Standard Presentation (12 minutes) Australian Marine Sciences Association 2025 Conference

Multi-method tagging reveals cross-jurisdictional and seasonal movements of yellowtail kingfish (Seriola lalandi) (120087)

Belinda Goddard 1 2 3 , Fabrice Jaine 3 4 , Hayden Schilling 5 , Julian Hughes 6 , Thomas Clarke 7 , Darren Wong 8 , Justin Rizzari 1 9 10 , Corey Green 11 , Charlie Huveneers 7 , Sean Tracey 4 , Ty Matthews 1 , Daniel Ierodiaconou 1
  1. School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Warrnambool, Victoria, Australia
  2. Sydney Institute of Marine Science, Mosman, NSW, Australia
  3. School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, Australia
  4. Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies , University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
  5. NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Port Stephens Fisheries Institute, Taylors Beach, NSW, Australia
  6. NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Mosman, NSW, Australia
  7. Southern Shark Ecology Group, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia
  8. Deakin Marine Research and Innovation Centre, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Queenscliff, VIC, Australia
  9. Centre for Marine, Fisheries and Aquaculture Sciences, Deakin University, Queenscliff, VIC, Australia
  10. Global Fishing Watch, Washington DC, USA
  11. Victorian Fisheries Authority, Queenscliff, Victoria, Australia

Yellowtail kingfish (Seriola lalandi) are one of Australia’s most valued recreational and commercial species, with a single genetic stock encompassing south-eastern Australia and New Zealand. Kingfish distributions have increasingly shifted poleward in recent years with warming waters, increasing opportunities in recreational and commercial fisheries. Here, we used conventional (n = 63,432), acoustic (n = 108) and satellite (n = 43) tagging to investigate kingfish movements around south-eastern Australia and New Zealand. We describe how different tagging methods can reveal specific aspects of fish movements and behaviours. Long-term cooperative tagging programs revealed extensive cross-jurisdictional and trans-Tasman movements, indicating that a collaborative management approach may be appropriate. Acoustic telemetry, encompassing detections from a continental-scale acoustic array, indicated seasonal migrations of kingfish between New South Wales and Victoria, supporting the suggestions of poleward movements of kingfish with warming waters. Satellite telemetry revealed fine-scale vertical, horizontal and thermal distributions of adult kingfish, providing important insights into habitat use of spawning individuals. The identified movements, habitat use and cross-jurisdictional connectivity of kingfish emphasises the need for revised assessment and collaborative management approaches to kingfish across south-eastern Australia.