TY - JOUR
T1 - Changes to fish assemblages visiting estuarine wetlands following the closure of commercial fishing in Botany Bay, Australia
AU - Saintilan, Neil
AU - Mazumder, Debashish
AU - Cranney, Karen
PY - 2008/10
Y1 - 2008/10
N2 - A Before-After, Control-Impact sampling design was used to measure changes in fish assemblages in intertidal mangroves and saltmarsh prior to and following the closure of commercial fishing in the Botany Bay estuary, New South Wales, Australia. Of commercial species found as juveniles in the wetlands, there was a consistent pattern of decrease in numbers compared to the pre-closure surveys. Other small wetland fish (such as the Gobiidae) were also found to have decreased in numbers, with the exception of the Common Toadfish (Tetractenos hamiltoni Gray and Richardson, 1843) and the Glassfish (Ambassis jacksoniensis Macleay, 1881). Results suggest that the immediate response of an estuarine fishery to commercial fishing closure may be a predator-mediated decline in juvenile fish of both prey and predator species.
AB - A Before-After, Control-Impact sampling design was used to measure changes in fish assemblages in intertidal mangroves and saltmarsh prior to and following the closure of commercial fishing in the Botany Bay estuary, New South Wales, Australia. Of commercial species found as juveniles in the wetlands, there was a consistent pattern of decrease in numbers compared to the pre-closure surveys. Other small wetland fish (such as the Gobiidae) were also found to have decreased in numbers, with the exception of the Common Toadfish (Tetractenos hamiltoni Gray and Richardson, 1843) and the Glassfish (Ambassis jacksoniensis Macleay, 1881). Results suggest that the immediate response of an estuarine fishery to commercial fishing closure may be a predator-mediated decline in juvenile fish of both prey and predator species.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=57349130141&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/14634980802515823
DO - 10.1080/14634980802515823
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:57349130141
SN - 1463-4988
VL - 11
SP - 441
EP - 449
JO - Aquatic Ecosystem Health and Management
JF - Aquatic Ecosystem Health and Management
IS - 4
ER -