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King George Whiting is a sustainable species found in WA, VIC and SA waters. It is the premium species in SA and attracts the highest price per unit weight for commercial fishers.

Research on King George Whiting stock structure in southern Australia using genetic and otolith chemistry approaches indicates that separate stocks occur in each state jurisdiction (Western Australia, Victoria and South Australia), but with some genetic mixing between Victorian and South Australian populations [Jenkins et al. 2015]. King George Whiting sampled from northern Tasmania appear genetically different from those in the mainland states. Furthermore, two genetically distinct stocks have been identified in north-west and north-east Tasmania [Jenkins et al. 2015].

The South Australian population of King George Whiting is thought to be comprised of three biological stocks—Gulf St Vincent, Spencer Gulf and the West Coast-Eyre Peninsula. This delineation has been determined based on understanding of the life history, including movement patterns of adult fish, knowledge of the location of spawning grounds and nursery areas [Fowler et al. 2000a; Fowler et al. 2002], and understanding of larval advection pathways and distances based on early life history and hydrodynamic modelling [Fowler et al. 2000b]. Recently, this stock structure has been called into question based on results from a detailed study of the early life history that included consideration of the larval movement processes. This involved studies that considered the microstructure and chemistry of otoliths from larvae and post-settlement juveniles [Rogers et al. 2019a, b], as well as biophysical oceanographic modelling [Rogers et al. 2020]. The complex findings from this study indicated that there was potential for movement of larvae between the putative stocks.  Nevertheless, given the lack of empirical evidence about the extent of such movement, it is considered preferable here to retain the original model of stock structure until further information becomes available. The Gulf St Vincent biological stock occurs throughout Gulf St Vincent, Investigator Strait and around Kangaroo Island. The Spencer Gulf biological stock occurs throughout the waters of Spencer Gulf and adjacent coastal waters from western Kangaroo Island to the Eyre Peninsula. The West Coast-Eyre Peninsula biological stock extends throughout all the bays and offshore areas of the west coast of Eyre Peninsula.

Further subdivision in biological stock structure is uncertain for Western Australian and Victorian populations. In Western Australia, King George Whiting occurs in the West Coast Bioregion (WCB) and South Coast Bioregion (SCB). Juveniles occur in inshore waters of both bioregions, but adults appear to be restricted to offshore waters of the WCB [Hyndes et al. 1998; Sulin 2012; Brown et al. 2013]. On this basis there is assumed to be a single biological stock in Western Australia, with the spawning component of the stock residing in the WCB. Similarly, there is assumed to be a single biological stock in Victorian waters, with juveniles occurring mostly in bays and estuaries and adults in coastal waters [Jenkins et al. 2015].

The spatial scale of assessment of South Australia’s three biological King George Whiting stocks has changed as a result of the regionalisation component of the Marine Scalefish Fishery (MSF) reform in 2021. The three biological stocks of Gulf St Vincent, Spencer Gulf, and West Coast-Eyre Peninsula are now assessed at different spatial scales and are now considered as fishery management units rather than biological stocks. Here, assessment of stock status is presented at the jurisdictional level for Western Australia and Victoria and at the management unit level for Spencer Gulf, Gulf St Vincent / Kangaroo Island and West Coast-Eyre Peninsula (South Australia).

Victoria

King George Whiting are found in bays, estuaries and coastal waters throughout Victoria. The most productive fisheries occur in Port Phillip Bay (PPB), Corner Inlet-Nooramunga (CI) and Western Port (WP). Population dynamics are strongly influenced by climatic factors determining numbers of larvae transported to bay and estuarine nurseries from coastal spawning areas in spring [Jenkins and May 1994; Hamer and Jenkins 1996; Jenkins et al. 2000; Jenkins 2005]. As most King George Whiting leave the bays and inlets permanently at around four years of age (prior to adulthood) [Hamer et al. 2004], these fisheries are based on just a few age classes at any one time, making catches highly variable over relatively short time scales. Both commercial and recreational fishing effort is concentrated in bays and inlets implying that adults in coastal waters are subject to low fishing mortality.

Commercial effort for all gear types has decreased since 1999 due to a reduction in the number of licensed commercial fishers in Victorian waters [VFA 2017] and has now ceased completely in PPB. The main commercial fishery is now in CI, where the catch in 2021–22 was 182 t, the highest on record [Bell et al. 2023]. Landings from PPB were 21.6 t, prior to the closure of the fishery and <5 t from the remainder of the State. The species remains highly targeted by recreational fishers in PPB, CI, and WP, but there is no information on recent recreational landings.

The record landings from CI described above were associated with historically high catch rates, which were mirrored in the PPB commercial fishery until it ceased, as well as in recreational catch rates in PPB, WP and CI. These suggest very high abundances of King George Whiting throughout the State. This is consistent with surveys of post-larval recruitment in PPB that showed moderate to high recruitment from 2016 to 2019, resulting in four strong year classes that passed through the fishery in recent years. Whilst none of these year classes was particularly high, it has historically been rare for recruitment to be so consistent. The combined abundances of several strong year classes formed a period of extreme productivity [Bell et al. 2023]. 

Although highly variable due to recruitment dynamics, none of the fishery CPUE or pre-recruit time series show persistently declining trends in egg production or recruitment. This provides reassurance that the poorly known and lightly fished adult stock component in coastal waters is continuing to be replenished at a rate sufficient to prevent declines in recruitment.

The above evidence indicates that the biomass of this stock is unlikely to be depleted and that recruitment is unlikely to be impaired. Furthermore, the 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 above, the Victorian King George Whiting stock is classified as a sustainable stock.

King George Whiting biology [Hyndes et al. 1998; Fowler et al. 2000a; Hamer et al. 2004; Sulin 2012]

Western Australia – Recreational (Management Methods). In Western Australia a recreational fishing licence is only required for fishing from a boat.

Victoria – Recreational (Management Methods). Boat limits do not apply in Victoria. In Victoria a recreational fishing licence is required for all forms or recreational fishing, unless exempt.

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 fishing licence under the provisions of the Commonwealth’s Native Title Act 1993.

South Australia - Recreational (Catch). Beckmann et al. [2023].

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2. Bell, JD, Ingram, BA, Gorfine, HK and Conron, SA, 2020, Review of key Victorian fish stocks — 2022. Victorian Fisheries Authority Science Report Series No. 38.
3. Brown, J, Dowling, C, Hesp, A, Smith, K and Molony, B 2013, Status of nearshore finfish stocks in south-western Western Australia. Part 3: Whiting (Sillaginidae), Fisheries Research Report 248, Department of Fisheries, Western Australia.
4. Durante, LM, Smart, JJ, Tsolos, A 2022, South Australian Charter Boat Fishery 2020/21 data summary, Report to PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture. South Australian Research and Development Institute (Aquatic Sciences), Adelaide. SARDI Publication No. F2011/000438-4. SARDI Research Report Series No. 1159. 124pp.
5. Fisher, EA, Hesp, SA, Hall, NG and Sulin, EH 2014, Predicting the impacts of shifting recreational fishing effort towards inshore species, Final report, Fisheries Research and Development Corporation project 2010/001
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7. Fowler, AJ, Jones, GK, McGarvey, R 2002, Characteristics and consequences of movement patterns of King George whiting (Perciformes: Sillaginodes punctata) in South Australia. Marine and Freshwater Research, 53: 1055–1069.
8. Fowler, AJ, McGarvey, R, Carroll, J and Feenstra, JE 2014, King George Whiting (Sillaginodes punctatus), Fishery Assessment Report to PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture, South Australian Research and Development Institute (Aquatic Sciences), Adelaide. F2007/000843-4. SARDI Research Report Series No. 801. 85 pp.
9. Fowler, AJ, McLeay, L, and Short, DA 2000, Spatial variation in size and age structures and reproductive characteristics of the King George whiting (Percoidei: Sillaginidae) in South Australian waters. Marine and Freshwater Research, 51: 11–22.
10. Hamer, P and Giri, K 2016, Port Phillip Bay Commercial Fishery Assessment 2016, Fisheries Victoria Science Report Series No. 9.
11. Hamer, PA and Jenkins, GP 1996, Larval supply and short-term recruitment of a temperate zone demersal fish, the King George whiting, Sillaginodes punctata Cuvier and Valenciennes, to an embayment in south-eastern Australia. Journal of Experimental Biology and Ecology, 208: 197–214.
12. Hamer, PA, Jenkins, GP and Sivakumaran, KP 2004, Identifying the spawning locations of King George whiting in Victoria: a recreational fishing based study, Fisheries Victoria Assessment Report Series No. 21, Marine and Freshwater Resources Institute, Victorian Department of Primary Industries, Queenscliff.
13. Hyndes, GA, Platell, ME, Potter, IC and Lenanton, RCJ 1998, Age composition, growth, reproductive biology and recruitment of King George whiting, Sillaginodes punctata, in south western Australia. Fishery Bulletin U.S., 96: 258–270.
14. Jenkins, GP 2005, The influence of climate on the fishery recruitment of a temperate, seagrass associated fish, the King George whiting, Sillaginodes punctata. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 288: 263–271.
15. Jenkins, GP and May, HMA 1994, Variation in settlement and larval duration of King George whiting, Sillaginodes punctata (Sillaginidae), in Swan Bay, Victoria, Australia. Bulletin of Marine Science 54: 281–296.
16. Jenkins, GP, Black, KP and Hamer, PA 2000, Determination of spawning areas and larval advection pathways for King George whiting in south-eastern Australia using otolith microstructure and hydrodynamic modelling, I. Victoria. Marine Ecology Progress Series 199: 231–242.
17. Jenkins, GP, Hamer, PA, Kent, JA, Kemp, J and Fowler, AJ 2015, Spawning sources, movement patterns, and nursery area replenishment of spawning populations of King George whiting in south-eastern Australia — closing the life history loop, Fisheries Research and Development Corporation Final Report, Deakin, Canberra.
18. Rogers, T, Redondo-Rodriguez, A, Fowler, A, Doubell, M, Drew, M, Steer, M, Matthews, D, James, C and Gillanders, B 2020, Using a biophysical model to investigate connectivity between spawning grounds and nursery areas of King George whiting (Sillaginodes punctatus: Perciformes) in South Australia's gulfs. Fisheries Oceanography.
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21. Ryan, KL, Hall, NG, Lai, EK, Smallwood, CB, Tate, A, Taylor, SM and Wise, BS 2019, Statewide survey of boat-based recreational fishing in Western Australia 2017/18. Fisheries Research Report No. 297. Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Government of Western Australia, Perth.
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25. Steer, MA, Fowler, AJ, McGarvey, R, Feenstra, J, Westlake, EL, Matthews, D, Drew, M, Rogers, PJ and Earl, J 2018a, Assessment of the South Australian Marine Scalefish Fishery in 2016, Report to PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture. South Australian Research and Development Institute (Aquatic Sciences), Adelaide. SARDI Publication No. F2017/000427-1. SARDI Research Report Series No. 974. 250pp.
26. Sulin, EH 2012, Comparisons of the size and age compositions and growth of King George whiting (Sillaginodes punctata) in different regions of south-western Australia. M.Sc. thesis, Murdoch University, Western Australia.
27. Victorian Fisheries Authority, 2017, Review of key Victorian fish stocks—2017, Victorian Fisheries Authority Science Report Series No. 1.