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Temporal Variations in Fish Catch Using Pop Nets in Mangrove and Saltmarsh Flats at Towra Point, NSW, Australia

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Abstract

Fish assemblages utilising saltmarsh and mangrove during spring tides were surveyed over a 12-month period using buoyant pop nets. A total of 48 net releases in the saltmarsh identified 16 species, at a density of 0.56 fish m−2, with six species being of commercial importance. The same number of releases within the mangrove collected a total of 23 species at a density of 0.76 fish m−2. However, fish density was higher within the saltmarsh than the adjacent mangrove when corrected for water volume. Multidimensional scaling revealed different assemblages of fish in the two habitats, with higher numbers of Ambassis jacksoniensis and Pseudomugil sp. in the saltmarsh and higher numbers of Mugilogobius sp. and Acanthopagrus australis in the mangrove. The result suggests a potentially significant role for saltmarsh as a fish habitat in the estuaries of southeast Australia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Nuclear Geophysiology, Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), PMB 1, Lucas Heights, Menai, 2234, New South Wales, Australia

    Debashish Mazumder

  2. Centre for Environmental Restoration and Stewardship, Australian Catholic University, Mackillop Campus, North Sydney, P.O. Box 968, NSW, 2059, Australia

    Neil Saintilan

  3. New South Wales Fisheries, 202 Nicholson Pde, Cronulla, NSW, 2230, Australia

    Robert J. Williams

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  1. Debashish Mazumder
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  2. Neil Saintilan
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  3. Robert J. Williams
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Correspondence to Debashish Mazumder.

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Mazumder, D., Saintilan, N. & Williams, R.J. Temporal Variations in Fish Catch Using Pop Nets in Mangrove and Saltmarsh Flats at Towra Point, NSW, Australia. Wetlands Ecol Manage 13, 457–467 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11273-004-0814-2

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