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Banded Morwong is a large temperate reef species sold in the domestic live fish trade. It is found in VIC where its stock status is classified as undefined and in TAS where it is sustainable.  

Banded Morwong is large temperate reef fish species that is targeted by gillnets for the domestic live fish trade. The species is distributed around south-eastern Australia, including southern New South Wales, and eastern Victoria and Tasmania, as well as occurring off north eastern New Zealand. It is relatively common in depths of less than 50 m. There is currently no information available regarding the biological stock structure. However, once settled after a relatively long oceanic larval phase, the species shows a high degree of site fidelity [Murphy and Lyle 1999; Ziegler et al. 2006; Buxton et al. 2010], suggesting that the exploited Victorian and Tasmanian populations are likely to represent distinct populations. Here, assessment of stock status is presented at the management unit level—Tasmania Banded Morwong Fishery and Victoria Banded Morwong Fishery.

Victoria Banded Morwong Fishery

In Victoria, the Banded Morwong fishery developed rapidly in the late 1990s and early 2000s, before being transferred to a specialised targeted fishery with two operators. While the fishery was likely fully exploited during early development, fishers were able to maintain relatively high catch rate by spreading their effort throughout the extensive inshore reef systems in eastern Victoria. Nevertheless, catch rates began to decline after 2006, falling below the reference period average [Bell et al. 2023], and reaching a low in 2010, which was associated with a voluntary decline in fishing effort [Bell et al. 2023]. Thereafter, the two active operators in the fishery maintained relatively low levels of fishing effort, resulting in an increase in catch rate from the low in 2010 until 2016 [Bell et al. 2023].  Around this time, both licenses were transferred simultaneously, which adds uncertainty when using catch rate as a proxy for biomass, particularly given there is fewer than 50 days of fishing effort in most years, some with fewer than 20 days.

The available evidence indicates that the commercial Banded Morwong fishery in eastern Victoria is unlikely to be recruitment impaired. However, given the limited number of fishers, the complete transition of licenses and operators, and low amount of fishing effort, the use of catch rate as a proxy for biomass may be unreliable. On the basis of the evidence provided above, the Victoria Banded Morwong Fishery management unit is classified as an undefined stock.

Banded Morwong biology [Ewing et al. 2007; Ziegler et al. 2007]

Distribution of reported commercial catch of Banded Morwong

Commercial catch of Banded Morwong - note confidential catch not shown 

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 

Tasmania - Indigenous (management methods). In Tasmania, Indigenous persons engaged in traditional 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. For details, see the policy document 'Recognition of Aboriginal Fishing Activities” (https://fishing.tas.gov.au/Documents/Policy%20for%20Aboriginal%20tags%20and%20alloting%20an%20UIC.pdf).

Commercial catch of Banded Morwong - note confidential catch (ie in Victoria) is not shown

1. Bell, JD, Ingram, BA, Gorfine, HK and Conron, SD 2023, Review of key Victorian fish stocks — 2022, Victorian Fisheries Authority Science Report Series No. 38, First Edition, June 2023. VFA: Queenscliff. 119pp.
2. Buxton, CD, Semmens, JM, Forbes, E, Lyle, JM, Barrett, NS and Phelan, MJ 2010, Spatial management of reef fisheries and ecosystems: Understanding the importance of movement, Tasmanian Aquaculture and Fisheries Institute and Fisheries Research and Development Corporation, Hobart.
3. Ewing, GP, Lyle, JM, Murphy, R, Kalish, JM and Ziegler, PE 2007, Validation of age and growth in a long-lived temperate reef fish using otolith structure, oxytetracycline and bomb radiocarbon methods, Marine and Freshwater Research, 58: 944–955.
4. Lyle, JM, Stark, KE, Ewing, GP, and Tracey, SR, 2019. 2017-18 survey of recreational fishing in Tasmania. Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, Hobart, Tasmania.
5. Murphy, RJ and Lyle, JM 1999, Impact of gillnet fishing on inshore temperate reef fishes, with particular reference to Banded Morwong, Tasmanian Aquaculture and Fisheries Institute, Hobart.
6. Stacy, B. and Krueck, N. 2022, Tasmanian Banded Morwong Fishery Assessment 2021/22
7. Ziegler, PE, Haddon, M and Lyle, JM 2006, Sustainability of small-scale, data-poor commercial fisheries: developing assessments, performance indicators and monitoring strategies for temperate reef species, Marine Research Laboratories, Hobart.
8. Ziegler, PE, Lyle, JM, Haddon, M and Ewing, G 2007, Rapid changes in life-history characteristics of a long-lived temperate reef fish, Marine and Freshwater Research, 58: 1096–1107.