THE NSW Research Angler Program has recently been expanded due to its popularity with anglers. In addition to donating mulloway frames for research, fishers can now also donate frames and/or otiliths from snapper, yellowtail kingfish, dusky flathead and tailor.
The involvement of recreational fishers in improving our scientific knowledge of mulloway has been crucial. It is hoped that by expanding the program to include a number of other species, this will also increase the number of recreational fishers getting involved.
Recent findings: An enormous 86 cm Tailor caught in St Georges Basin was estimated to be just 6 years old. Over winter 98 mulloway frames were donated to the program and included 15 fish larger than 120 cm, including a 168 cm Newcastle fish estimated to be 26 years old and a 151 cm fish from Laurieton that was 24 years old. Nine mulloway were also recaptured over winter, as part of the NSW RAP-ANSA pilot mulloway tagging project, including a 61 cm fish, which swam 100 km north from the Hawkesbury River to the Hunter River (Newcastle) in 305 days.
If you are a recreational fisher who is passionate about your sport and would like to contribute some crucial biological data on your favourite recreational fish species, please visit the program web page or contact the program co-ordinator at research.angler@dpi.nsw.gov.au to learn more.
