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Greenback Flounder occur around Australia's southern coastline (including TAS), from Jervis Bay in NSW to Mandurah in WA. The species is also found in New Zealand. While there is evidence of population structuring in TAS Greenback Flounder, biological stock structure on the mainland coast in unknown, and assessments are consequently presented here at the jurisdictional level. Greenback Flounder are classified as negligible in WA, sustainable in VIC, undefined in TAS, and depleted in SA.

Photo: CSIRO Australian National Fish Collection

Greenback Flounder has a wide distribution in Australia, from Jervis Bay on the south coast of New South Wales, around the south of the continent including Tasmania, and up to Mandurah on the south-western coast of Western Australia [Kailola et al. 1993]. They also occur in New Zealand [Sutton et al. 2010]. 

The broad distribution of Greenback Flounder in Australia is thought to be divisible into a number of separate biological stocks. Genetic studies have demonstrated that the most significant division occurs between Australian and New Zealand populations [van den Enden et al. 2000]. Within Australia, there is strong evidence that populations in western Tasmania are genetically isolated from populations in Victoria, and northern and south-eastern Tasmania. These results are consistent with those of Kurth [1957], who identified distinct western and eastern Tasmania populations on the basis of morphometrics. Biological stock structure along the southern mainland coasts of Australia is not known.  

Here, assessment of stock status for Greenback Flounder is presented at the jurisdictional level—Western Australia, Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia.

Tasmania

Although not generally reported at the species level, Greenback Flounder are assumed to constitute most of the commercial catch of flounder in Tasmania. Flounder landings have declined steadily from recorded peak annual catches of more than 30 t in the mid-1990s to a historical low of 1 t in 2015–16. Catches since then have remained below 5 t with 1.7 t caught in 2021–22 [Sharples et al. 2023]. Greenback Flounder are a relatively important recreational species, and in recent years, recreational landings have matched or exceeded those of the commercial sector [Lyle et al. 2019]. Like commercial catches, recreational catches appear to have declined progressively over the years, with an estimated peak of 15.2 t in 2000–01 and a low of 3.8 t in 2017–18 [Lyle et al 2019]. Possible explanations for declining commercial catches of flounder include a change in targeting behaviour by fishers in response to a ban on overnight gillnetting and reduced market demand. However, the potential role of overfishing and population depletion cannot confidently be assessed due to insufficient data. There is no published assessment of this species, and there are no data available to estimate biomass or exploitation rates. In addition, there is no knowledge of recruitment or harvestable biomass, and there are no defined target or limit reference levels. This prevents assessment of current stock size or fishing pressure. Consequently, there is insufficient information available to confidently classify the status of this stock.

On the basis of the evidence provided above, Greenback Flounder in Tasmania is classified as an undefined stock.

[Sutton et al. 2010; Earl et al. 2014]

Distribution of reported commercial catch of Greenback Flounder.

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.

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 Greenback Flounder - note confidential catch not shown.

1. Beckmann, CL, Durante, LM, Graba-Landry, A, Stark, KE and Tracey, SR 2023. Survey of Recreational Fishing in South Australia 2021-22. Report to PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture. South Australian Research and Development Institute (Aquatic and Livestock Sciences), Adelaide. SARDI Publication No. F2022/000385-1. SARDI Research Report Series No. 1161. 185pp.
2. 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. 141pp
3. Earl, J 2023, Assessment of the South Australian Lakes and Coorong Fishery in 2021-22. Report to PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture. South Australian Research and Development Institute (Aquatic Sciences), Adelaide. SARDI Publication No. F2020/000208-04. SARDI Research Report Series No. 1176. 94pp.
4. Earl, J and Ye, Q 2016, Greenback Flounder (Rhombosolea tapirina) Stock Assessment Report 2014/15. Report to PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture. South Australian Research and Development Institute (Aquatic Sciences), Adelaide. SARDI Publication No. F2007/000315-2. SARDI Research Report Series No. 889. 40pp.
5. Earl, J, Fowler, AJ, Ye, Q and Dittmann, S 2014, Age validation, growth and population characteristics of greenback flounder (Rhombosolea tapirina) in a large temperate estuary. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 48(2), 229-244.
6. Earl, J, Fowler, AJ, Ye, Q and Dittmann, S 2017, Complex movement patterns of greenback flounder (Rhombosolea tapirina) in the Murray River estuary and Coorong, Australia. Journal of Sea Research 122, 1-10.
7. Kailola, PJ, Williams, MJ, Stewart, PC, Reichelt, RE, McNee, A and Grieve, C 1993, Australian fisheries resources, Bureau of Resource Sciences, Department of Primary Industries and Energy and Fisheries Research and Development Corporation, Canberra.
8. Kurth, D 1957, An investigation of the greenback flounder, Rhombosolea tapirina Günther. PhD thesis Thesis, University of Tasmania, Hobart.
9. 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.
10. Sharples, R, Cresswell, K, Hartmann, K and Krueck, N 2023, Tasmanian Scalefish Fishery Assessment 2021/22. Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania.
11. Sutton, CP, MacGibbon, DJ and Stevens, DW 2010, Age and growth of greenback flounder (Rhombosolea tapirina) from southern New Zealand. New Zealand Fisheries Assessment Report 2010/48. Ministry of Fisheries, Wellington. 16pp.
12. van den Enden, T, White, RW and Elliott, NG 2000, Genetic variation in the greenback flounder Rhombosolea tapirina Günther (Teleostei, Pleuronectidae) and the implications for aquaculture. Marine and Freshwater Research 51(1), 23-33.