New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research abstracts

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Chrysophrys auratus, in the East Cape region, New Zealand

L. J. Paul

and

S. C. Tarring

Fisheries Research Division, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, P. O. Box 19062, Wellington, New Zealand

Abstract Although Hawke Bay is the south-eastern limit of the commercial range of the New Zealand snapper, Chrysophrys auratus (Forster), Gisborne and Napier trawlers take significant quantities of this species from grounds between the eastern Bay of Plenty and Hawke Bay. Growth rate is appreciably faster in the East Cape region than in the Hauraki Gulf, and is apparently without local variations. At least one nursery ground occurs in the area, inside 50 m depth. The largest adults occur furthest off shore, and also towards the south of the area; they may represent an accumulation of older fish which have come from more northern regions. The population age structure shows a preponderance of fish over 10 years old; there is considerable variation in year-class strength. Total mortality rate is apparently low. As continued fishing reduces the numbers of old fish there will be a change in the fishery towards smaller fish, and the annual catch weight might decline. The relative importance of local and immigrant snapper from more northern areas remains unknown.

Keywords Chrysophrys auratus; growth; populations; East Cape, New Zealand; trawling; fishery resources.

New Zealand Journal of Marine & Freshwater Research, 1980, 14 (3): 237-247
Received 2 December 1977; revision received 27 June 1980 Fisheries Research Division Publication 409

PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (585K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)

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