Background/Aims
Effective fisheries management supports the ongoing sustainability and health of wild fish stocks. Appropriate management depends on accurately identifying populations and understanding stock structure of a species. Tiger Flathead (Platycephalus richardsoni), a commercially valuable species in the Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery (SESSF), is currently managed as a single biological stock. However, observed differences in growth, appearance, and reproductive timing in Tiger Flathead caught off eastern Tasmania suggest potential ecophysiological differences compared to those found off the east coasts of New South Wales and Victoria.
Methods
This study employs a population genomics approach using Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) to assess genetic connectivity and stock structure of the species. Tissue samples were collected from multiple sites from Tasmania to New South Wales, during the South-East Australian Marine Ecosystem Surveys (2023 & 2024).
Results /Conclusion
These findings provide critical insights into the genetic diversity and connectivity of Tiger Flathead in the east coast fishery. Importantly, this study represents the first population genomics assessment of Tiger Flathead, contributing to improved fisheries management within the SESSF and addressing key gaps in biological parameters for the species (FRDC project 2019-2020, Evans et al., 2022).