STATUS OF AUSTRALIAN FISH STOCKS REPORT
Sand Whiting (2020)
1
Sand Whiting (2020)
Sillago ciliata
Anthony Roelofs: Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Queensland, Karina Hall: NSW
Department of Primary Industry, Jason McGilvray: Department of Agriculture and Fisheries,
Queensland
STOCK STATUS OVERVIEW
Jurisdiction
Stock
Stock status
Indicators
Queensland
Queensland
Sustainable
Stock assessment, commercial catch
and CPUE, recreational catch, length
and age
New South Wales
New South
Wales
Sustainable
Catch, effort and standardised CPUE,
length and age, mortality rates
STOCK STRUCTURE
Sand Whiting occur along the east coast of Australia and are most abundant in southern
Queensland and northern New South Wales. Tagging studies have shown movement of adult
fish between estuaries, but information on biological stock boundaries remains incomplete. The
unknown nature of biological stock composition means no formal assessment of the entire
biological stock has been completed. Separate assessments of Sand Whiting have been
conducted in Queensland and New South Wales [Hoyle et al. 2000, O'Neill et al. 2000,
Ochwada-Doyle et al. 2014, Hall 2020].
Here, assessment of stock status is presented at the jurisdictional level—Queensland and New
South Wales.
STOCK STATUS
New South
Wales
In New South Wales, Sand Whiting are mainly taken by the commercial Estuary
General Fishery using mesh nets and general-purpose hauling nets, and smaller
catches are reported by the Ocean Hauling Fishery [Hall 2015]. Annual
commercial catches of Sand Whiting in New South Wales waters remained above
130 tonnes (t) between 1980–91 and 2007–08 but have since gradually
decreased to the lowest catches in five decades of 74.9 t in 2017–18 and 75.1 t
in 2018–19 [Hall 2020]. This recent decrease in catches has coincided with a
similar decline in effort, such that the standardised commercial catch rates for
STATUS OF AUSTRALIAN FISH STOCKS REPORT
Sand Whiting (2020)
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both the mesh netting and hauling sectors, while variable, have remained near
long-term averages over the last 11 years [Hall 2020]. The length compositions
of the commercial landings for this species have been relatively stable since the
late-1960s (although the time-series has many missing years) [NSW DPI,
unpublished data]. Local populations that have been studied are predominantly
comprised of fish that are between two and five years of age [Ochwada-
Doyle et
al. 2014].
Relative to the commercial catch, recreational catches comprised approximately
46.3 per cent of the total harvest from New South Wales in 2013–14 [Hall
2020]. The most recent estimate of the recreational harvest of Sand Whiting in
New South Wales was approximately 280 064 fish or around 33.6 t during 2017–
18 [Murphy et al. 2020]. This estimate was based on a survey of Recreational
Fishing Licence (RFL) Households, comprised of at least one fisher possessing a
long-term (1 or 3 years duration) fishing licence and any other fishers resident
within their household. The equivalent estimated recreational harvest in 2013–
14 was approximately 38 per cent smaller at 172 941 fish, which suggests
catches have recently increased, although available data are limited [Murphy et
al. 2020]. A survey of Aboriginal cultural fishing in the Tweed River catchment
identified Sand Whiting as one of the top 10 most important species numerically
in catches and was estimated to account for 14.2 per cent of the total finfish
catches in that catchment [Schnierer and Egan 2016]. Statewide estimates of
the annual Aboriginal harvest of Sand Whiting in NSW waters are unknown but
are assumed to be significant. In combination, the above evidence indicates that
the biomass of this stock is unlikely to be depleted and that recruitment is
unlikely to be impaired.
Nominal effort levels (in total number of days fished) over the past 11 years
have been well below historical levels. In 2018–19, effort was 7 969 days for
mesh netting and 950 days for hauling compared with 23 093 and 8 012 days,
respectively, in 1998–99 [Hall 2020]. Changes in catch reporting from monthly
to daily records in July 1997 significantly altered effort distributions and would
account for some of the historical decrease. There is a minimum legal length for
both commercial and recreational fishers of 270 mm TL and recreational fishing
havens in 31 New South Wales estuaries, and associated commercial fishing
licence buyout, have also reduced commercial fishing pressure on the spawning
stock. Previous estimates of mortality from catch curves indicate that the rate of
fishing mortality is likely to be less than that of natural mortality, although these
estimates need to be updated [Ochwada-Doyle et al. 2014]. Collectively, the
above evidence indicates that the current level of fishing mortality is unlikely to
cause the stock to become recruitment impaired.
On the basis of the evidence provided above, Sand Whiting in New South Wales
is classified as a sustainable stock.
Queensland
Sand Whiting is a major target species for both commercial and recreational
fishers in south-east Queensland [Leigh et al. 2019]. The most recent stock
assessment [Leigh et al. 2019] of Sand Whiting for the Moreton and Fraser
regions in Queensland estimated the exploitable biomass in 2017 to be 29 per
cent of unfished biomass. This is approximately the biomass corresponding to
maximum sustainable yield (MSY). Fishery-dependent monitoring of Sand
Whiting, beginning in 2007, indicates consistent length and age structures,
indicating a stable population with continued recruitment [QDAF unpublished].
In the 2019 calendar year, the commercial catch of Sand Whiting in Queensland
was 123 tonnes (t) which was below the mean catch during the period 1990–
2018 (272
t) [QFISH 2020]. South of Baffle Creek, where Sand Whiting are most
commonly targeted by the commercial net fishery, the total catch in 2019 was
114 t. This was below the long-term average of 253 t (1990–2018) for the
region and also below the historical Queensland Fish Board (QFB) data series
(mean of 266 t, 1945–80). Recreational harvest in 2019 was also lower (78 t)
than the previous estimates (2000: 377 t; 2010: 135 t; 2013: 99 t) [Teixeira et
STATUS OF AUSTRALIAN FISH STOCKS REPORT
Sand Whiting (2020)
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al. 2021]. Standardised catch rates in recent years have been steady, albeit at
lower than historical levels [Leigh et al. 2019].The stock is not considered to be
recruitment impaired.
Current harvest levels (commercial and recreational combined) should see the
stock rebuild to target biomass levels (B60) by about 2027 [Leigh et al. 2019].
Nominal effort for Sand Whiting in the Queensland commercial net fishery in
2019 was at a historic low [QFISH 2020]. In areas where Sand Whiting are most
common (south of Rockhampton) recreational effort (in days fished) had also
fallen since 2001 (417 000 in 2000; 216 400 in 2010; 158 300 in 2013) [Webley
et al. 2015]. There is no estimate of Indigenous harvest for fishers using
traditional fishing methods. The introduction in 2009 of an in-possession limit
(30 fish) for recreational fishers aimed to further reduce fishing mortality. The
current minimum legal size for Sand Whiting in Queensland (230 mm total
length [TL]) allows a proportion of mature fish to spawn at least once
[Ochwada-Doyle 2014]. The current level of fishing pressure is unlikely to cause
this stock to become recruitment impaired.
On the basis of the evidence provided above, Sand Whiting in Queensland is
classified as a sustainable stock.
BIOLOGY
Sand Whiting biology [Burchmore et al. 1988, McKay RJ 1992, Ochwada-
Doyle 2014, Stocks
et al. 2011]
Species
Longevity / Maximum Size
Maturity (50 per cent)
Sand Whiting
12 years, 510 mm TL
Males 170–240 mm FL
Females 190–240 mm FL
DISTRIBUTION
Distribution of reported commercial catch of Sand Whiting
TABLES
STATUS OF AUSTRALIAN FISH STOCKS REPORT
Sand Whiting (2020)
4
Fishing methods
New South
Wales
Queensland
Charter
Hook and Line
Commercial
Haul Seine
Line
Mesh Net
Net
Otter Trawl
Seine Nets
Various
Recreational
Hook and Line
Management
Methods
New South
Wales
Queensland
Charter
Bag and
possession
limits
Gear
restrictions
Possession
limit
Size limit
Spatial
closures
Commercial
Gear
restrictions
Limited entry
Size limit
Spatial
closures
Temporal
closures
Recreational
Bag and
possession
limits
Gear
restrictions
STATUS OF AUSTRALIAN FISH STOCKS REPORT
Sand Whiting (2020)
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In possession
limits
Possession
limit
Size limit
Spatial
closures
Catch
New South
Wales
Queensland
Charter
242 fish (2018-
19)
Commercial
74.7477 t
144.77 t
Indigenous
Unknown
Unknown
Recreational
33.6 t (2017–
18)
78 t (2019–20)
Queensland – Indigenous (management methods) for more information see
https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/business-priorities/fisheries/traditional-fishing
New South Wales – Recreational (catch totals) Estimate from Murphy et al. [2020], based on
a survey of Recreational Fishing Licence households.
New South Wales – Indigenous (Management Methods)
https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/aboriginal-fishing).
CATCH CHART
STATUS OF AUSTRALIAN FISH STOCKS REPORT
Sand Whiting (2020)
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Commercial catch of Sand Whiting - note confidential catch not shown
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