Habitats and areas of particular significance for coastal finfish fisheries management in New Zealand: A review of concepts and life history knowledge, and suggestions for future research New Zealand Aquatic Environment and Biodiversity Report No. 125 M.A. Morrison, E.G. Jones, D.P. Parsons, C.M. Grant ISSN 1179-6480 (online) ISBN 978-0-478-42387-7 (online) March 2014 Requests for further copies should be directed to: Publications Logistics Officer Ministry for Primary Industries PO Box 2526 WELLINGTON 6140 Email: [email protected] Telephone: 0800 00 83 33 Facsimile: 04-894 0300 This publication is also available on the Ministry for Primary Industries websites at: http://www.mpi.govt.nz/news-resources/publications.aspx http://fs.fish.govt.nz go to Document library/Research reports © Crown Copyright - Ministry for Primary Industries Contents 1. INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 3 1.2 Scope and limitations of review .............................................................................................. 4 2. A BRIEF REVIEW OF SOME CONCEPTS ................................................................................. 5 2.1 Spawning........................................................................................................................................... 5 2.2 Nursery habitats ................................................................................................................................ 6 2.3 Migrations and movements ............................................................................................................. 10 2.4 Spatial biocomplexity, populations, and stocks .............................................................................. 14 3. INDIVIDUAL SPECIES LIFE HISTORY INFORMATION .......................................................... 15 3.1 Banded giant stargazer (Kathetostoma binigrasella) ...................................................................... 15 3.2 Barracouta (Thyrisites atun)............................................................................................................ 16 3.3 Blue cod (Parapercis colias) .......................................................................................................... 20 3.4 Blue mackerel (Scomber australasicus) ......................................................................................... 25 3.5 Blue moki (Latridopsis ciliaris) ...................................................................................................... 29 3.6 Blue (common) warehou (Seriolella brama) .................................................................................. 32 3.7 Butterfish (Odax pullus) ................................................................................................................. 34 3.9 Frostfish (Lepidopus caudatus) ....................................................................................................... 42 3.10 Gemfish (Rexea solandri) ............................................................................................................. 44 3.11 Giant stargazer (Kathetostoma giganteum) ................................................................................... 46 3.12 Grey mullet (Mugil cephalus) ....................................................................................................... 47 3.13 Hake (Merluccius australis) .......................................................................................................... 54 3.14 Hapuku (Polyprion oxygeneios) .................................................................................................... 57 3.15 Jack mackerel (Trachurus declivis) .............................................................................................. 61 3.16 Jack mackerel (Trachurus novaezelandiae) .................................................................................. 63 3.17 Murphy’s mackerel (Trachurus symmetricus murphyi) ................................................................ 65 3.18 John dory (Zeus faber) .................................................................................................................. 67 3.19 Kahawai (Arripis trutta) ............................................................................................................... 71 3.20 Kingfish (Seriola lalandii) ............................................................................................................ 76 3.21 Leatherjacket (Parika scaber) ....................................................................................................... 79 3.22 Lemon sole (Pelotretis flavilatus) ................................................................................................. 80 3.22 Ling (Genypterus blacodes) .......................................................................................................... 82 3.23 New Zealand sole (Peltorhampus novaezeelandiae) .................................................................... 84 3.24 Red cod (Pseudophycis bachus) ................................................................................................... 85 3.25 Red gurnard (Chelidonichthys kumu) ........................................................................................... 87 3.26 Rig (Mustelus lenticulatus) ........................................................................................................... 90 3.27 Rough skate (Zearaja nasuta) ....................................................................................................... 97 3.28 Smooth skate (Dipturus innominata) ............................................................................................ 99 3.29 Sand flounder (Rhombosolea plebeia) ........................................................................................ 102 3.30 School shark (Galeorhinus galeus) ............................................................................................. 107 3.31 Sea perch (Helicolenus percoides and H. barathri – note: species identities are unclear) ........ 111 3.32 Silver warehou (Seriolella punctata) .......................................................................................... 113 3.33 Snapper (Pagrus auratus) ........................................................................................................... 114 3.34 Spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias) ............................................................................................. 122 3.35 Tarakihi (Nemadactylus macropterus) ........................................................................................ 125 3.36 Trevally (Pseudocaranx dentex) ................................................................................................. 131 3.37 Trumpeter (Latris lineata) .......................................................................................................... 134 3.38 Yellowbelly flounder (Rhombosolea leporina) .......................................................................... 136 3.39 Yellow-eyed mullet (Aldrichetta forsteri) .................................................................................. 139 4. CONCLUSIONS AND PRIORITIES FOR RESEARCH .......................................................... 141 4.1 Spawning dynamics and aggregations .......................................................................................... 142 4.2 Identification of nursery habitats and areas .................................................................................. 143 4.3 Connectivity of juvenile habitats with adult habitats .................................................................... 143 4.4 Adult movement dynamics ........................................................................................................... 144 5. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................ 159 6. REFERENCES ........................................................................................................................... 159 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Morrison, M.A.; Jones, E.G.; Parsons, D.P.; Grant, C.M. (2014). Habitats and areas of particular significance for coastal finfish fisheries management in New Zealand: A review of concepts and life history knowledge, and suggestions for future research. New Zealand Aquatic Environment and Biodiversity Report No. 125. 202 p. Most fished coastal marine teleost finfish have life histories that can be divided up into spawning/reproduction, eggs and larval periods, a juvenile phase, and an adult phase, when reproductive maturity is reached. Elasmobranches vary slightly from this, with some species being live-bearers, while others produce egg capsules that are laid on the seafloor, which eventually hatch as fully formed juveniles. Hurst et al. (2000a) undertook a review of “Areas of importance for spawning, pupping, or egg-laying, and juveniles of New Zealand coastal fish”. This current review follows on from that document, updating our understanding with information generated over the following 12 years, as well as looking at adult migrations and movements in more detail. Thirty eight species which have some component of their life cycle in coastal waters (defined as less than 200 m water depth) are examined, in terms of spawning, oceanographic transport, nursery habitats, adult habitats, adult migrations and movements, and population connectivity and stock