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Southern Garfish has a wide distribution around Australia. There are eight stocks or management units across WA, SA, TAS and VIC. Four stocks are sustainable, one is depleted and three are recovering.

Southern Garfish has a wide distribution in Australia, extending from Lancelin in Western Australia, along the southern coast of mainland Australia and up the east coast to Eden in southern New South Wales, as well as the surrounding waters of Tasmania [Gomon et al. 2008].

There has been no research into the stock structure of Western Australian populations of Southern Garfish. However, given the limited dispersal typically displayed by Southern Garfish, and the large spatial separation between the west and south coasts of Western Australia, it is highly likely that the west and south coast support separate biological stocks of this species [Ye et al. 2002; Steer et al. 2009].

In Victoria, there has been no research into the stock structure for populations of Southern Garfish and they are assumed to constitute a single jurisdictional stock.

In Tasmania, differences in size and age composition between the north coast and the east coast indicate that there may be multiple biological stocks; however, no firm evidence exists at present, and current stock assessments assume a single state-wide biological stock [Moore et al. 2018].

A multidisciplinary otolith-based study (otolith chemistry and morphometrics) identified at least five biological stocks in South Australia: West Coast, Northern Spencer Gulf, Southern Spencer Gulf, Northern Gulf St. Vincent and Southern Gulf St. Vincent [Steer et al. 2009]. Given the level of spatial separation of Southern Garfish observed between the gulfs, it was assumed that Southern Garfish from the south-east also comprised a separate biological stock. However, following a major reform of South Australia's Marine Scalefish Fishery in 2021 [Smart et al. 2022a], individual transferable quota arrangements and spatial scale of assessment for some key species(including Southern Garfish) were implemented at the spatial scale of four management zones: West Coast, Spencer Gulf, Gulf St Vincent/Kangaroo Island and South East.

Here, assessment of stock status is presented at the biological stock level for Western Australia (West Coast and South Coast), management unit level for South Australia (West Coast, Spencer Gulf, Gulf St Vincent/Kangaroo Island and South East) and at the jurisdictional level for Tasmania and Victoria.

Victoria

Southern Garfish are predominantly caught as a byproduct using seine nets whilst targeting King George Whiting (KGW) in Corner Inlet-Nooramunga (CI) [Bell et al. 2023]. Statewide landings have declined over time mostly due to the cessation of netting in all bays, inlets and estuaries except for CI [Bell et al. 2023].

Commercial catches among the main bays and inlets were used to gauge relative levels of fishing mortality. The inter-annual pattern in catch clearly shows progressive phasing out of commercial netting in Western Port (WP), Gippsland Lakes (GL), and Port Phillip Bay (PPB) in 2009, 2020 and 2022 respectively following licence buyouts to conserve stocks as a policy initiative for the benefit of recreational anglers [https://vfa.vic.gov.au/commercial-fishing/commercial-fisheries/bays-and-inlet-fisheries accessed on 29 Feb 2024]. In contrast, catch patterns in CI have remained mostly consistent, with low values in the mid-1990s and mid-2010s attributable to low availability of KGW as the main target species [Bell et al. 2023]. The recreational catch is unknown but likely to be relatively low as Southern Garfish are not a popular target species.

Stock biomass was evaluated using CPUE from CI for commercial seine harvests because time series relied upon in the past (WP, GL, and PPB) ceased at least several years ago. The CPUE trend, as a proxy for stock biomass, indicated that although there were two decades of decline from 27 kg/shot in 1978 to 18 kg/shot in 1998, thereafter CPUE remained stable at or slightly above the long-term average and well above the minimum of 3 kg/shot in 1996 when there was very little effort targeting KGW, so the catch was also at its lowest level [Bell et al. 2023].

There has been decreasing effort using seine nets unrelated to Southern Garfish abundance, and in conjunction with the relatively stable CPUE trend during the past two decades, this indicates that the stock is unlikely to have been recruitment impaired. Indeed, recent spikes in CPUE in 2017 and 2022 were almost the same as the initial value in 1978 at the start of the series.

The above evidence indicates that the stock is unlikely to be depleted and that recruitment is unlikely to be impaired. Furthermore, the above evidence indicates that the current level of fishing mortality is unlikely to cause the stock to become recruitment impaired.

On the basis of the evidence provided above, Southern Garfish in Victoria is classified as a sustainable stock. 

Southern Garfish biology [Ye et al. 2002; Smith et al. 2017]

Victoria – Indigenous (Management Methods). A person who identifies as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander is exempt from the need to obtain a Victorian recreational fishing licence, provided they comply with all other rules that apply to recreational fishers, including rules on equipment, catch limits, size limits and restricted areas. Traditional (non-commercial) fishing activities that are carried out by members of a traditional owner group entity under an agreement pursuant to Victoria’s Traditional Owner Settlement Act 2010 are also exempt from the need to hold a recreational fishing licence, subject to any conditions outlined in the agreement. Native title holders are also exempt from the need to obtain a recreational fishinglicence under the provisions of the Commonwealth’s Native Title Act 1993.

South Australia – Commercial (Catch). Data for the Northern Zone Rock Lobster Fishery (South Australia) and the Southern Zone Rock Lobster Fishery (South Australia) have been combined because of confidentiality requirements.

Tasmania – Recreational (Management Methods). In Tasmania, a recreational licence is required for fishers using dropline or longline gear, along with nets, such as gillnet or beach seine.

Tasmania – Indigenous (Management Methods). In Tasmania, Indigenous people engaged in fishing activities in marine waters are exempt from holding recreational fishing licences but must comply with all other fisheries rules as if they were licensed. Additionally, recreational bag and possession limits also apply. If using pots, rings, set lines or gillnets, aborigines must obtain a unique identifying code (UIC). The policy document Recognition of Aboriginal Fishing Activities for issuing a Unique Identifying Code (UIC) to a person for Aboriginal Fishing activity explains the steps to take in making an application for a UIC.

Western Australia – Recreational (catch). Current shore-based recreational catch and effort in Western Australia is unknown. State-wide surveys of boat-based fishing are conducted regularly, most recently in 2020–21 [Ryan et al. 2022].

Commercial catch of Southern Garfish - note confidential catch not shown

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