HMAP Dataset 2 SE Australian Trawl Fishery II Fish (various) landings and fishing effort, South East Australia, 1937-1943 Supporting Documentation Red Funnel Fishing Trawler Durraween Summary Dataset Title: SE Australian Trawl Fishery II HMAP Case Study: South East Australian Shelf and Slope Large Marine Ecosystem: 42: Southeast Australian Shelf Subject: Fish (various) landings and fishing effort, South East Australia, 1937-1943 Data Provider: Neil Klaer Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Division of Marine Research GPO Box 1538 Hobart, Tasmania 7001 Australia e-mail: neil.klaer@csiro.au Data Editor: Michaela Barnard, MHSC, University of Hull m.g.barnard@hull.ac.uk Extent: 61,707 records Keywords: fisheries statistics; History of Marine Animal Populations; trawling; overfishing; Australian fishing industry Citation (a) The dataset: please cite as follows: N. Klaer ed. ‘South East Australian Trawl Records, 1937-1943’ in M.G Barnard & J.H Nicholls (comp.) HMAP Data Pages (www.hull.ac.uk/hmap) (b) Supporting documentation: please cite as follows: N. Klaer, ‘HMAP Dataset 2: SE Australian Trawl Fishery II, Supporting Documentation’, in M.G Barnard & J.H Nicholls (comp.) HMAP Data Pages (www.hull.ac.uk/hmap) Acknowledgements: Funding for the initial data collection and processing was provided by Australia’s Fishing Industry Research and Development Corporation (FIRDC). Support was also provided by the Bureau of Resource Sciences (BRS) and CSIRO, while the data processing described in this document was undertaken as part of a project based at the University of Canberra. The data were edited and rendered compatible with the HMAP and OBIS schema by the HMAP Data Pages team at Hull. Contents Page 1. Introduction 1 2. Data, 1937-1943 2-7 (a) Data description 2 (b) Data quality 3 (c) Catch positions 4-6 (d) Species identification 6-7 (e) Total catch by year and vessel 7 (f) Catch by depth 8 (g) Catch by year and species 9 3. Final conversion format 10 4. References & outputs 11 1. Introduction On 28 November 1991, the New South Wales Department of Agriculture and Fisheries provided historical data relating to the South East Fishery (SEF) to the Bureau of Resource Sciences (BRS) in accordance with the Fishing Industry Research and Development Corporation (FIRDC)-funded ‘historic SET catch data’ project. The data were originally collected by CSIRO and handed over to NSW Fisheries when CSIRO ceased work in the 1960s on what was then known as the ‘South East Trawl Fishery’. These data cover the periods 1918-1923, 1937-1943 and 1952-1957. No documentation exists for these data except for a simple description of the data field names. This document describes the processing carried out, and the assumptions made, to convert the data into a format suitable for inclusion in the Australian Fishing Zone Information System (AFZIS). This format, in turn, was adapted to render the data compatible with the HMAP/OBIS schema. Data: 1937-1943 (a) Data Description The accompanying field description was as follows: Table 1: 1937-1943 Data Description Field Width Position Type Comments trip information vessel-year 24 1-24 A * vessel code 2 25-26 N trip number 3 27-29 N depart date 6 30-35 N (yymmdd) depart time 4 36-39 N (24 hr clock) return date 6 40-45 N (yymmdd) return time 4 46-49 N (24 hr clock) No. of hauls 2 50-51 N No. Of species 2 52-53 N # last trip 1 54 N (blank,0,1) % species 1 2 55-56 N * sp 1 catch 8 57-64 N (baskets) species 2 2 65-66 N * sp 2 catch 8 67-74 N (baskets) . . . . . . species 12 2 165-166 N * sp 12 catch 8 167-174 N (baskets) haul information haul No. 2 175-176 N date 6 177-182 N (yymmdd) initial time 4 183-186 N (24 hr clock) final time 4 187-190 N (24 hr clock) area name 6 191-196 N area code 2 197-198 A initial depth 3 199-201 N (fathoms) final depth 3 202-204 N (fathoms) species 1 2 205-206 N * species 1 catch 6 207-212 N (baskets) . . . species 8 2 261-262 N * species 8 catch 6 263-268 N (baskets) Notes: A – Alphabetic; N – Numeric; * - Refer to code lists # - No. of species recorded in species catch (1)-(12); % - ‘1’ denotes last trip for the year 1 basket = 70lb (b) Data Quality A total of 31,266 individual haul records were available for the 1937-1943 period. A summary of the completeness of important fields is given in Table 2. Table 2: Data Completeness, 1937-1943 Field Records % of total depth fished 13,634 43.61 species catch wt 31,266 100.00 position 0 0 vessel name 31,266 100.00 date 31,266 100.00 Note: - depth applies to initial or final depth; position is both latitude and longitude - 100% of records had an encoded fishing ground (c) Catch Positions No hauls had latitude or longitude recorded. A six character fishing ground code was given, and these were interpreted as shown in Table 3 (some found by reference to Colefax, 1934). Estimates of the geographic location of the position on the coast, and the 200 and 1000m isobaths are shown in the table for those grounds which could be identified. A small number of codes could not be interpreted. Actual catch positions were estimated by interpolation according to the depth fished (mean start and end depth). Where no depth was given, 100m was used. Figure 2 maps the resulting estimated catch positions. Figure 2: Estimated Catch Positions, 1937-1943 Table 3: Fishing Ground Codes and Assumed Locations Code Ground Lat 0m Long 0m Lat 200m Long 200m Lat 1000m Long 1000m BABEL Babel Is 3957 14820 3957 14852 3957 14858 BASSPT Bass Point 3436 15047 3436 15111 3436 15120 BATE Batemans Bay 3544 15015 3544 15050 3544 15056 BERMAG Bermagui 3626 15004 3626 15015 3626 15020 BIRD Bird Is 3314 15136 3314 15214 3314 15224 BOTANY Botany Bay 3400 15114 3400 15133 3400 15151 BRGHTN Broughton Is 3237 15219 3237 15240 3237 15251 BROKEN Broken Bay 3336 15119 3336 15152 3336 15208 BRRNJY Barrenjoey Pt 3335 15120 3335 15154 3335 15208 BRUSH Brush Is 3532 15025 3532 15043 3532 15047 CATHRN Catherine Hill Bay 3309 15138 3309 15217 3309 15229 CHRLTT Charlott Hd 3220 15233 3220 15254 3220 15301 CLCLFF Coalcliff 3415 15059 3415 15124 3415 15135 CPFRST Cape Forster 3211 15231 3211 15254 3211 15305 CPGREN Cape Grenfell 3454 15036 3454 15103 3454 15111 CPHOWE Cape Howe 3730 14959 3730 15014 3730 15018 CPHWKE Cape Hawke 3213 15234 3213 15256 3213 15305 CPSMKY Smoky Cape 3055 15305 3055 15312 3055 15319 CRNLLA Cronulla 3402 15111 3402 15135 3402 15152 CROWDY Crowdy Hd 3151 15245 3151 15303 3151 15319 DSASTR Disaster Bay 3716 14958 3716 15017 3716 15021 EDEN Eden 3704 14955 3704 15017 3704 15021 EVRARD Cape Everard 3748 14916 3807 14922 3820 14926 GABO Gabo Is 3734 14955 3734 15013 3734 15018 GOALEN Goalen 3631 15003 3631 15020 3631 15025 HAYSTK Haystack Rock 4212 14804 4212 14832 4212 14837 HCKING Port Hacking 3404 15106 3404 15131 3404 15149 HELENS St Helens 4120 14815 4120 14837 4120 14848 JERVIS Jervis Bay 3507 15046 3507 15058 3507 15106 KEMBLA Port Kembla 3429 15055 3429 15116 3429 15126 KIAMA Kiama 3440 15051 3440 15110 3440 15120 KRGORO Korogoro Is 3103 15302 3103 15312 3103 15319 LAKENT Lakes Entrance 3752 14800 3820 14831 3829 14844 LILVAL Lily Vale 3412 15100 3412 15124 3412 15137 LONGPT Long Point 3345 15115 3345 15145 3345 15205 MARIA Maria Is 4240 14808 4240 14824 4240 14831 MARION Marion Bay 4248 14800 4248 14821 4248 14827 MARLEY Marley Beach 3407 15108 3407 15127 3407 15142 MCQRIE Port Macquarie 3127 15255 3127 15308 3127 15315 MONTAG Montague Is 3615 15014 3615 15018 3615 15023 MOON Moon Bay 3642 14959 3642 15016 3642 15021 MORNA Unknown 0 0 0 0 0 0 MORUYA Moruya 3555 15008 3555 15028 3555 15031 MOWRRY Mowarry Pt 3709 15000 3709 15017 3709 15021 MRMBLA Merimbula 3654 14956 3654 15016 3654 15020 NORAH Norah Hd 3317 15135 3317 15211 3317 15219 NWCSTL Newcastle 3256 15146 3256 15233 3256 15239 NWZLND New Zealand Ground 3343 15126 3338 15152 3334 15208 OHARA O'Hara Hd 3534 15023 3534 15041 3534 15045 PINES The Pines 3601 15009 3601 15024 3601 15028 RED HD Red Hd 3515 15033 3515 15054 3515 15100 SHLHVN Shoalhaven Hd 3451 15045 3451 15106 3451 15113 SISTER The Sisters 3930 14744 3912 14837 3908 14844 STPHNS Port Stephens 3242 15210 3242 15241 3242 15250 SYDHDS Sydney Hd 3351 15118 3351 15142 3351 15205 TATHRA Tathra 3644 14959 3644 15016 3644 15020 TLLGTS Tollgate Is 3545 15016 3545 15034 3545 15038 TNCRRY Tuncurry 3211 15230 3211 15256 3211 15305 WABUNG Wybung Head 3312 15140 3312 15214 3312 15224 WARDEN Warden 3523 15030 3523 15047 3523 15053 WATMOL Wattamolla 3408 15108 3408 15128 3408 15143 WRECK Wreck Bay 3511 15038 3511 15055 3511 15103 (d) Species Identification Two letter species codes were used in the data. The meaning of the codes was not documented, and interpretation was initially provided by Kevin Rowling of NSW Fisheries. This interpretation was supplemented with the following information from Roughley (1916) on trawler catches off NSW in 1915 and 1916: ‘The total weight of fish captured from the commencement of operations, 7th June, 1915, till the end of July, 1916, was 2,326,481 lb. The species captured in greatest abundance, and arranged in that order, are as follows:-- 1. Tiger or Deep-sea Flathead (Neoplatycephalus macrodon). 2. Sharp-beaked Gurnard (Pterygotriglia polyommata). 3. John Dory (Zeus faber). 4. Yellow leatherjacket (Pseudomonacanthus ayraudi). 5. Short Boarfish (Zanclistius elevatus). 6. Nannygai (Trachichthodes affinis). 7. Jackass Fish (Dactylosparus macropterus) 8. Morwong (Dactylosparus carponemus) 9. Barracouta (Thyrsites atun) 10. Thetis fish (Neosebastes thetidis) 11. Snapper (Pagrosomus auratus) 12. Red Gurnard Perch (Helicolenus percoides).’ Modern equivalents: 1 = tiger flathead (Neoplatycephalus richardsoni) 2 = latchet (Pterygotriglia polyommata) 4 = chinaman leatherjacket (Nelusetta ayraudi) 5 = long-finned boarfish (Zanclistius elevatus) 6 = redfish (Centroberyx affinis) 7 = jackass morwong (Nemadactylus macropterus) 8 = blue morwong (Nemadactylus douglasi) 11 = snapper (Chrysophrys auratus) 12 = ocean perch (Helicolenus percoides) May and Maxwell (1986), others as historically listed Table 4: Species Codes in the 1937-1943 Data, and Assumed Identification Code Name CSIRO code wt (kg) records FL tiger flathead 296001 6,033,406 30,318 MI mixed 999999 2,033,521 13,229 MO jackass morwong 377003 928,455 5,442 LJ chinaman leatherjacket 465006 499,216 3,701 NA redfish 258003 431,481 1,600 GU latchet 288006 199,339 2,492 SH shark 18000 114,240 1,049 JD john dory 264004 107,522 1,671 SA unknown 1 51,127 941 SN snapper 353001 14,767 35 LA latchet 288006 13,705 334 DO dory 264000 4,978 88 KG kingfish 337006 1,461 4 SK rays 31000 1,296 34 PE ocean perch 287001 222 1 RA rays 31000 64 2 (e) Total Catch by Year and Vessel Table 5: Total Retained Catch and Number of Hauls by Year Year Total Catch (kg) Hauls 1937 1,950,643 6,476 1938 3,055,925 9,222 1939 3,066,765 9,337 1940 730,804 2,192 1941 878,350 2,416 1942 617,398 1,396 1943 128,428 227 Total catch and number of hauls by vessel for the 1937-1943 data are presented in Table 6. Discarded catch was not recorded. Table 6: Catch and Number of Hauls by Vessel Vessel Retained wt Discard wt Operations Alfie Cam 888,574 0 2,928 Bareamul 1,892,268 0 4,804 Beryl 2 828,382 0 2,577 Dureenbee 1,498,070 0 4,738 Goolgwai 521,114 0 1,589 Goonambee 1,026,538 0 3,189 Goorangai 847,519 0 2,709 Korowa 530,306 0 1,515 Mary Cam 1,457,932 0 4,300 Olive Cam 816,626 0 2,547 Samuel Benbow 120,984 0 370 (f) Catch by Depth Total catches by depth interval (0=0-20) are given in Table 7. Depths have been converted from fathoms to metres. All recorded depths were within the ranges shown and no adjustments for mis-recording were made. Table 7: Total Retained Catch Weight by Depth Interval Depth (m) Retained wt (kg) Discard wt (kg) Hauls 0 826 0 3 20 1,937 0 6 40 57,084 0 213 60 187,007 0 756 80 714,170 0 2,465 100 905,706 0 2,883 120 1,468,218 0 4,106 140 970,727 0 2,572 160 85,727 0 251 180 50,733 0 181 200 40,584 0 182 220 2,572 0 10 240 159 0 1 (g) Catch by Year and Species Table 8: Total Retained Catch by Species by Year Code Species 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 DO dory 0 1,435 0 480 1,311 1,752 0 FL tiger flathead 1,132,089 1,942,816 1,952,715 410,179 348,055 186,122 61,430 GU latchet 32 76,900 48,766 19,437 29,670 20,481 4,053 JD john dory 9,817 27,347 21,943 14,946 21,538 8,644 3,287 KG kingfish 0 0 0 0 223 1,238 0 LA latchet 0 2,855 7,046 2,412 112 416 864 LJ chinaman leatherjacket 2,574 54,762 160,777 67,494 96,066 92,371 25,172 MI mixed 553,751 582,461 520,140 144,368 159,410 72,529 862 MO jackass morwong 209,782 322,307 249,183 35,861 82,573 28,398 351 NA redfish 43,514 40,287 75,653 21,753 118,086 129,925 2,263 PE ocean perch 0 0 0 0 0 222 0 RA rays 0 64 0 0 0 0 0 SA unknown SA 0 5,828 16,989 13,742 11,673 2,895 0 SH shark 0 320 0 574 10,150 72,937 30,259 SK rays 0 256 656 96 288 0 0 SN snapper 0 0 14,767 0 0 0 0 2. Final Conversion Format All data were converted into the following format. This is suitable for loading into the AFZIS system without the need for further data manipulation. The files were in dBase III databases, and have been converted into the HMAP schema. Field Field Name Type Width Dec 1 BOAT_NAME Character 15 2 DATE Numeric 6 3 HAUL_NO Numeric 2 4 OP_NO Numeric 2 5 ST_TIME Numeric 4 6 EN_TIME Numeric 4 7 ST_DEP Numeric 4 8 EN_DEP Numeric 4 9 LAT Numeric 6 2 10 LONG Numeric 6 2 11 EFFORT Numeric 6 2 12 RET_WT Numeric 8 13 DIS_WT Numeric 8 14 TOT_WT Numeric 8 ** Total ** 84 Field Field Name Type Width Dec 1 BOAT_NAME Character 15 2 DATE Numeric 6 3 HAUL_NO Numeric 2 4 OP_NO Numeric 2 5 SPECIES Character 2 6 SP_CODE Numeric 6 7 WT Numeric 8 ** Total ** 41 3. References Colefax, A.N. 1934. A preliminary investigation of the natural history of the tiger flathead (Neoplatycephalus macrodon) on the south-eastern Australian coast. I. Proc. Linn. Soc. NSW. 59, 71-79. May, J.L. and Maxwell, J.G.H. 1986. Field guide to Trawl Fish from Temperate Waters of Australia. CSIRO Division of Fisheries Research. 492pp. Roughly, T.C. 1916. Fishes of Australia and Their Technology. William Applegate Gullick, Government Printer, Sydney. 296pp. 4. Outputs The data have been used to inform a number of analyses, including: N.L. Klaer, ‘Steam trawl catches from south-eastern Australia from 1918 to 1957: trends in catch rates and species composition’ Marine and Freshwater Research, 52(4), 399-410. Abstract: Haul-by-haul steam trawler catch and effort data for 1918–23, 1937–43 and 1952–57, which cover a large portion of the history of steam trawling in the Australian South East Fishery, were examined in detail for the first time. There were 64371 haul records in total. The catch-rate for all retained catch combined shows a strong decline overall, with a brief recovery during World War II, probably due to increased retention of previously discarded species. The fishing fleet moved to more distant fishing grounds and deeper waters as the catch-rate declined. The catch-rates of the main commercial species followed a similar pattern in a number of regions within the fishery. The catch-rate of the primary target species – tiger flathead (Neoplatycephalus richardsoni) – dropped considerably from the early, very high, catch-rates. Chinaman leatherjacket (Nelusetta ayraudi) and latchet (Pterygotrigla polyommata) – species that were apparently abundant in the early years of the fishery, virtually disappeared from catches in later years. The appearance of greater catches of jackass morwong (Nemadactylus macropterus), redfish (Centroberyx affinis) and shark/skate during the war and afterwards was probably due to increased retention of catches of these species. The disappearance of certain species from the catch may be due to high fishing pressure alone, or to a combination of fishing pressure, changes in the shelf habitat possibly caused by the trawl gear, and environmental fluctuations. Keywords: fisheries management, south east trawl fishery, CPUE, historical, steam trawler, stock assessment. HMAP Dataset 2: SE Australian Trawl Fishery II HMAP Data Pages: http://www.hull.ac.uk/hmap 11 HMAP Data Pages: http://www.hull.ac.uk/hmap