IMOS is proud to highlight how its national animal tracking acoustic network is helping scientists unlock critical insights into the movement and management of one of Australia’s most iconic marine species – the yellowtail kingfish (Seriola lalandi).
A particularly exciting component of this effort is the acoustic tracking work led by Deakin University’s Deakin Marine Research and Innovation Centre, where researchers are using cutting-edge acoustic telemetry technology to follow the movements of kingfish tagged off Victoria along Australia’s coastline thanks to funding from Victorian recreational fishing license fees.
These efforts are made possible through the IMOS Acoustic Telemetry sub-Facility, which maintains a unique, nationwide network of acoustic receivers in collaboration with various Australian research agencies. This collaborative system provides the opportunity to monitor movements of tagged marine animals between state boundaries. For example, one tagged kingfish was recently detected on multiple receivers, revealing it had travelled from Victoria to the NSW/QLD border and back within just a few months.
“Without the IMOS national collaborative infrastructure, the data we’re collecting wouldn’t be nearly as informative. The national coverage of the IMOS acoustic tracking network, enabled through collaboration across many research organisations, is key to understanding how these fish behave and move at a large scale and informing their sustainable management.”
– Fabrice Jaine, IMOS Principal Science Officer
This work is especially significant in light of the research by Project Kingfish researcher Belinda Goddard (Macquarie University & Deakin University), which has shown that kingfish populations across southeastern Australia and New Zealand form a single, interconnected stock. Her most recent findings using citizen science and satellite tracking data suggest that kingfish regularly move vast distances between fisheries jurisdictions, and between coastal and offshore waters, an observation now being substantiated by Victorian kingfish detections across the IMOS-enabled network of acoustic receivers.
These revelations have major implications for the way this species is managed. Currently, individual state jurisdictions assess and manage kingfish stocks independently. However, evidence of extensive connectivity across fisheries jurisdictions points to the need for a more collaborative and unified management approach.
“Project Kingfish has highlighted the power of collaborations between the recreational fishing community, scientists and State agencies. The continental-scale acoustic network has provided seasonal cross-jurisdictional insights to support our findings from 50 years of citizen-science tag-recapture data.”
– Belinda Goddard, Project Kingfish
The importance of large-scale, long-term acoustic telemetry networks is increasingly recognised in marine science. Collaborative infrastructure like the IMOS acoustic telemetry network plays a vital role in capturing the movement patterns of marine species, information which is critical for effective conservation and fisheries management.
Yellowtail kingfish are just one example. IMOS is delivering valuable insights into the movements and life histories of many of Australia’s priority marine species, supporting sustainable management, conservation and ecosystem understanding. Recent research continues to highlight the broad ecological and policy impacts of IMOS-enabled tracking across diverse species and regions.
IMOS celebrates the power of collaboration and open data in advancing our understanding of marine species movements and supporting sustainable management for the future. These insights would not be made possible without data and resource contributions from numerous research groups around the country.
Goddard BK, Guillemin TA, Schilling HT, Hughes JM, Brodie S, Green CP, Harcourt R, Huveneers C, Ierodiaconou D, Suthers IM, Taylor MD, Tracey SR, Camilieri-Asch V, Clarke TM, Dwyer RG, Hilbert C, Holdsworth J, Mitchell J, Pepperell J, Simpson E, Udyawer V, Jaine FRA (2024). Half a century of citizen science tag-recapture data reveals stock delineation and cross-jurisdictional connectivity of an iconic pelagic fish. Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries, 1–17. doi:10.1007/s11160-024-09880-0
Lédée EJI, Heupel MR, Taylor MD, Harcourt RG, Jaine FRA, Huveneers C, Udyawer V, Campbell HA, Babcock RC, Hoenner X, Barnett A, Braccini M, Brodie S, Butcher PA, Cadiou G, Dwyer RG, Espinoza M, Ferreira LC, Fetterplace L, Fowler A, Harborne AR, Knott NA, Lowry M, McAllister J, McAuley R, Meekan M, Mills K, Peddemors VM, Pillans R, Semmens J, Smoothey AF, Speed C, Stehfest K, Meulen D, Simpfendorfer CA (2021). Continental-scale acoustic telemetry and network analysis reveal new insights into stock structure. Fish and Fisheries. doi:10.1111/faf.12565
