Climate Effects on Recruitment and Catch Effort of Lates calcarifer

Abstract

Barramundi, or Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer (Bloch)), is an iconic food and sports fish species throughout much of the tropical Indo-west Pacific region. As well as being farmed throughout much of its range, L. calcarifer also forms the basis of well-known and valuable recreational and commercial wild fisheries, particularly in northern Australia and Papua New Guinea (Grey 1987, Grant 1997, Rimmer and Russell 1998a, Tucker et al. 2006). The economic and cultural significance of L. calcarifer and the potential for overexploitation of this fishery has stimulated research into aspects of this species’ biology, ecology, stock enhancement and fishery. It is these aspects that are documented in this chapter.