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NEWS
Bay Monitoring seeks out Snapper and Anchove spawn
28 November 2008
Tens of thousands of snapper and anchovy eggs are expected to be counted and studied this summer as part of an ongoing Port Phillip Bay monitoring program.
Announcing the start of the next stage of scheduled field sampling today, Environmental Monitor, Mick Bourke said the Fish Eggs and Larvae Monitoring Program, required as part of the Channel Deepening Project, had been running since 2004.
“As is the case with most animals in the early stages of their lives, fish eggs and larvae are the most vulnerable stages of the fish life cycle,” Mr Bourke said.
“During these stages changes to environmental conditions such as water quality and temperature can affect the survival of a wide range of important bay fish species including snapper.
“This year’s sampling will help us continue to track the number of eggs and larvae of snapper, anchovy and other fish species,” Mr Bourke said.
Dr Peter Appleford, Executive Director of Fisheries Victoria, said data from previous years indicated that the bay was a key spawning area for snapper and anchovy. “Over the snapper spawning period of 2007-2008, which overlaps with the spawning period of anchovy, intensive sampling of fish eggs and larvae was carried out across the bay and at the entrance,” Dr Appleford said.
“During the last spawning period more than 76,000 fish eggs and 48,000 larvae were collected, with the highest number being collected in the bay’s east, near Carrum, Frankston and Mordialloc. The lowest numbers were recorded in Port Phillip Heads.”
Dr Appleford said the current field sampling conducted by Fisheries Victoria would run until 10 January 2009. “Sampling will occur in the areas where we know adult snapper gather during the spawning season including Hobsons Bay, Point Wilson, Central Bay and in the water off Frankston and between Queenscliff and Portsea,” he said. “Fish eggs and larvae will be collected during the day and night using a modified plankton net.”
Mr Bourke said the results from the Fish Eggs and Larvae Monitoring Program were scheduled to be available in May, 2009. “Snapper is an important commercial and recreational fishing species with the bay, whereas anchovy is a very important food species for fish, seabirds and Little Penguins and also provide the basis for a small commercial fishery,” Mr Bourke said.
“Understanding the egg and larvae trends of these and other fish species that spawn in the bay is necessary for helping predict the abundance of these species in the future and informs the way we manage the bay.”