Data

Cross shelf distribution and abundance of larval fishes in the central Great Barrier Reef (FIRDC Project 89/28)

Name: Cross shelf distribution and abundance of larval fishes in the central Great Barrier Reef (FIRDC Project 89/28)
Published: 2026

Australian Institute of Marine Science

Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS)

Viewed: [[ro.stat.viewed]] Cited: [[ro.stat.cited]] Accessed: [[ro.stat.accessed]]

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These reefs, chosen for their similar size, isolation and position on the southern side of the Magnetic passage, span the full width of the reef matrix off Townsville. The anchored light traps were sampled daily, where the sample taken from a trap represented the integrated catch from three periods of fishing during the previous night: 2100-2200, 0000-0100, 0300-0400 hrs EST.This near reef sampling was complemented by sampling of a cross shelf transect, which consisted of drifting light-traps at five open-water stations in either the GBR Lagoon (Stations CS0-CS4), the Magnetic Passage (CS5-CS9) or the western Coral Sea (CS10-CS14). Depending on the weather, each nightly transect (and hence the entire transect of 160 km) was completed three times in a cruise. At each of the 15 stations, two buoy strings were released 200-300 m apart; each string supported one light-trap at the surface and another at 20m. All traps were recovered after one hour of fishing and their contents were processed as the ship steamed to the next station.Oceanographic data was also collected from a series of moored current meters, located on both sides of the reef matrix with a third in the Magnetic Passage. This coverage was considered sufficient to model hydrodynamic flows through the matrix and around individual reefs. In the 91/92 breeding season the effort near each of the four reefs was boosted by an extra trap at 20 m. Traps had been upgraded and the depth of the deep drifting traps was increased so that they sampled within 5 m of the bottom, to a maximum of 100 m. Effort was reduced in the Coral Sea due to the extra difficulty of working off the continental shelf at night and the consistently low return from such sampling. Sampling off the shelf was reduced to a single night per cruise but compensated for whenever possible by additional effort at the inshore end of the transect, which was the most productive area.Sampling was carried out between the third and first quarter moons of September - January. A further 6 sites were established across Palm Passage during this season (PP14-PP18) and sampled in October, November and December. In 92/93, three nights of sampling in the GBR Lagoon (CS0-CS4) was undertaken on each of five cruises during that summer (new moons of October-February). In 91/92 and 92/93, profiles of water temperature, salinity and light-transmission (depending on availability of a transmissometer) were captured with a Seabird (TM) CTD at each of the open water stations. All samples were preserved in 70% alcohol to preserve the otoliths in the heads of these fishes, so that a portion of them could be extracted and measured for age and growth histories by interpreting daily growth rings in their microstructure.Light trap sampling was used:(i) to map the distribution of fish larvae along a 160 km cross-shelf transect in the central Great Barrier Reef(ii) to compare distribution and abundance near and far from reefs(iii) to measure the temporal variability in abundance of selected stocks of commercial interest at daily, monthly and annual scales(iv) to determine the influence of water quality and coastal circulation on larval distribution and abundance.Maintenance and Update Frequency: notPlannedStatement: Statement: At Station CS1, the water depth approached 20 m so that the deep traps there fished very close to the bottom. Further offshore the bottom slopes gradually to 40 m at the inner edge of the reef matrix and 60-80 m at the shelf-break:. Stations beyond Myrmidon Reef (CS10-CS14) were all in depths in excess of 1000 m. The light traps used in this study are described in: Doherty PJ (1995) New technology for the assessment of larval fish stocks: development of submersible, automated light-traps. 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While AIMS has made every reasonable effort to ensure high quality of the data, products and services, to the extent permitted by law the data, products and services are provided without any warranties of any kind, either expressed or implied, including without limitation any implied warranties of title, merchantability, and fitness for a particular purpose or non-infringement. AIMS make no representation or warranty that the data, products and services are accurate, complete, reliable or current. To the extent permitted by law, AIMS exclude all liability to any person arising directly or indirectly from the use of the data, products and services.&rft_rights=Attribution: Format for citation of metadata sourced from Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) in a list of reference is as follows: Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS). (2007). Cross shelf distribution and abundance of larval fishes in the central Great Barrier Reef (FIRDC Project 89/28). https://apps.aims.gov.au/metadata/view/3f87f290-44ac-11dc-986b-00008a07204e, accessed[date-of-access].&rft_rights=Resource Usage:Use of the AIMS data is for not-for-profit applications only. All other users shall seek permission for use by contacting AIMS. Acknowledgements as prescribed must be clearly set out in the user's formal communications or publications.&rft_subject=oceans&rft.type=dataset&rft.language=English Access the data

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Use Limitation: All AIMS data, products and services are provided "as is" and AIMS does not warrant their fitness for a particular purpose or non-infringement. While AIMS has made every reasonable effort to ensure high quality of the data, products and services, to the extent permitted by law the data, products and services are provided without any warranties of any kind, either expressed or implied, including without limitation any implied warranties of title, merchantability, and fitness for a particular purpose or non-infringement. AIMS make no representation or warranty that the data, products and services are accurate, complete, reliable or current. To the extent permitted by law, AIMS exclude all liability to any person arising directly or indirectly from the use of the data, products and services.

Attribution: Format for citation of metadata sourced from Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) in a list of reference is as follows: "Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS). (2007). Cross shelf distribution and abundance of larval fishes in the central Great Barrier Reef (FIRDC Project 89/28). https://apps.aims.gov.au/metadata/view/3f87f290-44ac-11dc-986b-00008a07204e, accessed[date-of-access]".

Resource Usage:Use of the AIMS data is for not-for-profit applications only. All other users shall seek permission for use by contacting AIMS. Acknowledgements as prescribed must be clearly set out in the user's formal communications or publications.

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Full description

In the 90/91 fish breeding season, four cross-shelf cruises (October, November, December and January), each lasting 10 days were undertaken in the central Great Barrier Reef. Each cruise was scheduled between the third and first quarter of the moon, with the exception of December, when Cyclone Joy curtailed operations.

Four light-traps, three at the surface and one at 20m, were anchored immediately downstream of four coral reefs - Keeper Reef, Helix Reef, Faraday Reef and Myrmidon Reef. These reefs, chosen for their similar size, isolation and position on the southern side of the Magnetic passage, span the full width of the reef matrix off Townsville. The anchored light traps were sampled daily, where the sample taken from a trap represented the integrated catch from three periods of fishing during the previous night: 2100-2200, 0000-0100, 0300-0400 hrs EST.

This near reef sampling was complemented by sampling of a cross shelf transect, which consisted of drifting light-traps at five open-water stations in either the GBR Lagoon (Stations CS0-CS4), the Magnetic Passage (CS5-CS9) or the western Coral Sea (CS10-CS14). Depending on the weather, each nightly transect (and hence the entire transect of 160 km) was completed three times in a cruise. At each of the 15 stations, two buoy strings were released 200-300 m apart; each string supported one light-trap at the surface and another at 20m. All traps were recovered after one hour of fishing and their contents were processed as the ship steamed to the next station.

Oceanographic data was also collected from a series of moored current meters, located on both sides of the reef matrix with a third in the Magnetic Passage. This coverage was considered sufficient to model hydrodynamic flows through the matrix and around individual reefs. In the 91/92 breeding season the effort near each of the four reefs was boosted by an extra trap at 20 m. Traps had been upgraded and the depth of the deep drifting traps was increased so that they sampled within 5 m of the bottom, to a maximum of 100 m. Effort was reduced in the Coral Sea due to the extra difficulty of working off the continental shelf at night and the consistently low return from such sampling. Sampling off the shelf was reduced to a single night per cruise but compensated for whenever possible by additional effort at the inshore end of the transect, which was the most productive area.

Sampling was carried out between the third and first quarter moons of September - January. A further 6 sites were established across Palm Passage during this season (PP14-PP18) and sampled in October, November and December. In 92/93, three nights of sampling in the GBR Lagoon (CS0-CS4) was undertaken on each of five cruises during that summer (new moons of October-February). In 91/92 and 92/93, profiles of water temperature, salinity and light-transmission (depending on availability of a transmissometer) were captured with a Seabird (TM) CTD at each of the open water stations. All samples were preserved in 70% alcohol to preserve the otoliths in the heads of these fishes, so that a portion of them could be extracted and measured for age and growth histories by interpreting daily growth rings in their microstructure.

Light trap sampling was used:

(i) to map the distribution of fish larvae along a 160 km cross-shelf transect in the central Great Barrier Reef

(ii) to compare distribution and abundance near and far from reefs

(iii) to measure the temporal variability in abundance of selected stocks of commercial interest at daily, monthly and annual scales

(iv) to determine the influence of water quality and coastal circulation on larval distribution and abundance.

Lineage

Maintenance and Update Frequency: notPlanned

Statement: Statement: At Station CS1, the water depth approached 20 m so that the deep traps there fished very close to the bottom. Further offshore the bottom slopes gradually to 40 m at the inner edge of the reef matrix and 60-80 m at the shelf-break:. Stations beyond Myrmidon Reef (CS10-CS14) were all in depths in excess of 1000 m. The light traps used in this study are described in: Doherty PJ (1995) New technology for the assessment of larval fish stocks: development of submersible, automated light-traps. Final report, FIRDC Project 87/046.

Notes

Credit
Doherty, Peter J, Dr (Principal Investigator)

Modified: 18 09 2026

This dataset is part of a larger collection

Click to explore relationships graph

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Subjects

oceans |

User Contributed Tags

Other Information

Spatial and temporal patterns in the abundance of pre-settlement fishes from the Great Barrier Reef: Doherty PJ (1992) Spatial and temporal patterns in the abundance of pre-settlement fishes from the Great Barrier Reef. pp. 89-93. In: Hancock DA Recruitment Processes, Australian Society of Fish Biology, Workshop, Hobart, 21 August 1991. Bureau of Rural Resources Proceedings, No.16. Australian Government Publishing Service. 211 p.

local : 11068/3096

Map

url : https://data.aims.gov.au/mestmapkml/3f87f290-44ac-11dc-986b-00008a07204e.kml External Link

Cross-shelf distribution and interannual variability in the abundance of commercially-important ichthyoplankton off Townsville, Queensland: Doherty PJ (1995) Cross-shelf distribution and interannual variability in the abundance of commercially-important ichthyoplankton off Townsville, Queensland. Australian Institute of Marine Science. 43 p.

local : 11068/2814

Identifiers

global : 3f87f290-44ac-11dc-986b-00008a07204e