Scientists have seen a recent upward trend in the relative abundance of Maugean skate in Macquarie Harbour and it’s a potential sign that the wild population of this iconic endangered species has improved, with research catch rates returning to levels last seen in 2014.
Scientists at the University of Tasmania’s Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) have been conducting dedicated monitoring of the Maugean skate in Macquarie Harbour using research netting since 2021, building on previous monitoring programs from 2012 to 2019.
The new study released today has assessed the entire monitoring data set and confirmed that, while the number of skate caught per unit of netting effort (CPUE)* showed a substantial decline in relative abundance between 2014 and 2022, recent surveys indicate a significant increase from 2022.
To read the full article, click the link below: Maugean skate return to levels not seen for a decade – but not out of the woods yet | University of Tasmania
