no bars base of pectoral fin

King George whiting Southern school whiting Sillaginodes punctatus (Sand whiting, school whiting) Sillago bassensis

Western trumpeter whiting Sillago burrus Dot markings on Well defined bars base of pectoral fin

Western school whiting (Sand whiting, school whiting) Sillago vittata Goldenline whiting (Golden-lined whiting) Sillago analis

Yellowfin whiting Yellowtail scad (Sand whiting, silver whiting) (Yellowtail, yellowtail horse mackerel) Sillago schomburgkii Trachurus novaezelandiae

12 Recreational fishing identification guide Black markings on tail

Australian herring Tailor (Herring, tommy ruff) (Chopper – small tailor) Arripis georgianus Pomatomus saltatrix

Juvenile Western Australian salmon (Salmon) Snook Arripis truttaceus Sphyraena novaehollandiae Juvenile, often called salmon trout, looks like adult Australian herring but has smaller eye and pointy head

Southern garfish Yellowtail barracuda (Gardie, southern sea garfish) (Pike, striped seapike) Hyporhamphus melanochir Sphyraena obtusata

Dark blotch below dorsal fin

Lower lobe of tail fin longer Three-by-two garfish Longtom (Robust garfish, storm garfish) Family Belonidae Hemiramphus robustus

Recreational fishing identification guide 13 Nearshore (continued)

Silver trevally Golden trevally (Skipjack, skippy) (Banded trevally) Pseudocaranx georgianus Gnathanodon speciosus This includes the smaller sand trevally (P. wrightii)

Bludger trevally Giant trevally Carangoides gymnostethus (GT) Caranx ignobilis

Turrum Queenfish (Goldspotted trevally) (Queenie) Carangoides fulvoguttatus Scomberoides spp.

Common dart Chinaman rockcod Trachinotus botla (Charlie court) Epinephelus rivulatus

14 Recreational fishing identification guide Blue mackerel Sea mullet (Slimey mackerel, common mackerel) (Mullet) Scomber australasicus Mugil cephalus

Oriental bonito Bluetail mullet Sarda orientalis Valamugil buchanani

Juvenile Bluespotted goatfish Greenback mullet (Red mullet) Liza subviridis Upeneichthys vlamingii

Yelloweye mullet Diamondscale mullet (Pilch, yellow-eyed mullet) Liza vaigiensis Aldrichetta forsteri

Recreational fishing identification guide 15 Nearshore (continued)

Male

Female

Western King wrasse Banded sweep Coris auricularis Scorpis georgiana

Brownspotted wrasse Western butterfish Notolabrus parilus (Butterfish, buttery) Pentapodus vitta

Male

Female Southern maori wrasse Western striped grunter Ophthalmolepis lineolatus (Trumpeter, striped trumpeter) Pelates octolineatus

Tripletail Sea trumpeter Lobotes surinamensis Pelsartia humeralis

16 Recreational fishing identification guide 4 pectoral filaments

Mulloway Blue threadfin (River kingfish) (Bluenose threadfin salmon, blue salmon) Argyrosomus japonicus Eleutheronema tetradactylum

5 pectoral filaments Black jewfish King threadfin (Northern mulloway) (Giant threadfin salmon, giant threadfin) Protonibea diacanthus Polydactylus macrochir

Barramundi Barred javelin Lates calcarifer (Spotted javelinfish) Pomadasys kaakan

Giant sea catfish Blotched javelin (Giant salmon catfish) (Blotched javelinfish) Arius thalassinus Pomadasys maculatus

Recreational fishing identification guide 17 Nearshore (continued)

Horseshoe leatherjacket Northwest black bream Meuschenia hippocrepis (Pikey bream) Acanthopagrus palmaris

Sixspine leatherjacket Western yellowfin bream (Reef leatherjacket) (Yellowfin bream) Meuschenia freycineti Acanthopagrus morrisoni

Silver toadfish POISONOUS (North-West blowfish) Lagocephalus sceleratus

Weeping toadfish POISONOUS (Blowie, pufferfish, common blowfish) Torquigener pleurogramma

18 Recreational fishing identification guide Estuarine

Black bream Yellowtail flathead Acanthopagrus butcheri (Bartailed flathead) Platycephalus westraliae

Tarwhine Northern sand flathead (Silver bream) (Sand flathead, flag tailed flathead) Rhabdosargus sarba Platycephalus endrachtensis

Smalltooth flounder Southern bluespotted flathead Pseudorhombus jenynsii (Bluespotted flathead, southern flathead) Platycephalus speculator

Largetooth flounder Estuary cobbler Pseudorhombus arsius (Cobbler) Cnidoglanis macrocephalus

Recreational fishing identification guide 19 Pelagic

Juvenile Samsonfish Southern bluefin tuna Seriola hippos Thunnus maccoyii

Amberjack Longtail tuna Seriola dumerili (Northern bluefin tuna) Thunnus orientalis

Yellowtail kingfish Yellowfin tuna (Kingfish, kingie) Thunnus albacares Seriola lalandi

Dogtooth tuna (Doggie) Gymnosarda unicolor

20 Recreational fishing identification guide Mackerel tuna Spanish mackerel (Jack mackerel, kawakawa) (Narrow-barred Spanish mackerel) Euthynnus affinis Scomberomorus commerson

Skipjack Tuna School mackerel Katsuwonus pelamis (Queensland school mackerel, doggie) Scomberomorus queenslandicus

Shark mackerel Spotted mackerel (Scaly mackerel, salmon mackerel) (Australian spotted mackerel) Grammatorcynus bicarinatus Scomberomorus munroi

Wahoo Grey mackerel Acanthocybium solandri (Broad-barred Spanish mackerel, broad-banded mackerel) Scomberomorus semifasciatus

Recreational fishing identification guide 21 Pelagic (continued)

Cobia Black marlin (Black kingfish) Makaira indica Rachycentron canadum

Great barracuda Blue marlin Sphyraena barracuda Makaira nigricans

Mahi mahi Striped marlin (Dolphinfish) Kajikia audax Coryphaena spp.

Sailfish Istiophorus platypterus

22 Recreational fishing identification guide Sharks

Broad, angular Interdorsal upper teeth ridge

Dusky whaler Common blacktip shark Carcharhinus obscurus Carcharhinus limbatus

Narrow hook- shaped upper No interdorsal teeth ridge

Bronze whaler Whitetip reef shark Carcharhinus brachyurus Triaenodon obesus

Sandbar shark Gummy shark (Thickskin shark, northern whaler, sand shark) (Southern gummy shark) Carcharhinus plumbeus Mustelus antarcticus

Tiger shark Western spotted gummy shark Galeocerdo cuvier Mustelus stevensi

Recreational fishing identification guide 23 Sharks (continued)

Whiskery shark Greynurse shark PROTECTED SPECIES Furgaleus macki Carcharias taurus

Wobbegongs White shark PROTECTED SPECIES Family Orectolobidae Carcharodon carcharias

Port Jackson shark Sawsharks Heterodontus portusjacksoni Family Pristiophoridae

Hammerhead sharks Sawfishes PROTECTED SPECIES Family Sphyrnidae Family Pristidae

24 Recreational fishing identification guide Crustaceans

Forked antennular Antennae longer flagellum than tail

Western rock lobster Panulirus cygnus

Non-forked antennular Antennae shorter flagellum than tail

Southern rock lobster Jasus edwardsii

Pink/orange coloured Black stripe on legs base of antennae

Painted rock lobster (Tropical rock lobster, green rock lobster) Panulirus versicolor

Black and white spots on legs

Blue coloured base of antennae

Ornate rock lobster (Tropical rock lobster) Panulirus ornatus

Recreational fishing identification guide 25 Crustaceans (continued)

Blue swimmer crab (Blue manna, blue crab) Portunus armatus (formerly P. pelagicus)

Claw spines Claw spines reduced or blunt large and prominences distinct Long, narrow lobes More than Short, broad lobes One small blunt between the eyes one prominent between the eyes spine or no spines sharp spine on at all on the elbow the elbow

Green mud crab Brown mud crab (Giant mud crab) (Orange mud crab) Scylla serrata Scylla olivacea

26 Recreational fishing identification guide Molluscs

Roe’s abalone Squid Haliotis roei Order Teuthoidea

Greenlip abalone Octopus Haliotis laevigata Family Octopodidae

Brownlip abalone Cuttlefish Haliotis rubra conicopora Sepia spp.

Recreational fishing identification guide 27 Freshwater

Two different bioregions apply for freshwater species – the Northern Inland Bioregion and the Southern Inland Bioregion.

Silver cobbler Kununurra (Lake Argyle catfish, Ord River catfish) Neoarius midgleyi Broome

Port Hedland Karratha Onslow NI A sh bur Exmouth ton R iver Northern Carnarvon Inland Denham 27°S Kalbarri Western sooty grunter (Sooty grunter) Geraldton SI Hephaestus jenkinsi

Southern Eucla Perth Inland

Esperance Augusta Black Point Albany

Cherabin (Freshwater prawns) Macrobrachium rosenbergii

Redclaw (Queensland red claw crayfish) Cherax quadricarinatus

28 Recreational fishing identification guide Freshwater cobbler Redfin (Freshwater catfish) Perca fluviatilis Tandanus bostocki

Rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss

Brown trout Salmo trutta

Marron Cherax cainii

Recreational fishing identification guide 29 Index of common names

A Bluetail mullet...... 15 Amberjack...... 20 Blue threadfin...... 17 Australian herring...... 13 Blue tuskfish...... 5 Breaksea cod...... 6 B Bronze whaler...... 23 Baldchin groper...... 5 Brownlip abalone...... 27 Banded sweep...... 16 Brown mud crab...... 26 Barcheek coral trout...... 7 Brownspotted wrasse...... 16 Barramundi ...... 17 Brownstripe snapper...... 9 Barramundi cod...... 7 Brown trout...... 29 Barred javelin...... 17 Bass groper...... 3 C Bighead gurnard perch...... 11 Cherabin...... 28 Bight redfish...... 4 Chinamanfish...... 7 Black bream...... 19 Chinaman rockcod...... 14 Black jewfish...... 17 Cobia...... 22 Common blacktip shark...... 23 Black marlin...... 22 Common coral trout...... 7 Blackspotted rockcod...... 6 Common dart...... 14 Blackspot tuskfish...... 5 Crimson snapper...... 8 Blotched javelin...... 17 Cuttlefish...... 27 Bludger trevally...... 14 Bluebarred parrotfish...... 5 D Blue-eye trevalla...... 3 Darktail snapper...... 8 Blue mackerel...... 15 Diamondscale mullet...... 15 Blue marlin...... 22 Dogtooth tuna...... 20 Blue morwong...... 11 Duskytail grouper...... 6 Bluespotted emperor...... 10 Dusky whaler...... 23

Bluespotted goatfish...... 15 E Bluespotted tuskfish...... 5 Eightbar grouper...... 3 Blue swimmer crab...... 26 Estuary cobbler...... 19

30 Recreational fishing identification guide F K Flame snapper...... 3 King George whiting...... 12 Foxfish...... 4 King threadfin...... 17 Freshwater cobbler...... 29 L Frostback rockcod...... 6 Largetooth flounder...... 19 Frypan bream...... 11 Longnose emperor...... 10 G Longtail tuna...... 20 Giant sea catfish...... 17 Longtom...... 13 Giant trevally...... 14 M Goldband snapper...... 9 Mackerel tuna...... 21 Goldenline whiting...... 12 Mahi mahi...... 22 Golden snapper...... 8 Mangrove Jack...... 8 Golden trevally...... 14 Maori snapper...... 9 Goldspotted rockcod...... 6 Marron...... 29 Grass emperor...... 10 Moses’ snapper...... 8 Great barracuda...... 22 Mulloway...... 17 Greenback mullet...... 15 Greenlip abalone...... 27 N Green mud crab...... 26 Northern pearl perch...... 4 Grey mackerel...... 21 Northern sand flathead...... 19 Greynurse shark...... 24 Northwest black bream...... 18 Gummy shark...... 23 O H Octopus...... 27 Hammerhead sharks...... 24 Oriental bonito...... 15 Hapuku...... 3 Ornate rock lobster...... 25 Harlequin fish...... 7 P Horseshoe leatherjacket...... 18 Painted rock lobster...... 25 Humphead Maori wrasse ...... 5 Painted sweetlips...... 11 Pink snapper...... 4

Recreational fishing identification guide 31 Index of common names (continued)

Platycephalus speculator...... 19 Sea sweep...... 11 Port Jackson shark...... 24 Sea trumpeter...... 16 Potato rockcod...... 7 Sergeant baker...... 11 Purple tuskfish...... 5 Shark mackerel...... 21 Sharptooth snapper...... 9 Q Queenfish...... 14 Silver cobbler...... 28 Queensland groper...... 7 Silver toadfish ...... 18 Silver trevally...... 14 R Sixspine leatherjacket...... 18 Rainbow trout...... 29 Skipjack Tuna...... 21 Rankin cod...... 6 Smalltooth flounder...... 19 Redclaw...... 28 Snook...... 13 Red emperor...... 8 Southern bluefin tuna...... 20 Redfin...... 29 Southern bluespotted flathead...... 19 Redspot emperor...... 10 Southern garfish ...... 13 Redthroat emperor...... 10 Southern maori wrasse...... 16 Robinson’s seabream...... 10 Southern rock lobster...... 25 Roe’s abalone...... 27 Rosy snapper...... 9 Southern school whiting...... 12 Rosy threadfin bream...... 11 Spangled emperor...... 10 Ruby snapper...... 3 Spanish mackerel...... 21 Spotted mackerel...... 21 S Squid...... 27 Saddletail snapper...... 8 Striped marlin...... 22 Sailfish...... 22 Stripey snapper...... 9 Samsonfish...... 20 Sunburnt pigfish...... 4 Sandbar shark...... 23 Swallowtail...... 4 Sawfishes...... 24 Sawsharks...... 24 T School mackerel...... 21 Tailor...... 13 Sea mullet...... 15 Tarwhine...... 19

32 Recreational fishing identification guide Three-by-two garfish ...... 13 Yellowfin whiting...... 12 Tiger shark...... 23 Yellowspotted rockcod...... 6 Tomato rockcod...... 6 Yellowtail barracuda...... 13 Tripletail...... 16 Yellowtail emperor...... 10 Turrum...... 14 Yellowtail flathead...... 19 Yellowtail kingfish...... 20 W Yellowtail scad...... 12 Wahoo...... 21 Weeping toadfish...... 18 West Australian dhufish...... 4 Western Australian salmon (Salmon)....13 Western blue groper...... 5 Western butterfish...... 16 Western King wrasse...... 16 Western rock lobster...... 25 Western school whiting...... 12 Western sooty grunter...... 28 Western spotted gummy shark...... 23 Western striped grunter...... 16 Western trumpeter whiting...... 12 Western yellowfin bream...... 18 Whiskery shark...... 24 White shark...... 24 Whitetip reef shark...... 23 Wobbegongs...... 24

Y Yellowedge coronation trout...... 7 Yelloweye mullet...... 15 Yelloweye redfish...... 4 Yellowfin tuna...... 20

Recreational fishing identification guide 33 Before you go fishing, let someone know where you are going and contact them if your plans change. Always let them know when you return. The information in this guide is current at the date of printing, but may change. A separate guide on fishing rules is available. For the most up-to-date information on fishing, visit the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development website or contact us. The latest version of each brochure is available for download in PDF format from the website.

Produced for the Statewide Survey of Recreational Fishing in Western Australia.

Important disclaimer The Chief Executive Officer of the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development and the State of Western Australia accept no liability whatsoever by reason of negligence or otherwise arising from the use or release of this information or any part of it. Copyright © State of Western Australia (Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development), 2020 Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development Gordon Stephenson House, 140 William Street, Perth WA 6000 +61 1300 374 731 | [email protected] | dpird.wa.gov.au