Monitoring requirements for common coral trout

Abstract

Some studies have suggested that in certain situations, there is a poor correlation between fishery catch rates for coral trout and the species abundance. Environmental factors, such as cyclones, can affect fishery catch rates for some time after the event and social learning results in lower catchability of fish. The actual state of the stock may be more stable than fishery catch rates indicate (Leigh et al., 2014). The uncertainty in the relationship between fishery catch rates and fish abundance means there is strong evidence, and need, to collect additional abundance data to support stock assessment, reference point (quota) management and harvest strategies.
To date, the most informative indices of coral trout abundance were those taken from underwater visual surveys, as there was no reliance on fish taking bait or the fishery temporal-spatial patterns of fishing. The underwater visual surveys also measures an index of fish abundance that is not as sensitive to change in fish behaviour due to cyclones and social learning.