To View Asset
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Baywide Monitoring of Key Fishery Species in Seagrass Beds Sub‐Program Progress Report No. 8 (November 2011) Julia Kent, Greg Jenkins and Neil Hutchinson January 2012 Fisheries Victoria Technical Report Series No. 159 If you would like to receive this Copyright The State of Victoria, Department of information/publication in an Primary Industries, 2012. accessible format (such as large This publication is copyright. No part may be reproduced by any process except in accordance print or audio) please call the with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. Customer Service Centre on: Authorised by the Victorian Government, GPO 136 186, TTY: 1800 122 969, Box 4440, Melbourne, VIC 3001 or email Printed by Fisheries Victoria, Queenscliff, [email protected] Victoria Published: Fisheries Victoria Kent, J., Jenkins, G., and Hutchinson, N. (2012). Department of Primary Baywide Monitoring of Key Fishery Species in Industries, Queenscliff Centre Seagrass Beds Sub‐Program. Progress Report No. PO Box 114, Queenscliff, Victoria 8 (November 2011). Fisheries Victoria Technical 3225 Australia. Report Series No. 159, January 2012. Fisheries Victoria, Department of Primary Industries, Queenscliff, Victoria, Australia. 10pp. General disclaimer This publication may be of assistance to you but the State of Victoria and its employees do not ISSN 1835‐4785 guarantee that the publication is without flaw of ISBN 978‐1‐74326‐096‐8 any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication. Baywide Monitoring of Key Fishery Species in Seagrass Beds Progress Report #8 ii Table of Contents List of Tables ............................................................................................................................................................ iv List of Figures........................................................................................................................................................... iv Introduction............................................................................................................ 1 This Report..................................................................................................................................................................1 Materials and Methods......................................................................................... 2 Field and laboratory methods..................................................................................................................................2 Results and Discussion ........................................................................................ 3 Species Richness ........................................................................................................................................................3 Abundance ..................................................................................................................................................................3 Comparison with previous surveys........................................................................................................................3 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................................................4 References ............................................................................................................... 5 Appendix 1 Summary Data ................................................................................. 6 Appendix 2............................................................................................................ 10 Raw data ....................................................................................................................................................................10 Data Files...................................................................................................................................................................10 Baywide Monitoring of Key Fishery Species in Seagrass Beds Progress Report #8 iii List of Tables Table 1. Average abundance (No. haul‐1; four hauls per site) of fish and squid sampled in deep and shallow seagrass beds at each site (Blairgowrie, Mud Islands and St Leonards) and total number of each species collected (species names from Gomon et al. (2008) and Museum of Victoria) in November 2011. Species not found during previous sampling events are marked in bold.................... 6 List of Figures Figure 1. CDBMP sampling sites for monitoring key fishery species in seagrass beds sub‐program. .......... 2 Figure 2. Average (+SE) species richness recorded in seagrass beds at each site in PPB from April 2008 to November 2011................................................................................................................................................... 8 Figure 3. Average (+SE) fish abundance (totalled for all species) recorded in seagrass beds at each site in PPB from April 2008 to November 2011 (NB scale change between graphs)............................................ 9 Baywide Monitoring of Key Fishery Species in Seagrass Beds Progress Report #8 iv Introduction The purpose of the Monitoring Key Fishery Species in Seagrass Beds Sub‐Program of the This Report Channel Deepening Baywide Monitoring This report summarises preliminary, qualitative Programs (CDBMP) for Port Phillip Bay (PPB) is results of the fourth spring survey (November to improve the understanding of the fish species 2011) for the sub‐program. using seagrass beds in the Bay. This sub‐ Length measurements recorded during program is described in the CDBMP Detailed November 2011, together with statistically Design: CDP_ENV_MD_018 Rev 2.1 (PoMC analysed results for the survey, will be reported 2009). in Milestone Report No. 8. The objective is to collect data on the types and abundance of fish in shallow and deeper seagrass beds that will fill existing knowledge gaps and assist in understanding the significance of any observed changes in seagrass habitat for these fish. Surveys are undertaken to compare the distribution and abundance of fish in shallow (< 1 m) and deeper (2–8 m) seagrass beds in three areas of PPB. These surveys are conducted in spring (November) and autumn (April) each year between 2008 and 2011. The autumn 2008, spring 2008, autumn 2009, spring 2009, autumn 2010, spring 2010 and autumn 2011 surveys were reported in Smith et al. (2008), Hutchinson et al. (2009a; b; 2010; 2011a; b) and Hutchinson and Jenkins (2010). Baywide Monitoring of Key Fishery Species in Seagrass Beds Progress Report #8 1 Materials and Methods Field and laboratory methods Field and laboratory methods utilised in the There were no significant field events observed. present study are described by Smith et al. (2008) No QA/QC issues were recorded during this and PoMC (2009). reporting period. During the spring 2011 study period (this report), fish were sampled in shallow (< 1 m) and deeper (2–8 m) seagrass, Heterozostera nigricaulis, beds at three sites: Blairgowrie, Mud Islands and St Leonards (Figure 1). Samples were collected between 31 October and 28 November 2011. Figure 1. CDBMP sampling sites for monitoring key fishery species in seagrass beds sub‐program. Baywide Monitoring of Key Fishery Species in Seagrass Beds Progress Report #8 2 Results and Discussion A total of 43 fish species (41 finfish, one ray and Leonards (299 fish), where abundances were one squid) from 24 families (22 families for lowest, spotted pipefish, wide‐body pipefish and finfish, one family for rays and one family for grass clingfish (Gobiesocidae Genus C sp.1) squid) were sampled for all sites. Summary data occurred in the greatest numbers. and plots for species richness and abundance at The abundance of fish (not including ray and all sites for the reporting period are provided in squid species; total for all sites) was higher in Appendix 1 (Table 1; Figs 2 and 3). Data files for shallow seagrass (3067 fish) than deep seagrass this reporting period are summarised in (466 fish). Shallow seagrass was dominated by Appendix 2. shortsnout hardyhead (1217 fish), blue sprat (629 Fish species sampled in November 2011 were fish) and smallmouth hardyhead (450 fish). indicative of those collected in and around Deep seagrass was dominated by a range of seagrass beds in previous surveys (Smith et al. species including bridled leatherjacket (147 fish), 2008; Hutchinson et al. 2009a; b; Hutchinson and little rock whiting (Neoodax balteatus; 63 fish), Jenkins 2010; Hutchinson et al. 2010; 2011a; b) spotted pipefish (56 fish) and grass clingfish (47 and in previous studies of PPB (Jenkins et al. fish). 1997; Hindell et al. 2001). Shortsnout hardyhead (Kestratherina brevirostris; atherinids), smallmouth hardyhead (Atherinosoma microstoma; atherinids), Comparison with previous blue sprat (Spratelloides robustus; clupeids), surveys spotted pipefish (Stigmatopora argus; During this survey, two species of fish were syngnathids), wide‐body pipefish (Stigmatopora sampled that were not found during the previous nigra; syngnathids) and bridled leatherjacket surveys: (Acanthaluteres spilomelanurus; monacanthids) were the dominant species. Velvetfish (Aploactisoma milesii; one fish) Silverbelly (Parequula melbournensis; one fish) Species Richness In contrast, 42 species of fish found in one or Species richness