PDA

View Full Version : Indepenent Coral Trout studies



NQCairns
30-07-2003, 05:17 AM
Hi Just thinking some might be interested in these published facts I heard about on the Fishing show on the net and wrote some stuff down, previously I did believe that commercial fishing and recreational fishing did have a borderline sustainable impact on the highly used reef areas on Coral Trout (CT) looks like I may have been conned by more pseudo science based propoganda fron GBRMPA? or one of their political bright green alais?
Here it is make up your own mind.

INDEPENDENT Biologist Tony Arling conducted extensive studys on Coral Trout numbers up and down the GBR and here are some results.

Capricorn Bunker Group

12 reefs
6 closed for 5 years
6 open to Fishing

Results

57 Coral Trout/ha on protected reefs
49 Coral Trout/ha on fished reefs
Conclusion -No statistical difference could be shown between the lockout reefs and the free reefs.


Cairns Section
Dunk Is to Lizard Island

1991
29 Fished reefs
18 Closed for 7 years

Results
33.9/ha averaged on Protected reefs
34.6/ha averaged on fished reefs
Conclusion -No statistical difference could be shown between the lockout reefs and the free reefs.

1992
5 protected reefs
5 fished reefs

Results
28.4/ha on protected reefs
27.8/ha on free reefs
Conclusion -No statistical difference could be shown between the lockout reefs and the free reefs.

Long Term Studys

TOWNSVILLE

1983 – 1994
3 Townsville reefs fished commercially and recreationally on:
John Brewer reef
Loadstone Reef (sp)
Davies Reef

Results
average density CT
1983
34/ha

1989
34.3/ha

1994
66/ha


CAIRNS

1983
22.5/ha

1991
31.7/ha

WHITSUNDAYS

3 reefs – Hook, Lion?, and Hardy.

1984
57/ha

1988
84/ha

1994
124/ha

Cheers Nq

whiteman
30-07-2003, 05:49 AM
The pro fisho in our club tells the story that when one of the reefs was reopened for fishing a couple of years back, his catch of Coral Trout showed they weighed a lot less and he put this down to increased competition for food. He offered the finding to DPI and GBRMPA and they weren't interested at the time. This guy is a high profile person (ex politition) in our area so you would think government departments would at least listen to him.

This sort of anecdotal evidence makes me highly suspicious of the motives behind the rezoning excercise.

kc
30-07-2003, 11:10 AM
I fish the Whitsunday reefs a fair bit and it would be interesting to see some current numbers. The live trout trade did not really get going (down here) till about 1996 and has just kept going up with 2000 tonnes in 2001/2 and (I believe) close to 3000 tonnes in 2002/3.

One of the big isues in any studies is that both the live trout boats and any research divers are working in the shallows. From recent experience the trout numbers (or least catch numbers) are as good if not better than ever but the fish have moved deeper. 15 years ago we fished in about 60 foot of water but we are now getting our fish in 100 to 110 foot. Is this an adaption by the fish to commercial pressure? I know the research divers are not looking that deep when doing any counts but our most recent trips to the reef (over the last 2 years) have produced some of the best trout fishing we have ever experienced in 20 years of fishing Whitsunday reefs.

Just more anecdotal evidence of the flawed science of RAP.

Regards

KC

NQCairns
30-07-2003, 12:50 PM
Hi Whiteman - just because you are paranoid doesn't mean they are not out to get ya. ;D
As in most situations the real knowledge is outside of those who call themselves experts. Nq

NQCairns
30-07-2003, 07:26 PM
Hi Kc are you saying that if you fished the deeper water years ago that your catch would have been less on average than today? What sort of bottom in the deeper water do they inhabit? Cheers Nq

kc
01-08-2003, 06:18 PM
Hard to say!! It just "seems" that on the reefs the live trout boats fish the population seems to have moved deeper but be just as healthy as ever. I know just from our experiences that we did not get many trout "deep" and 60 foot was the magic number but this has definately changed in recent years. Bottom still has to be good but one reef which both rec and live trouters fish fairly heavily still has very good trout but they are all deeper than they were a few years ago. Adaption or evolution at work?? Just because the research divers might count a lower level of "adult" trout on a reef does not mean the numbers are down...maybe just that the fish are deeper and beyond the scope of the counters.

Cheers

KC

thargor
03-08-2003, 07:46 PM
Live trout catchers dont like fishing deep water for trout - fish tend to stress easier and die from being pulled from the deep. Doesnt mean they wont do it but its more of a hassle for them. Thats why they fish the shallow sections - sections they can see for trout. So the shallows = less fish, deep = more. I used to fish out of Cairns for years and the fishing pressure around there is high. You do have to fish harder to catch a few in the shallows than ever before. If you know a good bottom in 40 metres then most likely you will catch your bag limit.