A Preliminary Survey of Pipis (Donax Deltoides) on the New South Wales South Coast

Fisheries Research Report Series: 29

A preliminary survey of pipis (Donax deltoides) on the New South Wales South Coast

McKenzie R.D. and S.S. Montgomery

February 2012

ISSN 1837-2120

Fisheries Research Report Series

This series presents scientific and technical information on general fisheries research and the documents in the series are intended to be progress reports on ongoing investigations. Titles in this series may be cited as publications, with the correct citation on the front cover.

Fisheries Research in New South Wales

Fisheries research activities in the NSW Department of Primary Industries are based at various centres throughout the state. The studies conducted cover commercial and recreational fisheries and aquaculture, and conservation issues in coastal and riverine areas. The major role of the research is to provide information upon which relevant fisheries management policies and strategies are developed, monitored and assessed in terms of the Department’s obligations under the NSW Fisheries Management Act, 1994.

Title: A Preliminary Survey of Pipis (Donax deltoides) on the New South Wales South Coast Authors: Rob McKenzie & Steven Montgomery Published By: NSW Department of Primary Industries Postal Address: Cronulla Fisheries Research Centre of Excellence, PO Box 21, Cronulla, NSW, 2230 Internet: www.dpi.nsw.gov.au

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ISSN 1837-2120

Note: Previous issues of the ‘Fisheries Research Report Series’ (ISSN 1837-2120) have been published as follows: (i) No.’s 1 – 10: ‘NSW Fisheries Research Report Series’ (ISSN 1442-0147); (ii) No.’s 11 – 22: ‘NSW Department of Primary Industries – Fisheries Research Report Series’ (ISSN 1449-9959); (iii) No.’s 23 – 28: ‘Industry & Investment NSW – Fisheries Research Report Series’ (ISSN 1837-2120).

NSW South Coast Pipi Survey – McKenzie & Montgomery

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS...... 1

LIST OF FIGURES ...... 1

LIST OF TABLES...... 1

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS...... 2

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY...... 3 1. INTRODUCTION...... 4 2. METHODS ...... 6 3. RESULTS ...... 8 4. DISCUSSION ...... 13 5. REFERENCES...... 16

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1. Annual reported landings (tonnes) and catch per unit effort (CPUE, kg per fisher day) from 2004/05 to 2008/09 for the commercial pipi fishery in NSW. Source: Commercial catch records of the NSW Department of Primary Industries...... 5 Figure 2. Map of the south coast of New South Wales showing the extent of the survey...... 7 Figure 3. Length frequency distribution of the total catch of pipis...... 8 Figure 4. Frequency of live pipis found at each sampling site...... 8 Figure 5. Dead pipis on Termeil Beach...... 9 Figure 6. Mean number of pipis found at each beach (+ 95% Conf. Int.)...... 10 Figure 7. One site from each beach where the most number of pipis were found...... 11 Figure 8. Average length of pipis recorded on each beach (+ 95% Conf. Int.)...... 12 Figure 9. Bherwerre Beach...... 14

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1. Beach criteria for selecting number of sampling sites...... 6

LIST OF APPENDICES

APPENDIX 1. List of beaches sampled...... 18

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors would like to acknowledge the assistance of Fisheries Officers of various New South Wales south coast offices including Ian Merrington, Cherie Gross, Glenn Staples, Martin Kick and Sampson Hollywood for their assistance, ideas and advice with sampling in all weather, expert local knowledge and the provision of access to restricted beaches. Our thanks also go to several property owners north of Bermagui who allowed us to access time-saving short cuts through their properties to beaches otherwise accessed via very long walks.

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The surf clam Donax (Plebidonax) deltoides (Lamarck, 1818), commonly known as the pipi, is found on sandy coastal beaches in south eastern Australia from southern Queensland to South Australia. Typical of the Donacidae family, the population size of this species is thought to fluctuate greatly. Pipis form aggregations and live concealed beneath sand so that conventional sampling methods may collect data that are unrepresentative of the total population. The New South Wales commercial fishery for D. deltoides operates from Seven Mile Beach (Gerroa) northwards to the Queensland border. Consequently, there is some information about the distribution and relative abundance of the species on beaches in this region. Prior to this study however, little information existed for beaches south of Seven Mile Beach. This study aimed to provide preliminary information to address this knowledge gap.

A total of 108 beaches were surveyed from Seven Mile Beach to Eden by sampling for 15 minutes at each sampling site on a beach. The number of sites sampled on a beach depended upon the number of access points and whether there was four wheel drive access to the beach. Live pipis were found on 67% of these beaches but on an additional 11% of beaches dead pipis were recorded. Numbers of pipis varied greatly among sample sites within a beach and among beaches. Up to 35 pipis were sampled at a site however the mean number found on a beach was 4.3 (± 0.6 SE) live pipis. There was less variability in the size composition of pipis among beaches than was observed for relative abundance. Pipi lengths ranged between 6 and 62 millimetres (mm) with a mean of 32 mm.

The rapid sampling technique used in this survey was successful in providing a preliminary description of the distribution and abundance of pipis on the New South Wales south coast and has provided information about the length ranges of pipis on beaches. Observations made during the survey lead to the following hypotheses; (i) the relative abundance of pipi stocks changes geographically, (ii) pipis may occur seaward of the swash zone, (iii) the East Australian Current and other coastal currents may influence the dispersal and settlement of pipis and (iv) environmental factors including predation impact pipi stocks. These hypotheses need to be tested through further research.

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1. INTRODUCTION

Surf clam species are harvested from exposed surf beaches on all continents except Antarctica (McLachlan et al. 1996). They belong to one of four families (Veneridae, Solenidae, Donacidae or Mesodermatidae) and are often characterized by highly fluctuating population sizes (Castilla & Defeo, 2001; Defeo, 2003; McLachlan et al., 1996). Most populations world-wide are harvested by hand or with a shovel (Castilla and Defeo 2001). Species of Donacidae support recreational and commercial fisheries in Europe, Asia, Australia and the Americas (McLachlan et al., 1996).

Fluctuations in population sizes of surf clam species may be caused by environmental variables such as water temperature, salinity and beach topography and, or anthropogenic impacts (Castilla & Defeo, 2001; Defeo, 2003; McLachlan et al., 1996). In the case of the latter, this can result from impacting on the environment or through over harvesting. Some species form dense aggregations that can be easily harvested at a low cost making them susceptible to over-exploitation (Castilla & Defeo, 2001; James & Fairweather, 1996). Further, in many species recruitment is highly variable which complicates both assessment of their potential productivity and management decisions to ensure sustainability (Murray-Jones & Steffe, 2000).

The Donacid surf clam Donax (Plebidonax) deltoides (Lamarck, 1818), commonly known as the pipi, is found on sandy coastal beaches in south eastern Australia from southern Queensland to South Australia (James & Fairweather, 1995; Murray-Jones & Ayre, 1997; O'Connor & O'Connor, 2011). Pipis spawn throughout the year and following a planktonic larval stage settle on high- energy beaches where they form intertidal and subtidal aggregations (Murray-Jones & Steffe, 2000; O'Connor & O'Connor, 2011). Like other surf clam species, pipis are characterised by large temporal and spatial fluctuations in relative abundance, live concealed beneath sand and form aggregations (Murray-Jones, 1999; Murray-Jones & Steffe, 2000). Conventional sampling methods may therefore collect data that are unrepresentative of the total population (Murray-Jones, 1999).

Pipis are a popular bait species for recreational fishers and have been commercially harvested since the 1950s (Murray-Jones & Steffe, 2000). The annual reported landings and catch per unit effort (CPUE) for pipis by the commercial fishery have fallen steadily from 568 tonnes (t) and 109 kilograms per day (kg/day) respectively in 2005 to 31.8 t and 29.4 kg/day respectively in 2009 (Fig. 1). In response to declining catches of pipis, a body of fishers operating for pipis in the New South Wales (NSW) commercial fishing zone 4 (the Shellfish Quality Assurance Association (SQAA)) self-imposed a minimum size limit of pipis (40 mm) and a seasonal closure from January to June. In 2011, the NSW government supported this action by placing a total closure on the commercial harvesting of pipis from March to June 2011 and from December 2011 to May 2012. In addition, a minimum commercial size limit of 40 mm and a catch limit of 40 kg per fishing event were introduced for 2011. Information on the distribution, abundance and size structure of pipi populations is fundamental to determining the cause of the decrease in landings and to establishing appropriate management arrangements for the fishery (Murray-Jones, 1999).

In New South Wales, little is known about the distribution, abundance and size structure of pipi populations south of Sydney as 99% of the commercial catch is taken north of Sydney (Murray- Jones & Steffe, 2000). To assist in filling this gap, a preliminary survey of pipis was done on beaches on the south coast of NSW. The aim of the survey was to provide preliminary information on the distribution, relative abundance and length composition of pipis on beaches along the south coast of NSW.

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600 120 Catch 500 CPUE 100

400 80

300 60

200 40 (kg/day) CPUE Total Catch Weight (t) Weight Catch Total 100 20

0 0 2004/05 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 Fiscal Year

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2. METHODS

The survey took place during August and November 2011 between Eden and Gerroa (Fig. 2). Each beach was assigned an identifying number in ascending order from the southern most beach (Aslings Beach) to the northern most beach (Seven Mile Beach). The number of sampling sites on a beach was determined by the number of access points to each beach (Table 1). On beaches longer than 3 kilometres (km) with four-wheel-drive (4WD) vehicle access, sampling sites were located at each end of the beach and at points ¼ and ¾ along the length of the beach. The exception to this was Seven Mile Beach which was sampled at five sites due to its comparatively long length (12 km). On beaches less than 3 km long with 4WD access, sampling sites were located at each end and the middle of the beach. On beaches without 4WD access, the number of sampling sites was determined by the number of access points along the beach. Beaches less than 300 m long had only one sampling site irrespective of the number of access points.

Table 1. Beach criteria for selecting number of sampling sites.

Criteria No. of sample sites

4WD access > 3 km long 4 4WD access < 3 km long 3 No 4WD access Determined by access points < 300 m long 1

Sampling occurred in daylight hours for two hours either side of low tide and involved digging with hands to a depth of approximately 20 centimetres (cm) from the swash zone to the high tide mark in order to rapidly locate pipis. Fifteen minutes was spent sampling at each site after which time the number and lengths of pipis found were recorded. Pipis were measured along the widest point of the shell to the nearest millimetre using callipers (Cranfield et al., 1993; Saenger et al., 1990). The presence of dead pipis on beaches where no live specimens were found was also recorded. Beach steepness, sand coarseness and levels of erosion were also noted at each beach. The majority of the sampling was conducted by one person however in instances where more than one person was sampling the number of pipis collected was divided by the number of people sampling.

6 Fisheries Research Report Series: No. 29 NSW South Coast Pipi Survey – McKenzie & Montgomery

150°0'0"E 150°25'0"E 150°50'0"E

" Nowra

35°0'0"S 35°0'0"S

Sussex Inlet "

Ulladulla "

35°25'0"S 35°25'0"S

Bawley Point "

Batemans Bay "

35°50'0"S 35°50'0"S

Congo "

y e v Tasman Sea r u S Narooma " f o

36°15'0"S t 36°15'0"S n e t x E

Bermagui "

36°40'0"S 36°40'0"S Tathra "

Merimbula " .

05 1020304050607080 Eden " 37°5'0"S 37°5'0"S Kilometres

150°0'0"E 150°25'0"E 150°50'0"E

Figure 2. Map of the south coast of New South Wales showing the extent of the survey.

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3. RESULTS

A total of 108 beaches were sampled during the survey. The majority of the beaches (63%) had one sampling site whilst 23% and 11% of the beaches had two and three sampling sites respectively. Only three beaches had four or more sites. A total of 867 live pipis were found and measured with an average length of 32 mm. Lengths of pipis ranged from 6 to 62 mm and modal lengths were 12 and 51 mm (Fig. 3). Live pipis were found on 67% of beaches however dead pipis were found on a further 11% of beaches. The modal number of live pipis recorded at a single site was one but up to 35 live pipis were recorded at some sites (Fig. 4). Dead pipis were found at 23 of the 56 sites where no live pipis were recorded.

Frequency 10

0 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 Length (mm)

Figure 3. Length frequency distribution of the total catch of pipis.

Frequency 20

0 0 2 4 6 8 10121416182022242628303234 No. of pipis found

Figure 4. Frequency of live pipis found at each sampling site.

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There was variability in the number of pipis counted among sites within a beach (Fig. 6). Despite large confidence intervals which precluded any significant patterns in pipi abundance being identified, the following observations can be made. Figure seven shows the site where the most number of pipis were found at each beach. The beaches with the most number of pipis found (35) at any site were Bengello Beach and Bherwerre Beach (Beaches 62 & 100 respectively) (Fig. 7). Four of the five beaches with 30 or more pipis found at any site were greater than 6 km long. The exception was Cemetery Beach (Beach 37) near Narooma (approximately 700 m long) where 30 pipis were found. The number of pipis found on beaches south of Narooma was less than beaches north of this point. Variability in sizes among or between sites within a beach again resulted in large confidence intervals suggesting no significant difference in mean sizes among beaches (Fig. 8). The largest individual pipi (62 mm) was also recorded at Bherwerre Beach.

The only beach where mass mortality was observed was at Termeil Beach (Beach 84) (Fig. 5). Despite the large number of dead pipis, 21 live pipis with an average size of 41.6 mm were recorded at the sampling site located close to the dead pipis on this beach. No pipis were found on steep, reflective beaches with coarse sand. These beaches included Gannet and Cormorant Beach at Bawley Point and Middle Beach near Merimbula (Beaches 81, 82 and 6 respectively). There were few pipis on beaches where erosion had created steep swash zones. These beaches included Brou Beach near Narooma and Wairo Beach near Ulladulla (Beaches 47 and 86 respectively).

Figure 5. Dead pipis on Termeil Beach

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30 Average no. of pipis of no. Average 20 Mean no. of pipis no. of pipis Mean

1 4 7 101316192225283134374043464952555861646770737679828588919497100103106 Eden Gerroa Beach Number

Figure 6. Mean number of pipis found at each beach (+ 95% Conf. Int.).

One sampling site , Two sampling sites , Three sampling sites , Four sampling sites , Five sampling sites

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No. of No. pipis found 15 No. of pipis found No. of pipis

0 1 4 7 101316192225283134374043464952555861646770737679828588919497100103106 Eden Beach Number Gerroa

Figure 7. One site from each beach where the most number of pipis were found.

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120

100

) 80

Average (mm length 40 Average length (mm)

0 1 4 7 101316192225283134374043464952555861646770737679828588919497100103106 Eden Beach Number Gerroa

Figure 8. Average length of pipis recorded on each beach (+ 95% Conf. Int.).

One sampling site , Two sampling sites , Three sampling sites , Four sampling sites , Five sampling sites

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4. DISCUSSION

This survey documented the distribution of pipis on the New South Wales south coast and highlighted the variability that can be expected when designing surveys to more precisely measure relative abundance and size composition of Donax deltoides on beaches in this region. Furthermore, this is the longest continuous stretch of coastline in Australia to be surveyed for pipis and the first time such a study has been conducted in Australia. The beaches in this survey were not rigorously sampled and therefore the results of this survey should be interpreted cautiously. These preliminary results show that pipis can be found on the majority of beaches south of Gerringong and that there is variability in the numbers at different sites across a beach. The size range of pipis on beaches was large but appeared consistent among beaches.

Observations from the survey suggest that the relative abundance of pipis declines south of Narooma. Only 83 live pipis were recorded south of Narooma compared to 784 north of that point. Murray – Jones and Ayre (1997) concluded that the population of D. deltoides on the east coast of Australia was a single stock and suggested that there was a bidirectional flow of larvae transported by coastal currents. This is supported by a recently completed study that used microsatellite DNA technology to show that the DNA composition of pipis was homogeneous along the east coast of Australia (Miller et al., 2011).

The single population structure and apparent lower relative abundances of pipis south of Narooma may be linked to the action of the East Australian Current (EAC). The EAC is a complex, poleward flowing current of warm water that separates into counter-clockwise eddies south of Point Plomer (31°S, 152°E) (Huyer et al., 1988; Murray-Jones & Ayre, 1997; Suthers et al., 2011). The structure and flow of the EAC fluctuates on both short and long temporal scales (Huyer et al., 1988). The EAC flows southwards down the NSW coast until Smoky Cape where the current tends to break up into a series of eddies which may continue to move southwards or return north and flow back into the EAC (Suthers et al., 2011). Cold core eddies that entrain coastal waters are considered to be a vital environmental factor contributing to the survival of larvae (Suthers et al., 2011). Moreover, Murray Jones & Ayre (1997) suggested that the larval phase of D. deltoides was long enough to allow dispersal and genetic flow from stocks separated by up to 1200 km. Hence, pipi larvae spawned in northern NSW may be transported along the entire length of the NSW coast.

Water temperature has been identified as one of the passive settlement cues that soft-sediment invertebrates use to extend their larval phase to facilitate the settlement of individuals after the initial dispersal phase (Alfaro, 2005; Butman & Nihoul, 1986; Snelgrove et al., 1999). Furthermore, water temperature has been shown to affect rates of mortality in surf clam populations (Riascos et al., 2009). We hypothesise that the EAC plays a significant role in the patterns of settlement and rates of mortality in pipi stocks in New South Wales by influencing coastal sea temperatures and larval transport.

James and Fairweather (1995) successfully used a technique called ‘finger dredging’ to rapidly sample pipis on an east Australian beach. This method was initially trialled in this study but was abandoned as the scarcity of pipis at most locations made it inefficient at sampling pipis within the short sampling time. We therefore adopted a sampling regime that would provide representative data on the geographical distribution of pipis among beaches and over a large section of coastline. Our sampling was across the beach between the high tide mark and the swash zone in up to knee deep water and so would have missed any pipis in deeper water. Hydraulic dredges and divers have been used in other studies to sample surf clam species in water up to six metres deep in New Zealand (Cranfield & Michael, 1996). Anecdotal evidence however, suggests that pipis do not inhabit these depths on NSW beaches. It is recommended that future studies utilise techniques that enable sampling to occur in deeper water beyond the swash zone to further understand the distribution and movement of pipis on NSW beaches.

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It was observed during the survey that few pipis were found on steep, reflective beaches with coarse sand. This observation supports the Habitat Harshness Hypothesis (HHH) which states that on reflective beaches, organisms expend more energy on maintenance rather than on growth and fecundity due to the harshness of the environment (Delgado & Defeo, 2007). In contrast, wide, flat beaches such as Bherwerre Beach (Beach 100) were characterised by both large numbers and sizes of live pipis. These observations are consistent with previous studies which found that surf beaches with low gradients are the preferred habitat of surf clams (Michael et al., 1990). Of the 167 sites sampled, sites on Bherwerre Beach recorded the largest average size (57 mm) and largest pipi (62 mm) during the survey. This beach is characterised by an extremely flat profile and is exposed to significant wave energy (Fig. 9) (Short, 2007). In addition, Bherwerre Beach is likely to be subject to less fishing effort by recreational fishers due difficult access.

Figure 9. Bherwerre Beach.

Several factors may have contributed to the fact that only dead pipis were found on 11% of beaches. These include:

(i) Live pipis were so sparse that our sampling intensity was not great enough to detect them (ii) Fishers had harvested most of the pipis in our survey area and left empty shells or had brought pipis from other beaches to use as bait and left the shells (iii) An environmental factor had impacted upon the stocks of pipis on these beaches (iv) Live pipis occurred on the beach but were currently absent.

Our sampling intensity was large enough to find live pipis on 67% of beaches. It is possible that pipis were present in the subtidal zone which we did not sample and therefore only dead pipis were observed on some beaches. In addition, live pipis may have been present but not located because abundances were too low to be detected by our sampling intensity. Some beaches were sampled near access points where recreational fishing effort is highest (Murray-Jones & Steffe 2000). This

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may have impacted our results if fishing lowered pipi abundances or if fishers had brought pipi as bait to the beach and left empty shells. The vast majority of the beaches sampled however were not subject to commercial harvesting and it is unlikely that recreational harvesting would have reduced the number of pipis to the point where it appeared that pipis were absent from the beach. Several studies have suggested that environmental factors such as temperature fluctuations and reduced salinity can cause high rates of mortality in surf clam stocks (e.g. Defeo and McLachlan 2005). We have no information from which to determine whether such factors influenced the results of our survey. The mass mortality at Termeil Beach was possibly caused by an environmental anomaly as a large number of pipis were impacted within a relatively small area. It is therefore important to measure environmental parameters in future studies to better understand the impact of environmental factors on pipi stocks as part of a broader management strategy.

This study did not use sieving, so smaller pipis may have gone undetected and therefore be underrepresented in samples (Murray-Jones, 1999). Sieving sand samples through fine mesh would assist in locating pipis up to 0.25 mm long (James & Fairweather, 1995; Murray-Jones, 1999; Saenger et al., 1990) and is recommended for further studies as a more precise method of estimating not only the relative abundance but also the size structure of pipis on beaches. The rapid sampling technique used in this survey was successful in providing a preliminary description of the distribution and abundance of pipis on the New South Wales south coast and has provided information about the length ranges of pipis on beaches. Observations made during the survey lead to the following hypotheses:

The relative abundance of pipis stocks changes geographically Pipis may occur seaward of the swash zone The East Australian Current and other coastal currents influence the dispersal and settlement of pipis Environmental factors including predation impact pipi stocks

Further research is required to address these hypotheses.

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5. REFERENCES

Alfaro, A. C. (2005). Effect of water flow and oxygen concentration on early settlement of the New Zealand green-lipped mussel, Perna canaliculus. Aquaculture, 246(1–4), 285–294. Butman, C. A., & Nihoul, J. C. J. (1986). Larval Settlement of Soft-Sediment Invertebrates: Some Predictions Based on an Analysis of Near-Bottom Velocity Profiles. In Elsevier Oceanography Series (Volume 42 ed., pp. 487–513): Elsevier. Castilla, J. C., & Defeo, O. (2001). Latin American benthic shellfisheries: emphasis on co- management and experimental practices. Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries, 11(1), 1–30. Cranfield, H. J., & Michael, K. P. (1996). Growth rates of five species of subtidal clam on a beach in the South Island, New Zealand. Marine and Freshwater Research, 47(6), 773–784. Cranfield, H. J., Michael, K. P., & Stotter, D. R. (1993). Estimates of Growth, Mortality and Yield Per Recruit for New Zealand Surf Clams. New Zealand Ministry for Agriculture and Fisheries. 93/20. pp. Defeo, O. (2003). Marine invertebrate fisheries in sandy beaches: an overview. Journal of Coastal Research, 56–65. Delgado, E., & Defeo, O. (2007). Tisular and population level responses to habitat harshness in sandy beaches: the reproductive strategy of Donax hanleyanus. Marine Biology, 152(4), 919– 927. Huyer, A., Smith, R. L., Stabeno, P. J., Church, J. A., & White, N. J. (1988). Currents off south- eastern Australia: results from the Australian coastal experiment. Marine and Freshwater Research, 39(3), 245–288. James, R. J., & Fairweather, P. G. (1995). Comparison of rapid methods for sampling the pipi, Donax deltoides (Bivalvia: Donacidae), on sandy ocean beaches. Marine and Freshwater Research, 46(7), 1093–1099. James, R. J., & Fairweather, P. G. (1996). Spatial Variation of Intertidal Macrofauna on a Sandy Ocean Beach in Australia. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 43(1), 81–107. McLachlan, A., Dugan, J. E., Defeo, O., Ansell, A. D., Hubbard, D. M., Jaramillo, E., & Penchaszadeh, P. E. (1996). Beach clam fisheries. Oceanography and Marine Biology: an annual review, 34. Michael, K. P., Olsen, G. P., Hvid, B. T., & Cranfield, H. J. (1990). Design and Performance of Two Hydraulic Subtidal Clam Dredges in New Zealand. N. Z. Fisheries Technical Report. 21. pp. 16. Miller, A., Versace, V., Matthews, T., & Bowie, K. (2011). The development of 20 microsatellite loci for the Australian marine mollusk, Donax deltoides, through next generation DNA sequencing. Conservation Genetics Resources, 1–4. Murray-Jones, S. (1999). Conservation and Management in Variable Environments: The Surf Clam, Donax deltoides. The University of Wollongong. Murray-Jones, S., & Ayre, D. J. (1997). High Levels of Gene Flow in the Surf Bivalve Donax deltoides (Bivalvia: Donacidae) on the East Coast of Australia. Marine Biology, 128, 83–89. Murray-Jones, S., & Steffe, A. S. (2000). A comparison between the commercial and recreational fisheries of the surf clam, Donax deltoides. Fisheries Research, 44(3), 219–233. O'Connor, W. A., & O'Connor, S. J. (2011). Early ontogeny of the pipi, Donax (Plebidonax) deltoides (Donacidae; Bivalvia). Molluscan Research, 31(1), 53–56. Riascos, J. M., Carstensen, D., Laudien, J., Arntz, W. E., Oliva, M. E., Gantner, A., & Heilmayer, O. (2009). Thriving and declining: climate variability shaping life-history and population

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persistence of Mesodesma donacium in the Humboldt Upwelling System. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 385, 151–163. Saenger, P., Keyte, P., & University of New England – Northern Rivers. Centre for Coastal, M. (1990). Preliminary survey of pipi populations on selected beaches of Northern NSW: Centre for Coastal Management, University of New England, Northern Rivers. Short, A. D. (2007). Beaches of the New South Wales Coast. Sydney: Sydney University Press. Snelgrove, P. V. R., Grassle, J. P., Grassle, J. F., Petrecca, R. F., & Ma, H. (1999). In Situ Habitat Selection by Settling Larvae of Marine Soft-Sediment Invertebrates. Limnology and Oceanography, 44(5), 1341–1347. Suthers, I. M., Young, J. W., Baird, M. E., Roughan, M., Everett, J. D., Brassington, G. B., Byrne, M., Condie, S. A., Hartog, J. R., & Hassler, C. S. (2011). The strengthening East Australian Current, its eddies and biological effects – an introduction and overview. Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography, 58(5), 538–546.

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APPENDIX 1. List of beaches sampled.

Beach Number No. of Sampling Sites Beach Average no. of pipis 95 % Conf. Int. Most Pipis Found Average Length (mm) 95 % Conf. Int. Dead Found 1 3 Aslings Beach 1.0 2.1 2 20.8 31.2 Y 2 1 Haycocks Beach 1.0 0.0 1 28.0 0.0 Y 3 1 Haycocks Beach (Quondolo Point) 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 N 4 1 Terrace Beach 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 Y 5 3 Pambula/Merimbula Beach Beach 6.3 9.2 9 30.1 36.8 6 1 Middle Beach 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 N 7 1 Short Point Beach 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 N 8 1 Tura Beach 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 N 9 2 North Tura Beach (Nth of Tura Head) 0.5 1.5 1 31.0 61.4 Y 10 1 South Bournda Beach 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 Y 11 1 Hobart Beach 5.0 0.0 5 27.2 0.0 12 1 Wallagoot Lake Entrance 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 Y 13 2 Tathra Beach 2.5 7.4 5 26.2 31.6 Y 14 1 Mogareeka (Bega River Entrance) 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 Y 15 2 Nelson Beach 1.5 2.5 2 25.7 35.1 16 1 Cowdroys Beach 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 N 17 1 Gillards Beach 7.0 0.0 7 37.6 0.0 18 1 Middle Beach 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 N 19 1 Picnic Beach 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 N 20 1 Aragunnu Beach 5.0 0.0 5 49.8 0.0 21 1 Goalen Head South 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 Y 22 1 Bunga Beach 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 Y 23 1 Barraga Bay Beach 1.0 0.0 1 38.0 0.0 24 1 Mills Beach 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 N 25 2 Cuttagee Beach 3.0 5.9 3 21.5 35.8 26 2 Barragoot Beach 1.5 2.5 2 34.7 37.6 N 27 2 Beares Beach 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 N 28 1 Main Beach 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 N

Fisheries Research Report Series: No. 29 Page 18

Beach Number No. of Sampling Sites Beach Average no. of pipis 95 % Conf. Int. Most Pipis Found Average Length (mm) 95 % Conf. Int. Dead Found 29 1 Moorhead Beach 1.0 0.0 1 34.0 0.0 30 3 Haywards Beach 3.0 6.3 6 28.6 35.7 31 2 Wallaga Beach 2.0 5.9 4 29.4 47.8 Y 32 1 Little Lake Beach 9.0 0.0 9 42.1 0.0 33 1 1080 Beach 1.0 0.0 1 47.0 0.0 34 1 Poole Beach 2.0 0.0 2 28.5 0.0 35 1 Mystery Bay Beach 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 N 36 1 Loader Beach 1.0 0.0 1 39.0 0.0 37 1 Fuller Beach 6.0 0.0 6 30.2 0.0 38 2 Handkerchief Beach 6.5 11.4 9 27.7 33.0 39 1 Cemetery Beach 32.0 0.0 32 29.6 0.0 40 1 Narooma Beach 8.0 0.0 8 26.6 0.0 41 2 Bar Beach 6.0 8.0 7 21.9 29.0 42 1 Carters Beach 2.0 0.0 2 30.5 0.0 43 1 Kianga (S) Beach 9.0 0.0 9 30.1 0.0 44 2 Kianga Beach 10.5 19.3 15 29.5 32.1 45 1 Duesburys Beach 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 N 46 1 Yabbara Beach 1.0 0.0 1 43.0 0.0 47 3 Brou Beach 10.7 29.7 30 14.9 17.6 48 2 Jemisons Beach 1.5 2.5 2 29.3 31.7 49 2 Potato Beach 9.5 14.4 12 26.9 32.2 50 1 Picaninny Beach 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 N 51 2 South Tuross Beach 6.0 9.9 8 33.6 44.0 52 1 Main Beach 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 Y 53 2 One Tree Beach 1.0 1.0 1 38.5 41.4 54 1 Plantation Beach 4.0 0.0 4 26.5 0.0 55 3 Bingie Beach 3.0 7.9 8 36.9 45.3 56 2 Kellys Lake Beach 17.5 24.4 21 26.7 30.4 57 1 Beach 576 8.0 0.0 8 33.3 0.0 58 2 South Meringo Beach 8.0 11.9 10 32.3 39.8 59 2 North Meringo Beach 4.5 5.5 5 42.9 49.2 60 2 Congo Beach 3.0 3.0 3 37.3 43.0 61 2 Pedro Beach 1.0 1.0 1 36.0 36.0 Y

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Beach Number No. of Sampling Sites Beach Average no. of pipis 95 % Conf. Int. Most Pipis Found Average Length (mm) 95 % Conf. Int. Dead Found 62 2 Moruya Heads Beach 5.5 10.4 8 36.4 42.2 Y 63 4 Bengello Beach 22.0 31.6 35 36.8 40.3 64 2 Broulee Beach 2.0 5.9 4 26.6 40.7 N 65 1 Tomakin Beach 6.0 0.0 6 13.5 0.0 66 3 Barlings Beach 6.7 13.2 20 24.6 32.6 Y 67 1 Rosedale Beach 9.0 0.0 9 38.3 0.0 68 1 McKenzies Beach 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 N 69 1 Malua Beach 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 N 70 1 Wimbie Beach 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 Y 71 1 Surf Beach 3.0 0.0 3 10.7 0.0 72 1 Caseys Beach 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 N 73 3 Corrigans Beach 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 N 74 3 Long Beach 15.7 28.8 28 27.7 32.1 75 3 Maloneys Beach 1.3 3.1 3 21.0 36.9 N 76 1 Merry Beach 3.0 0.0 3 39.0 0.0 77 2 Kioloa Beach 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 Y 78 1 Shell Beach 2.0 0.0 2 28.0 0.0 79 1 Racecourse Beach 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 Y 80 1 Murramarang Beach 21.0 0.0 21 32.4 0.0 81 1 Gannet Beach 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 Y 82 1 Cormorant Beach 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 N 83 1 Bawley Beach 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 N 84 1 Termeil Beach 21.0 0.0 21 41.6 0.0 85 1 Tabourie Lake Beach (Sth of Island) 10.0 0.0 10 26.1 0.0 86 2 Wairo Beach 2.5 3.5 3 32.6 40.2 87 1 Burrill Beach 2.0 0.0 2 33.5 0.0 88 1 Racecourse Beach 4.0 0.0 4 16.3 0.0 89 1 Rennies Beach 16.0 0.0 16 43.1 0.0 90 3 Mollymook Beach 1.0 3.0 3 21.6 39.8 91 1 Narrawallee Beach 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 N 92 3 Conjola Beach 9.0 11.4 11 48.0 52.5 93 1 Buckleys Beach 15.0 0.0 15 35.6 0.0 94 1 Cunjarong Beach 2.0 0.0 2 36.5 0.0

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Beach Number No. of Sampling Sites Beach Average no. of pipis 95 % Conf. Int. Most Pipis Found Average Length (mm) 95 % Conf. Int. Dead Found 95 2 Inyadda Beach 1.5 4.4 3 29.5 50.5 96 1 Washerwomans Beach 1.0 0.0 1 30.0 0.0 Y 97 1 Monument Beach 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 N 98 1 Berrara Beach 5.0 0.0 5 38.0 0.0 99 1 Cudmirrah Beach 6.0 0.0 6 50.5 0.0 100 4 Bherwerre Beach 15.5 30.0 35 50.0 52.8 101 1 Hyams Beach 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 N 102 1 Collingwood Beach 8.0 0.0 8 40.8 0.0 103 2 Callala Beach 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 N 104 1 Long Beach 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 N 105 3 Currarong Beach 11.3 13.9 14 33.9 39.0 106 1 Warrain Beach 0.0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 Y 107 1 Culburra Beach 7.0 0.0 7 37.7 0.0 108 5 Seven Mile Beach 15.0 26.2 30 36.7 40.0

Fisheries Research Report Series: No. 29 Page 21 Other titles in the series

Other titles in this series:

ISSN 1442-0147 (NSW Fisheries Research Report Series)

No. 1 Otway, N.M. and Parker, P.C., 1999. A review of the biology and ecology of the grey nurse shark (Carcharias taurus) Rafinesque 1810. 36pp. No. 2 Graham, K.J., 1999. Trawl fish length-weight relationships from data collected during FRV Kapala surveys. 105pp. No. 3 Steffe, A.S., Chapman, D.J. and Murphy, J.J., 1999. A description of the charter fishing boat industry operating in the coastal and estuarine waters of New South Wales during 1997-98. 33pp. No. 4 Reid, D.D. and Smith, I.R., 1998. The 1998 Pacific oyster survey. 14pp. No. 5 Walford, T. and Pease, B., 2000. Strategies and techniques for sampling adult anguillid eels. Proceedings of a workshop held at FRI, Cronulla, Australia, August 1999. 176pp. No. 6 Heasman, M. and Lyall, I., 2000. Proceedings of the workshop held on 3 March 2000 at the Sydney Fish Markets: Problems of producing and marketing the flat oyster Ostrea angasi in NSW. 57pp. No. 7 Heasman, M., 2003. Proceedings of the Sydney Rock Oyster Hatchery Workshop held on 8 and 9 August 2002 at Port Stephens, NSW. 164pp. No. 8 Allan, G.A., 2003. Proceedings of the Aquafin CRC Snapper Workshop held on 26 September 2002 at the Convention Centre, Melbourne (Aquafin CRC 2001/208). 107pp. No. 9 Faragher, R.A., 2004. Hooking mortality of trout: a summary of scientific services. 9pp. No. 10 Daly, T., 2004. Summary of Proceedings from the Perkinsus Workshop held at the Cronulla Fisheries Centre on 3 September 2003. 32pp.

ISSN 1449-9959 (NSW Department of Primary Industries - Fisheries Research Report Series)

No. 11 Baumgartner, L., 2005. Fish in Irrigation Supply Offtakes: A literature review. 22pp. No. 12 Ganassin, C. and Gibbs, P., 2005. Descriptions of the wildlife species that commonly occur in the marine and estuarine waters of NSW. 88pp. No. 13 Nell, J., 2006. Manual for mass selection of Sydney rock oysters for fast growth and disease resistance. 57pp + 110pp attachments. No. 14 Gilligan, D. and Rayner, T., 2007. The distribution, spread, ecological impacts and potential control of carp in the upper Murray River. 25pp. No. 15 Baumgartner, L., 2007. Fish communities of the Nepean River in the vicinity of Pheasants Nest Weir. 18pp. No. 16 Gilligan, D., 2007. Annual progress report towards achievement of the Lower Murray Darling Catchment Action Plan 2004 – 2015: Fish Community Monitoring 2005/06. 42pp. No. 17 Gale, R., Silberschneider, V. and Stewart, J., 2007. A biological and economic assessment of the 2001 change in the Minimum Legal Length (MLL) of snapper in NSW. Report to the NSW Ocean Trap & Line Management Advisory Committee, December 2007. 43 pp. No. 18 Rowling, K., 2008. Review of ‘Bobbin Gear’ in the NSW Ocean Trawl Fishery. 15 pp. No. 19 Baumgartner, L., Cameron, L., Faragher, B. and Pogonoski, J., 2008. An assessment of the trout fishery in Oberon Dam and the Fish River. 23pp.

22 Fisheries Research Report Series: No. 29 Other titles in the series

No. 20 O’Connor, W., Dove, M., Finn, B. and O’Connor, S., 2008. Manual for hatchery production of Sydney rock oysters (Saccostrea glomerata). 53pp. No. 21 Gillson, J.P., Scandol, J.P. and Suthers, I.M., 2008. Impacts of freshwater flow on catch rates of estuarine fisheries resources in New South Wales. 66pp. No. 22 Gilligan, D., 2008. Lower Murray-Darling Catchment Action Plan 2004 – 2016: Fish community monitoring report card for 2006/07. 58pp.

ISSN 1837-2120 (Industry & Investment NSW – Fisheries Research Report Series)

No. 23 Ghosn, D., 2009. Data summary from the monitoring of Australian bass and native fisheries via competition-based angling in NSW: 1988 – 2008. Interim Report. 74pp. No. 24 Gilligan, D., 2009. Lower Murray-Darling Catchment Action Plan: Fish Community Monitoring Report Card for 2008/09. 62pp. No. 25 Knight, J.T. 2010. Penrith Lakes Fish Scheme – 2009 Fish Monitoring Program. 69pp. No. 26 Stewart, J., Ballinger, G. and Ferrell, D., 2010. Review of the biology and fishery for Australian sardines (Sardinops sagax) in New South Wales – 2010. 59pp. No. 27 Stewart, J., Rowling, K., Hegarty, A-M. and Nuttall, A, 2010. Size and age at sexual maturity of snapper Pagrus auratus in New South Wales 2008/09. 38pp No. 28 Gilligan, D., 2010. Lower Murray-Darling Catchment Action Plan: Fish Community Monitoring Report Card for 2009/10. 62 pp.

ISSN 1837-2120 (Fisheries Research Report Series)

No. 29 McKenzie, R.D. and Montgomery, S.S., 2012. A preliminary survey of pipis (Donax deltioides) on the New South Wales south coast. 23pp.

Fisheries Research Report Series: No. 29 23