World-leading fisheries science, governments and the recreational fishing sector in Tasmania have joined forces to fill the scientific knowledge gaps about Sand Flathead’s biology, movement and growth, to recover this much-loved species for future generations to enjoy.
The University of Tasmania’s Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) has recently been awarded a $3.29 million research grant supported by the Australian Government’s Fisheries Research and Development Corporation, with a $900,000 cash investment from the Tasmanian Government’s Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania.
“Our new research will focus on improving the stock health of this popular fish to acceptable levels, as quickly as possible,” said fisheries scientist Professor Sean Tracey, who will lead the project at IMAS.
Sand Flathead accounts for 68% of all recreational fish taken from Tasmanian waters caught by around 70,000 recreational fishers each year. This recreational catch accounts for about 98% of the total catch of the species in the state.
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