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Background
Estuaries play an important, often essential, role in the life histories
of many aquatic organisms (Blaber, 2000), including fish species
of importance to indigenous, commercial and recreational fishers
(Dunning et al., 2001). Worldwide, estuaries have been recognized
has an important driver of nearshore fish productivity (Anon, 1992;
Leadbitter and Doohan, 1992). There are important commercial fisheries
in estuaries and near-shore waters of tropical Australia, for example
penaeid prawns (Penaeus merguiensis, P. indicus, P. esculentus,
P. semisulcatus, Metapenaeus ensis, and M. endeavouri), finfish
(e.g. Lates calcarifer, Polydactylus macrochir, Eleutheronema tetradactylum,
Lutjanus johnii, Protonibea diacanthus, Pomadasys kaakan, P. argenteus,
Scomberomorous semifasciatus, Mugil sp., Liza vaigiensis, L. argentea,
Scomberoides lysan, S. commersonianus), sharks (Carcharhinus tilstoni,
C. sorrah) and crabs (Syclla serrata and Portunus pelagicus), having
a combined annual value of about A$220 million (DPI, 2002). Some
species are also important recreationally (e.g. barramundi (L. calcarifer)
and mud crabs (S. serrata) with much recreational fishing occurring
in estuaries (particularly in southern Queensland), and much of
the recreational catch caught outside estuaries is of species which
are estuarine dependent at some stage of their life cycles (Duffy
et al., 2003). The fisheries production from Australian coastal
estuaries and lagoons can be very high - up to 3300 kg m2 yr-1 (Pollard,
1994). Many of the above species are dependent on estuarine ecosystems
during their lifecycle. The value of estuaries per hectare is the
highest of any ecosystem, estimated at A$39,000 yr-1 (Costanza et
al., 1997). In Queensland, up to 75% by weight and 80% by value
of the commercial fish catch is composed of estuarine dependent
species (Quinn, 1992).
Aims and outcomes
• Defining
key features of coastal habitats governing fisheries production
• Demonstrating the role of habitat connectivity for commercial
important fish species
• Development of guidelines for protection
areas
Related publications:
Meynecke, J.-O., Lee, S.Y., Duke, N.C., Warnken, J., 2006. Effect
of rainfall as a component of climate change on estuarine fish production
in Queensland, Australia. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 69,
491-504.
Meynecke, J.-O., Lee, S.Y., Duke, N.C., Warnken, J., 2007. Relationship
between estuarine habitats and coastal fisheries in Queensland,
Australia. Bulletin of Marine Science in press.
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