Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Dispersal of an exploited demersal fish species (Argyrosomus japonicus, Sciaenidae) inferred from satellite telemetry

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Marine Biology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Mulloway (Argyrosomus japonicus) are an iconic recreational, indigenous, and commercial fishery species with declining numbers across some parts of their range, with relatively little known about their movements. During the Austral summers and autumns from 2011 to 2014, we deployed 19 pop-up satellite archival tags (PSATs) on mature mulloway at an aggregation site within the Great Australian Bight Marine Park (GABMP), to examine their movement patterns. Twelve tags provided data from deployments ranging from 8 to 110 days including five tags that gathered data over autumn and seven over summer. Five of the seven mulloway tagged during summer likely remained in the vicinity of the tagging location and hence within or in close proximity to marine-protected areas (MPAs) over summer; however, relatively large horizontal movements were observed over autumn for most fish, including a maximum net displacement of ~ 550 km. The median pop-up distance from deployment was 51 and 212 km for summer-and autumn-tagged fish, respectively. Depths encountered by the tagged mulloway ranged from the surface to 56.5 m deep. Our study provides new information on the dispersal of a poorly understood fish species which could aid their conservation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Armsworthy SL, Trzcinski MK, Campana SE (2014) Movements, environmental associations, and presumed spawning locations of Atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus) in the northwest Atlantic determined using archival satellite pop-up tags. Mar Biol 161:645–656

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Barnes TC, Junge C, Myers SA, Taylor MD, Rogers PJ, Ferguson GJ, Lieschke JA, Donnellan SC, Gillanders BM (2016) Population structure in a wide-ranging coastal teleost (Argyrosomus japonicus, Sciaenidae) reflects marine biogeography across southern Australia. Mar Freshw Res 67:1103–1113

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Block BA, Jonsen I, Jorgensen S, Winship A, Shaffer SA, Bograd S, Hazen E, Foley D, Breed G, Harrison A-L (2011) Tracking apex marine predator movements in a dynamic ocean. Nature 475:86–90

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Darnaude AM, Hunter E (2018) Validation of otolith δ18O values as effective natural tags for shelf-scale geolocation of migrating fish. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 598:167–185

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Erisman E, Heyman W, Kobara S, Ezer T, Pittman S, Aburto-Oropeza O, Nemeth RS (2017) Fish spawning aggregations: where well-placed management actions can yield big benefits for fisheries and conservation. Fish Fish 18:128–144

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farmer BM (2008) Comparisons of the biological and genetic characteristics of the Mulloway Argyosomus japonicus (Sciaenidae) in different regions of Western Australia. Dissertation, Murdoch University, Perth

  • Ferguson GJ (2010) Impacts of river regulation, drought and exploitation on the fish in a degraded Australian estuary, with particular reference to the life-history of the Sciaenid, Argyrosomus japonicus. Dissertation, University of Adelaide, Adelaide

  • Ferguson G, Ward T (2003) Mulloway (Argyrosomus japonicus) fishery. Fishery Stock Status Report for PIRSA Fisheries. SARDI Aquatic Sciences RD03/0040, pp 1–55

  • Ferguson GJ, Ward TM, Geddes MC (2008) Do recent age structures and historical catches of mulloway, Argyrosomus japonicus (Sciaenidae), reflect freshwater inflows in the remnant estuary of the Murray River, South Australia? Aquat Living Resour 21:145–152

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ferguson GJ, Ward TM, Gillanders BM (2011) Otolith shape and elemental composition: Complementary tools for stock discrimination of mulloway (Argyrosomus japonicus) in southern Australia. Fish Res 110:75–83

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ferguson GJ, Ward TM, Ivey A, Barnes T (2014) Life history of Argyrosomus japonicus, a large sciaenid at the southern part of its global distribution: implications for fisheries management. Fish Res 151:148–157

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gillanders BM (2005) Using elemental chemistry of fish otoliths to determine connectivity between estuarine and coastal habitats. Estuar Coast Shelf Sci 64:47–57

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gold J, Turner T (2002) Population structure of red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) in the northern Gulf of Mexico, as inferred from variation in nuclear-encoded microsatellites. Mar Biol 140:249–265

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gray C, McDonall V (1993) Distribution and growth of juvenile mulloway, Argyrosomus hololepidotus (Pisces: Sciaenidae), in the Hawkesbury River, south-eastern Australia. Mar Freshw Res 44:401–409

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Griffiths M (1996) Life history of the dusky kob Argyrosomus japonicus (Sciaenidae) off the east coast of South Africa. S Afr J Mar Sci 17:135–154

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Griffiths M (1997) Management of South African dusky kob Argyrosomus japonicus (Sciaenidae) based on per-recruit models. S Afr J Mar Sci 18:213–228

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hall D (1986) An assessment of the mulloway (Argyrosomus hololepidotus) fishery in South Australia with particular reference to the Coorong Lagoon: discussion paper. Department of Fisheries, South Australia

    Google Scholar 

  • Hunter E, Berry F, Buckley AA, Stewart C, Metcalfe JD (2006) Seasonal migration of thornback rays and implications for closure management. J Appl Ecol 43:710–720

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hutchings K, Griffiths M (2010) Life-history strategies of Umbrina robinsoni (Sciaenidae) in warm-temperate and subtropical South African marine reserves. Afr J Mar Sci 32(1):37–53

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Le Port A, Sippel T, Montgomery JC (2008) Observations of mesoscale movements in the short-tailed stingray, Dasyatis brevicaudata from New Zealand using a novel PSAT tag attachment method. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 359:110–117

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lenanton R (1982) Alternative non-estuarine nursery habitats for some commercially and recreationally important fish species of south-western Australia. Mar Freshw Res 33:881–900

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu C, Cowles GW, Zemeckis DR, Cadrin SX, Dean MJ (2017) Validation of a hidden Markov model for the geolocation of Atlantic cod. Can J Fish Aquat Sci 74:1862–1877

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Loher T (2008) Homing and summer feeding site fidelity of Pacific halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis) in the Gulf of Alaska, established using satellite-transmitting archival tags. Fish Res 92:63–69

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miller M, Able K (2002) Movements and growth of tagged young-of-the-year Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias undulatus L.) in restored and reference marsh creeks in Delaware Bay, USA. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 267:15–33

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mirimin L, Macey B, Kerwath S, Laberth S, Bester-van der Merwe A, Cowley P, Bloomer P, Roodt-Wilding R (2016) Genetic analyses reveal declining trends and low effective population size in an overfished South African sciaenid species, the dusky kob (Argyrosomus japonicus). Mar Freshw Res 67:266–276

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Myers RA, Worm B (2003) Rapid worldwide depletion of predatory fish communities. Nature 423:280–283

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Næsje TF, Cowley PD, Diserud OH, Childs A-R, Kerwath SE, Thorstad EB (2012) Riding the tide: estuarine movements of a sciaenid fish, Argyrosomus japonicus. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 460:221–232

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Palmer RM, Snowball JD (2009) The willingness to pay for dusky kob (Argyrosomus japonicus) restocking: using recreational linefishing licence fees to fund stock enhancement in South Africa. ICES J Mar Sci 66:839–843

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Palumbi SR (2004) Marine reserves and ocean neighborhoods: the spatial scale of marine populations and their management. Annu Rev Environ Resour 29:31–68

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parsons MJ, McCauley RD, Mackie MC, Siwabessy P, Duncan AJ (2009) Localization of individual mulloway (Argyrosomus japonicus) within a spawning aggregation and their behaviour throughout a diel spawning period. ICES J Mar Sci 66:1007–1014

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pedersen MW, Patterson TA, Thygesen UH, Madsen H (2011) Estimating animal behavior and residency from movement data. Oikos 120:1281–1290

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Potts WM, Sauer WHH, Henriques R, Sequesseque S, Santos CV, Shaw PW (2010) The biology, life history and management needs of a large sciaenid fish, Argyrosomus coronus, in Angola. Afr J Mar Sci 32:247–258

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • R Core Team (2013) R: a language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna

    Google Scholar 

  • Rogers P, Barnes T, Wolf Y, Gregory P, Williams N, Madonna A, Loisier A (2014) On-site recreational fishery survey and research of mulloway (Argyrosomus japonicus) in the Yalata Indigenous Protected Area and Far West Coast Marine Park between 2009 and 2013. SARDI Research Report Series-South Australian Research and Development Institute, South Australia, p 759

    Google Scholar 

  • Semmens JM, Buxton C, Forbes E, Phelan M (2010) Spatial and temporal use of spawning aggregation sites by the tropical sciaenid Protonibea diacanthus. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 403:193–203

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Silberschneider V, Gray CA (2008) Synopsis of biological, fisheries and aquaculture-related information on mulloway Argyrosomus japonicus (Pisces: Sciaenidae), with particular reference to Australia. J Appl Ichthyol 24:7–17

    Google Scholar 

  • Stewart JD, Beale CS, Fernando D, Sianipar AB, Burton RS, Semmens BX, Aburto-Oropeza O (2016) Spatial ecology and conservation of Manta birostris in the Indo-Pacific. Biol Cons 200:178–183

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Svedäng H, Righton D, Jonsson P (2007) Migratory behaviour of Atlantic cod Gadus morhua: natal homing is the prime stock-separating mechanism. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 345:1–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor M, Laffan S, Fielder D, Suthers I (2006) Key habitat and home range of mulloway Argyrosomus japonicus in a south-east Australian estuary: finding the estuarine niche to optimise stocking. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 328:237–247

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thorrold SR, Latkoczy C, Swart PK, Jones CM (2001) Natal homing in a marine fish metapopulation. Science 291:297–299

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Weinstein M, Litvin S, Guida V, Chambers R (2009) Is global climate change influencing the overwintering distribution of weakfish Cynoscion regalis? J Fish Biol 75:693–698

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank the following for their support during this project: Teddy Edwards, Brian Quema, Bubbles and other members of Yalata Land Management and the Yalata community, Blair Middlemiss, Wayne Ragless, Amanda Woods, Geoff Rogers, Andrew Brooks, Cindy Strachan, Darren Hoad, Kris Ellis, Danielle Manetti, Harley Donnithorne, Paul Lehmann, Colin Bailey, Hall Print and Wildlife Computers.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Southern Seas Ecology Laboratories, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia

    Thomas C. Barnes & Bronwyn M. Gillanders

  2. Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, 7001, Australia

    Thomas C. Barnes

  3. Port Stephens Fisheries Institute, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Locked Bag 1, Nelson Bay, NSW, 2315, Australia

    Thomas C. Barnes

  4. South Australian Research and Development Institute, Aquatic Sciences, PO Box 120, Henley Beach, SA, 5022, Australia

    Paul J. Rogers, Greg J. Ferguson & Wayne Hutchinson

  5. School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia

    Paul J. Rogers & Greg J. Ferguson

  6. Department for Environment Water and Natural Resources-Natural Resources Alinytjara Wilurara, Level 2 Richmond Road, Keswick, SA, 5001, Australia

    Yasmin Wolf & Aude Loisier

  7. Yalata Land Management, Yalata Indigenous Protected Area, PMB 31, Ceduna, SA, 5690, Australia

    Alessandro Madonna

  8. Great Australian Bight Marine Park, Department of Environment, Water & Natural Resources, Natural Resources Eyre Peninsula, 86 Tasman Terrace, Port Lincoln, SA, 5606, Australia

    Dirk Holman

  9. Adelaide, Australia

    Dylan Sortino

  10. Australian Antarctic Division, Channel Highway, Kingston, TAS, 7050, Australia

    Michael Sumner

  11. Environment Institute, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia

    Bronwyn M. Gillanders

Authors
  1. Thomas C. Barnes
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Paul J. Rogers
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Yasmin Wolf
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Alessandro Madonna
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Dirk Holman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Greg J. Ferguson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Wayne Hutchinson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Aude Loisier
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Dylan Sortino
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Michael Sumner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. Bronwyn M. Gillanders
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Thomas C. Barnes.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

This study has no potential conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

Animal ethics approval was via: Primary Industries and Regions South Australia Animal Ethics Application 19/11 and the University of Adelaide S-2009-129. This project was funded by Yalata Land Management, Department for Environment, Water and Natural Resources—Alinytjara Wilurara, the University of Adelaide, the Australian Research Council (FT100100767) (awarded to BMG) and the Nature Foundation.

Additional information

Responsible Editor: E. Hunter.

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Reviewed by undisclosed experts.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary material 1 (DOCX 224 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Barnes, T.C., Rogers, P.J., Wolf, Y. et al. Dispersal of an exploited demersal fish species (Argyrosomus japonicus, Sciaenidae) inferred from satellite telemetry. Mar Biol 166, 125 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-019-3575-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-019-3575-4

Search

Navigation