Gladstone Fish Health Investigation 2011 - 2012 - Western Basin ...

Commercial barramundi catch and catch per day for the Gladstone region2000 ‐ 2011300Total Catch (t)Catch (kg) per day600Weight (tonnes)25020015010050500400300200100Catch per day (kg/day)02000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012Year0Figure 3. The annual catch and catch per unit effort of barramundi from the Gladstone region (CFish gridS30), as reported in commercial fisher logbooks (calendar years 2000 – 2012).Commercial fishing effort for barramundi in the Gladstone region (days fished withbarramundi catch recorded) increased between 2000 and 2004, peaking at 370 days. After2004, effort dropped steadily to a low of 108 days in 2009 with a rise in 2010 to 223 days.Following the introduction of fish from Lake Awoonga into the Boyne River in 2011, effortincreased to a record high of 457 days (Figure 4). Although catches of barramundi for 2012returned to historical levels, the fishing effort expended (141 days) was the second lowestnumber of days resulting in the second highest recorded catch rate (135kg/day).Days500450400350300250200150100500Commercial effort (days fished) for barramundi in the Gladstone region2000 ‐ 20112000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012YearFigure 4. The number of days fishing where commercial fishers have reported barramundi from theGladstone region (CFish grid S30), as reported in commercial fisher logbooks (calendar years 2000 –2012).26