Fishery demographics, biology and habitat use of hairtail (Trichiurus lepturus) in south-eastern Australia

Abstract

Largehead hairtail (Trichiurus lepturus) is an important part of the global fisheries catch, the species is consistently placed in the top ten marine species landed worldwide, but there is a lack of understanding regarding population demography, productivity, and vulnerability of T. lepturus in New South Wales (NSW). In this thesis, the spatial and temporal dynamics of the fisheries yield and the length composition of the local commercial and recreational fisheries for T. lepturus were investigated. This project has revealed that population productivity in south-eastern Australia is lower than populations in other global regions, and connectivity with distant populations may be low, meaning the T. lepturus population in south-east Australia is vulnerable to increasing natural and anthropogenic pressures. The results indicate the need for ongoing monitoring and further investigation into T. lepturus population demographics in south-eastern Australia.

Date of Award	2020
Original language	English