5th Meeting of the Scientific Committee Shanghai, China, 23 - 28 September 2017 SC5-INF09 Review of the life history characteristics, ecology and fisheries for deep-water tropical demersal fish in the Indo-Pacific region S. J. Newman, A. Williams, C. B. Wakefield, S.J. Nicol, B. Taylor & J.M. O’Malley 15 Sept 2017 SC5-INF09 Review of the life history characteristics, ecology and fisheries for deep-water tropical demersal fish in the Indo-Pacific region Stephen J. Newman, Ashley J. Williams, Corey B. Wakefield, Simon J. Nicol, Brett M. Taylor & Joseph M. O’Malley Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries ISSN 0960-3166 Rev Fish Biol Fisheries DOI 10.1007/s11160-016-9442-1 1 23 15 Sept 2017 SC5-INF09 Your article is protected by copyright and all rights are held exclusively by Her majesty the Queen in Right of Australia. This e-offprint is for personal use only and shall not be self- archived in electronic repositories. 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O’Malley Received: 16 December 2015 / Accepted: 27 June 2016 Ó Her majesty the Queen in Right of Australia 2016 Abstract Deep-water tropical fishes support locally management of tropical deep-water fisheries, and significant commercial fisheries, high value recre- provide perspectives on future research priorities. We ational fisheries, and culturally and economically found that biological and fisheries information is important artisanal and subsistence fisheries through- lacking for the majority of deep-water tropical fishes. out the Indo-Pacific region. The main species captured Furthermore, many studies were constrained by low by these fisheries are deep-water snappers (Lut- samples sizes and the use of methods that have not janidae), groupers (Epinephelidae), and emperors been validated or verified. Most species for which (Lethrinidae). Quantitative assessments of deep-water reliable information was available were reported to tropical fisheries have been limited by a lack of have extended longevities ([20 years), low rates of adequate biological and fisheries data. We review the natural mortality (M \ 0.15), and slow to modest biology and ecology of deep-water tropical fishes, growth rates (K = 0.12–0.25). These life history traits discuss the implications for assessment and indicate a low production potential for many deep- water tropical fishes, and suggest that sustainable exploitation rates and potential yields may be low. There is a need for more representative and adequate Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11160-016-9442-1) contains supple- studies of deep-water tropical fishes and for improved mentary material, which is available to authorized users. S. J. Newman (&) Á C. B. Wakefield S. J. Nicol Western Australian Fisheries and Marine Research Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Laboratories, Department of Fisheries, Government of Bruce, ACT 2617, Australia Western Australia, P.O. Box 20, North Beach, WA 6920, Australia B. M. Taylor e-mail: Stephen.Newman@fish.wa.gov.au Joint Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA A. J. Williams Á S. J. Nicol Oceanic Fisheries Programme, Pacific Community, J. M. O’Malley BP D5, 98848 Noumea Cedex, New Caledonia Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries, 1845 Wasp Boulevard, Building 176, Honolulu, A. J. Williams HI 96818, USA Centre for Sustainable Tropical Fisheries and Aquaculture, College of Marine and Environmental Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia 123 15 Sept 2017 SC5-INF09 Author's personal copy Rev Fish Biol Fisheries fisheries data collection and the use of consistent export markets, and a shift towards tuna long-lining, methods in addition to information sharing to facilitate which was more profitable at the time (Dalzell et al. the development of robust data-poor assessment 1996). More recently, there has been interest in re- techniques for these species. developing deep-water fisheries in recognition of the limited potential for further commercial development Keywords Lutjanidae Á Epinephelidae Á of shallow reef and lagoon fisheries in the region (Bell Lethrinidae Á Vital statistics Á Traits Á Mortality Á Age Á et al. 2009), and the perception that unexploited Growth Á Reproduction populations exist in more distant locations. The harvest levels for many deep-water tropical fisheries are low relative to industrial scale fisheries; however, they support important domestic and export Introduction markets, particularly for small island states where the market value of some eteline species can reach Deep-water fisheries occur within all ocean basins and *US$20 kg-1 (reported in Loeun et al. 2014). Many are typically concentrated on seamounts, continental tropical deep-water species are red in colouration, a and insular slopes, and other deep bathymetric culturally important colour to many countries in the features. In tropical and sub-tropical regions of the Asia–Pacific region representing a sign of prosperity Indo-Pacific, most deep-water fisheries are small-scale and providence. The high market value of these fishes artisanal and subsistence fisheries due mostly to a lack provides economic opportunities for developing coun- of knowledge of the existence of deep-water fish tries to progress sustainable fisheries to support export resources and/or the availability of appropriate fishing markets and to potentially distribute effort away from gear (Kramer et al. 1994; Dalzell et al. 1996; Newman coastal fisheries. et al. 2014a). These fisheries typically use low- Knowledge of life history attributes of fish popu- technology fishing gear such as hand-powered wooden lations is a fundamental requirement for developing reels operated from relatively small vessels (\10 m) effective fisheries assessment models and designing to target fish at depths between 100 and 400 m along appropriate management and harvest strategies. Most deep reef slopes, shallow seamounts and banks deep-water fishes are intrinsically vulnerable to (Dalzell et al. 1996). However, there are a small exploitation, as many species are long-lived, slow number of commercial fisheries, mostly in developed growing, and mature late in life (e.g. Newman and countries, that use more sophisticated fishing gear Dunk 2003; Fry et al. 2006; Andrews et al. such as hydraulic or electric reels, trawl nets, traps and 2011, 2012). However, quantitative assessments of longlines. Catches from these fisheries are diverse, tropical deep-water stocks have often been limited by with over 200 species from 93 genera reported from a lack of adequate biological and fisheries data. As fisheries in the western central Pacific Ocean (Dalzell such, there are few reliable estimates of sustainable and Preston 1992). The most common species har- harvest levels for any deep-water fishery in the Indo- vested comprise members of the Lutjanidae, Pacific, and assessing the status of deep-water fish Epinephelidae and Lethrinidae families, with the resources has become a priority for fisheries managers eteline snappers (primarily the genera Aphareus, (Williams et al. 2012; Brodziak et al. 2014; Newman Aprion, Etelis, and Pristipomoides) the principle et al. 2015). Biological research for tropical deep- target species. water fishes has been generally limited to isolated The propagation of suitable fishing gear in the studies in geographically restricted areas, often 1970s allowed the development and expansion of focused on a few species and specific biological traits. deep-water fisheries throughout the Western Central There is a need to collate this information to evaluate Pacific region, including the development of some the current state of knowledge for these species and small export fisheries (Dalzell et al. 1996; Itano provide direction for future research programs. 1996a, b; Williams et al. 2012). The expansion in This review synthesises available data on the age, deep-water fisheries during the 1970s was soon growth, and reproductive life history characteristics, followed by declines only two decades later, mainly related vital statistics and ecology of tropical deep- as a result of declining catch rates, unreliable access to water fishes of importance to fisheries in the Indo- 123 15 Sept 2017 SC5-INF09 Author's personal copy Rev Fish Biol Fisheries Pacific region. The broad objective was to assemble Advances in molecular genetic techniques have and review all published material, including primary allowed teleost taxonomy to be refined and re- and grey literature, to identify knowledge gaps and examined, resulting in the detection of cryptic speci- provide direction for future research that would ation within taxa that were previously considered as improve the assessment and management of these valid species (e.g. Choat et al. 2012; Iwatsuki 2013; economically and ecologically important species. Iwatsuki et al. 2015). Resolving species identification The species examined in this review have either the issues is fundamental to fisheries science and stock centre of their depth distribution below 100 m and/or assessment, as the misidentification of species and their depth range is deeper than 100 m, but not greater unresolved cryptic speciation can result in significant than 500 m (see Kramer et al. 1994;Newmanand biases in fisheries assessments.