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Imaging Sonar Reveals Diel Movement of Fish Throughout a Developed Australian Estuary

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Abstract

Estuaries present a unique interface between ocean and freshwater systems and support key fish habitats. While the role of estuaries for juvenile fish has been studied extensively, the daily movement patterns of large fish and the exchange of fishes between estuary and ocean are less understood, particularly in developed estuaries. This study examines the quantity of fish biomass transiting through an important commercial fishing estuary in New South Wales, Australia, over 4 months, at four sites, and across diel periods. We used an imaging sonar across diurnal and nocturnal sampling events to reveal the size of fish, their movement patterns, and the biomass flux occurring throughout the estuary. Across ~ 60 h of footage, > 66,200 fish were counted and measured. Fish activity was the greatest at night, with 77% of fish biomass flux (kg h−1) occurring during nocturnal sampling. The total observed fish biomass over the 60 h amounted to ~ 15,500 kg, with the highest activity recorded at the estuary mouth at night (736 ± 463 kg h−1). Overall, mean fish length was the greatest at night (25.2 ± 2.0 cm); however, fish observed during the day at the estuary mouth had the highest mean length (27.8 ± 6.9 cm). Extrapolated across the width of the estuary, total fish movement ranged to a maximum of 47 Tons h−1 in the lower estuary (Stockton) and a minimum of 0.4 Tons h−1 in the upper estuary (Throsby Creek Lower). These results demonstrate the importance of estuaries, despite their level of development, in supporting the daily movement patterns of fish biomass between habitats, estuary, and ocean.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the two anonymous reviewers for their insightful comments that helped improve this report. This research was possible thanks to the generosity of field work volunteers, particularly G. McSpadden, H. Rees Parkes, L. Kelly, and E. Cocksedge. This project was conducted using equipment obtained through Dr. Matt Taylor’s UNSW ARC LIEF grant (LE100100059-Dual Frequency Identification SONAR (DIDSON) Facility for Sampling Benthic and Pelagic Fish Populations). We acknowledge the contribution of the New South Wales Department of Primary Industry’s estuary catch data, in providing the length and weight data used to generate biomass estimates presented in this study.

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Our study was conducted with financial support and resources from the University of Newcastle.

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  1. School of Environmental and Life Sciences, The University of Newcastle, New South Wales, 2258, Australia

    Kristen L. McSpadden, Vincent Raoult, Mark A. Bennett & Troy F. Gaston

  2. School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Victoria, 3125, Australia

    Vincent Raoult

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  1. Kristen L. McSpadden
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Correspondence to Kristen L. McSpadden.

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Communicated by Kevin M. Boswell

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McSpadden, K.L., Raoult, V., Bennett, M.A. et al. Imaging Sonar Reveals Diel Movement of Fish Throughout a Developed Australian Estuary. Estuaries and Coasts 47, 880–893 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-023-01315-6

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