recreational fishing identification guide · 2020. 7. 2. · recreational fiin identification ide 1...

Recreational fishingidentification guide

June 2020

Department ofPrimary Industries andRegional Development

ii Recreational fishing identification guide

Cover: West Australian dhufish Glaucosoma hebraicum. Photo: Mervi Kangas.

Published by Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Perth, Western Australia.

Fisheries Occasional Publication No. 103, sixth edition, June 2020.ISSN: 1447 – 2058 (Print) ISBN: 978-1-921258-58-9 (Print) ISSN: 2206 – 0928 (Online) ISBN: 978-1-921258-59-6 (Online)

Contents

About this guide.................................................................................................. 1

Offshore demersal .............................................................................................. 3

Inshore demersal ................................................................................................ 4

Nearshore ......................................................................................................... 12

Estuarine .......................................................................................................... 19

Pelagic .............................................................................................................. 20

Sharks .............................................................................................................. 23

Crustaceans ..................................................................................................... 25

Molluscs............................................................................................................ 27

Freshwater........................................................................................................ 28

1Recreational fishing identification guide

This guide has been developed to help you identify the more common species in Western Australia that you may

encounter. The purpose of this recreational fishing guide is to enhance consistent and accurate species identification.If you are unsure about a particular species (or if it is not in this guide), please discuss it with a representative of the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Western Australia. You can access additional information on the website dpird.wa.gov.au

About this guide

Six broad ecological depth-based habitats are recognised within each bioregion. Finfish species are listed in the habitat where they most commonly occur. Sharks and crustaceans are presented separately as they may occupy many habitats.

Pelagic page 20

Offshore demersal page 3

Inshore demersal page 4

Estuarine page 19

Freshwater page 28

250m

20m Nearshore page 12

Land

http://www.fish.wa.gov.au

2 Recreational fishing identification guide

Throughout this guide you will see all or some of the marine bioregion symbols with each fish illustration, indicating where the species is most likely to occur.

SC South CoastWC West CoastGC Gascoyne CoastNC North Coast

Freshwater species inhabit the inland bioregions, which are shown on the map on page 28.

About this guide (continued)

North Coast(Pilbara/Kimberley)

GascoyneCoast

WestCoast

South Coast

Ashburton River

Kununurra

Broome

Port HedlandKarratha

Onslow

Exmouth

Carnarvon

Denham

Kalbarri

Geraldton

Perth

AugustaBlack Point

Albany

Esperance

Eucla

115°30' E

114° 50' E

27°S

21°46' S

SC

WC

GCNC


Offshore demersal

Eightbar grouper(Grey banded rockcod, eightbar cod)

Hyporthodus octofasciatus

HapukuPolyprion oxygeneios

Bass groperPolyprion americanus

Blue-eye trevallaHyperoglyphe antarctica

Ruby snapperEtelis carbunculus

Flame snapperEtelis coruscans


Northern pearl perchGlaucosoma buergeri

Foxfish(Western foxfish)

Bodianus frenchii

Pink snapper(Snapper, pinkie)Chrysophrys auratus

Sunburnt pigfish(Goldspot foxfish)

Bodianus solatus

Bight redfish(Red snapper, nannygai)

Centroberyx gerrardi

Yelloweye redfishCentroberyx australis

JuvenileWest Australian dhufish

(Dhuie)Glaucosoma hebraicum

Inshore demersal

Juvenile

SwallowtailCentroberyx lineatus


Bluebarred parrotfishScarus ghobban

Blackspot tuskfish(Bluebone)

Choerodon schoenleinii

Purple tuskfish(Grass tuskfish, bluebone)

Choerodon cephalotes

Blue tuskfish(Bluebone)

Choerodon cyanodus

Baldchin groper(Baldie)

Choerodon rubescens

JuvenileWestern blue groper

Achoerodus gouldiiBluespotted tuskfish

Choerodon cauteroma

Humphead Maori wrasse PROTECTED SPECIES

Cheilinus undulatus


Rankin cod(Whitespotted rockcod)

Epinephelus multinotatus

JuvenileBreaksea cod

(Black arse snapper)Epinephelides armatus

Yellowspotted rockcod(Spotted cod, honeycomb cod)

Epinephelus areolatus

Tomato rockcodCephalopholis sonnerati

Goldspotted rockcod(Estuary cod, slimy cod, greasy

grouper)Epinephelus coioides

Blackspotted rockcod(Malabar cod, estuary cod, slimy cod)

Epinephelus malabaricus

Duskytail grouper(Spotted trout, trout cod)

Epinephelus bleekeri

Frostback rockcod(Spotted cod, honeycomb cod,

frostback cod)Epinephelus bilobatus

Inshore demersal (continued)


Barramundi codChromileptes altivelis

Juvenile

Potato rockcod PROTECTED SPECIES(Potato cod)

Epinephelus tukula

Queensland groper PROTECTED SPECIES(Giant grouper, Queensland grouper)

Epinephelus lanceolatus

Barcheek coral trout(Inshore coral trout)Plectropomus maculatus

Harlequin fishOthos dentex

Common coral trout(Leopard coral trout)Plectropomus leopardus

Mainly offshore in NC and GC

Yellowedge coronation trout(Coronation trout, lunartail trout)

Variola louti

JuvenileChinamanfish(Chinaman)

Symphorus nematophorus


Juvenile

Mangrove Jack(Jacks)

Lutjanus argentimaculatus

Saddletail snapper(Scarlet seaperch)Lutjanus malabaricus

Red emperor(Reds)

Lutjanus sebae

Golden snapper(Fingermark seaperch, fingermark bream)

Lutjanus johnii

Crimson snapper(Crimson seaperch, red snapper)

Lutjanus erythropterus

Darktail snapper(Maroon seaperch, dark tailed seaperch)

Lutjanus lemniscatus

Moses’ snapper(Moses’ perch, fingermark bream)

Lutjanus russellii



Sharptooth snapper(Sharptooth jobfish)

Pristipomoides typus

Brownstripe snapper(Flagfish)

Lutjanus vitta

Goldband snapperPristipomoides multidens

Rosy snapper(Rosy jobfish, crimson jobfish)

Pristipomoides filamentosus

Maori snapper(Maori seaperch)

Lutjanus rivulatus

Stripey snapper(Spanish flag, stripey seaperch)

Lutjanus carponotatus


Longnose emperor(Long-nosed emperor)

Lethrinus olivaceus

Redspot emperor(Pink-eared emperor)

Lethrinus lentjan

Grass emperor(Black snapper, blue-lined emperor,

grass snapper, tricky snapper)Lethrinus laticaudis

Spangled emperorLethrinus nebulosus

Bluespotted emperor(Lesser spangled emperor)

Lethrinus punctulatus


Redthroat emperor(Sweetlip emperor)

Lethrinus miniatus

Yellowtail emperorLethrinus atkinsoni

Robinson’s seabream(Robinson’s bream, Robinson’s perch)

Gymnocranius grandoculis


Painted sweetlips(Slatey bream, sweetlip)

Diagramma labiosum

Sergeant bakerAulopus purpurissatus

Rosy threadfin breamNemipterus furcosus

Blue morwong(Queen snapper)

Nemadactylus valenciennesi

Bighead gurnard perch(Gurnard perch)

Neosebastes pandus

Sea sweepScorpis aequipinnis

Frypan breamArgyrops notialis


Goldenline whiting(Golden-lined whiting)

Sillago analis

Western trumpeter whitingSillago burrus

Western school whiting(Sand whiting, school whiting)

Sillago vittata

Southern school whiting(Sand whiting, school whiting)

Sillago bassensis

Yellowtail scad(Yellowtail, yellowtail horse mackerel)

Trachurus novaezelandiae

Dot markings on base of pectoral fin

No dot markings on base of pectoral fin

Faint or no bars

Well defined bars

King George whitingSillaginodes punctatus

Yellowfin whiting(Sand whiting, silver whiting)

Sillago schomburgkii

Nearshore


SnookSphyraena novaehollandiae

Lower lobe of tail fin longer

Dark blotch below dorsal fin

Juvenile

Southern garfish (Gardie, southern sea garfish)

Hyporhamphus melanochir

Three-by-two garfish (Robust garfish, storm garfish)

Hemiramphus robustus

Black markings on tail

Tailor(Chopper – small tailor)

Pomatomus saltatrix

Australian herring(Herring, tommy ruff)

Arripis georgianus

Western Australian salmon (Salmon)Arripis truttaceus

Juvenile, often called salmon trout, looks like adult Australian herring but has smaller eye and pointy head

Yellowtail barracuda(Pike, striped seapike)

Sphyraena obtusata

LongtomFamily Belonidae


Bludger trevallyCarangoides gymnostethus

Silver trevally(Skipjack, skippy)

Pseudocaranx georgianusThis includes the smaller sand trevally (P. wrightii)

Chinaman rockcod(Charlie court)

Epinephelus rivulatus

Turrum(Goldspotted trevally)Carangoides fulvoguttatus

Golden trevally(Banded trevally)

Gnathanodon speciosus

Nearshore (continued)

Common dart Trachinotus botla

Giant trevally(GT)

Caranx ignobilis

Queenfish(Queenie)

Scomberoides spp.


JuvenileBluespotted goatfish

(Red mullet)Upeneichthys vlamingii

Blue mackerel(Slimey mackerel, common mackerel)

Scomber australasicus

Oriental bonitoSarda orientalis

Diamondscale mulletLiza vaigiensis

Greenback mulletLiza subviridis

Sea mullet(Mullet)

Mugil cephalus

Bluetail mulletValamugil buchanani

Yelloweye mullet(Pilch, yellow-eyed mullet)

Aldrichetta forsteri


Tripletail Lobotes surinamensis

Male

Female

Male

Female

Western King wrasseCoris auricularis

Southern maori wrasseOphthalmolepis lineolatus

Brownspotted wrasseNotolabrus parilus

Banded sweepScorpis georgiana

Western butterfish(Butterfish, buttery)

Pentapodus vitta

Western striped grunter(Trumpeter, striped trumpeter)

Pelates octolineatus


Sea trumpeter Pelsartia humeralis


4 pectoral filaments

5 pectoral filaments

Blotched javelin(Blotched javelinfish)

Pomadasys maculatus

Barred javelin(Spotted javelinfish)

Pomadasys kaakan

Blue threadfin(Bluenose threadfin salmon, blue salmon)

Eleutheronema tetradactylum

King threadfin(Giant threadfin salmon, giant threadfin)

Polydactylus macrochir

Giant sea catfish(Giant salmon catfish)

Arius thalassinus

Barramundi Lates calcarifer

Mulloway(River kingfish)

Argyrosomus japonicus

Black jewfish(Northern mulloway)Protonibea diacanthus


Horseshoe leatherjacketMeuschenia hippocrepis

Sixspine leatherjacket(Reef leatherjacket)Meuschenia freycineti

Weeping toadfish POISONOUS

(Blowie, pufferfish, common blowfish)Torquigener pleurogramma

Silver toadfish POISONOUS (North-West blowfish)Lagocephalus sceleratus


Northwest black bream(Pikey bream)

Acanthopagrus palmaris

Western yellowfin bream(Yellowfin bream)

Acanthopagrus morrisoni


Yellowtail flathead(Bartailed flathead)

Platycephalus westraliae

Northern sand flathead(Sand flathead, flag tailed flathead)

Platycephalus endrachtensis

Southern bluespotted flathead(Bluespotted flathead, southern flathead)

Platycephalus speculator

Smalltooth flounderPseudorhombus jenynsii

Largetooth flounderPseudorhombus arsius

Black breamAcanthopagrus butcheri

Tarwhine(Silver bream)

Rhabdosargus sarba

Estuarine

Estuary cobbler(Cobbler)

Cnidoglanis macrocephalus


JuvenileSamsonfishSeriola hippos

AmberjackSeriola dumerili

Yellowtail kingfish(Kingfish, kingie)

Seriola lalandi

Southern bluefin tunaThunnus maccoyii

Pelagic

Yellowfin tunaThunnus albacares

Longtail tuna(Northern bluefin tuna)

Thunnus orientalis

Dogtooth tuna(Doggie)

Gymnosarda unicolor


Spanish mackerel(Narrow-barred Spanish mackerel)

Scomberomorus commerson

Spotted mackerel(Australian spotted mackerel)

Scomberomorus munroi

School mackerel(Queensland school mackerel, doggie)

Scomberomorus queenslandicus

Grey mackerel(Broad-barred Spanish mackerel,

broad-banded mackerel)Scomberomorus semifasciatus

Shark mackerel(Scaly mackerel, salmon mackerel)

Grammatorcynus bicarinatus

Wahoo Acanthocybium solandri

Mackerel tuna(Jack mackerel, kawakawa)

Euthynnus affinis

Skipjack TunaKatsuwonus pelamis


Mahi mahi(Dolphinfish)

Coryphaena spp.

SailfishIstiophorus platypterus

Cobia(Black kingfish)

Rachycentron canadum

Great barracudaSphyraena barracuda

Blue marlinMakaira nigricans

Black marlinMakaira indica

Pelagic (continued)

Striped marlinKajikia audax


Interdorsal ridge

Broad, angular upper teeth

Narrow hook-shaped upper

teethNo interdorsal

ridge

Dusky whalerCarcharhinus obscurus

Bronze whalerCarcharhinus brachyurus

Sandbar shark(Thickskin shark, northern whaler, sand shark)

Carcharhinus plumbeus

Tiger shark Galeocerdo cuvier

Whitetip reef sharkTriaenodon obesus

Common blacktip sharkCarcharhinus limbatus

Gummy shark(Southern gummy shark)

Mustelus antarcticus

Western spotted gummy sharkMustelus stevensi

Sharks


Hammerhead sharksFamily Sphyrnidae

WobbegongsFamily Orectolobidae

Greynurse shark PROTECTED SPECIESCarcharias taurus

Port Jackson sharkHeterodontus portusjacksoni

White shark PROTECTED SPECIES Carcharodon carcharias

SawsharksFamily Pristiophoridae

Sawfishes PROTECTED SPECIES Family Pristidae

Whiskery sharkFurgaleus macki

Sharks (continued)


Western rock lobsterPanulirus cygnus

Southern rock lobsterJasus edwardsii

Painted rock lobster(Tropical rock lobster, green rock lobster)

Panulirus versicolor

Ornate rock lobster(Tropical rock lobster)

Panulirus ornatus

Crustaceans

Antennae longer than tail

Forked antennular flagellum

Non-forked antennular flagellum

Antennae shorter than tail

Pink/orange coloured base of antennae

Black stripe on legs

Blue coloured base of antennae

Black and white spots on legs


Crustaceans (continued)

Long, narrow lobes between the eyes

Short, broad lobes between the eyes

Claw spines reduced or blunt

prominences

One small blunt spine or no spines at all on the elbow

More than one prominent sharp spine on

the elbow

Claw spines large and distinct

Brown mud crab(Orange mud crab)

Scylla olivacea

Green mud crab(Giant mud crab)

Scylla serrata

Blue swimmer crab(Blue manna, blue crab)

Portunus armatus (formerly P. pelagicus)


Roe’s abaloneHaliotis roei

Greenlip abaloneHaliotis laevigata

Brownlip abaloneHaliotis rubra conicopora

SquidOrder Teuthoidea

OctopusFamily Octopodidae

CuttlefishSepia spp.

Molluscs


Northern Inland

Southern Inland

Ashburton River

Kununurra

Broome

Port HedlandKarratha

Onslow

Exmouth

Carnarvon

Denham

Kalbarri

Geraldton

Perth

Augusta

Black Point Albany

Esperance

Eucla

27°S

NI

SI

Two different bioregions apply for freshwater species – the Northern Inland Bioregion and the Southern Inland Bioregion.

Silver cobbler(Lake Argyle catfish, Ord River catfish)

Neoarius midgleyi

Western sooty grunter(Sooty grunter)

Hephaestus jenkinsi

Redclaw(Queensland red claw crayfish)

Cherax quadricarinatus

Cherabin(Freshwater prawns)

Macrobrachium rosenbergii

Freshwater


RedfinPerca fluviatilis

Brown troutSalmo trutta

Rainbow troutOncorhynchus mykiss

Freshwater cobbler(Freshwater catfish)

Tandanus bostocki

MarronCherax cainii


Index of common names

AAmberjack.............................................20

Australian herring .................................13

BBaldchin groper ......................................5

Banded sweep ......................................16

Barcheek coral trout ...............................7

Barramundi ..........................................17

Barramundi cod ......................................7

Barred javelin .......................................17

Bass groper ............................................3

Bighead gurnard perch ......................... 11

Bight redfish ...........................................4

Black bream .........................................19

Black jewfish .........................................17

Black marlin ..........................................22

Blackspotted rockcod .............................6

Blackspot tuskfish ...................................5

Blotched javelin ....................................17

Bludger trevally .....................................14

Bluebarred parrotfish ..............................5

Blue-eye trevalla .....................................3

Blue mackerel .......................................15

Blue marlin ...........................................22

Blue morwong ...................................... 11

Bluespotted emperor ............................10

Bluespotted goatfish .............................15

Bluespotted tuskfish ...............................5

Blue swimmer crab ...............................26

Bluetail mullet .......................................15

Blue threadfin .......................................17

Blue tuskfish ...........................................5

Breaksea cod .........................................6

Bronze whaler ......................................23

Brownlip abalone ..................................27

Brown mud crab ...................................26

Brownspotted wrasse ...........................16

Brownstripe snapper ..............................9

Brown trout ...........................................29

CCherabin ...............................................28

Chinamanfish..........................................7

Chinaman rockcod ...............................14

Cobia ....................................................22

Common blacktip shark ........................23

Common coral trout ................................7

Common dart ........................................14

Crimson snapper ....................................8

Cuttlefish...............................................27

DDarktail snapper .....................................8

Diamondscale mullet ............................15

Dogtooth tuna .......................................20

Duskytail grouper ...................................6

Dusky whaler ........................................23

EEightbar grouper .....................................3

Estuary cobbler ....................................19


FFlame snapper .......................................3

Foxfish ....................................................4

Freshwater cobbler ...............................29

Frostback rockcod ..................................6

Frypan bream ....................................... 11

GGiant sea catfish...................................17

Giant trevally ........................................14

Goldband snapper ..................................9

Goldenline whiting ................................12

Golden snapper ......................................8

Golden trevally .....................................14

Goldspotted rockcod ..............................6

Grass emperor .....................................10

Great barracuda ...................................22

Greenback mullet .................................15

Greenlip abalone ..................................27

Green mud crab ...................................26

Grey mackerel ......................................21

Greynurse shark ...................................24

Gummy shark .......................................23

HHammerhead sharks ............................24

Hapuku ...................................................3

Harlequin fish .........................................7

Horseshoe leatherjacket .......................18

Humphead Maori wrasse ......................5

KKing George whiting .............................12

King threadfin .......................................17

LLargetooth flounder ..............................19

Longnose emperor ...............................10

Longtail tuna .........................................20

Longtom................................................13

MMackerel tuna .......................................21

Mahi mahi .............................................22

Mangrove Jack .......................................8

Maori snapper ........................................9

Marron ..................................................29

Moses’ snapper ......................................8

Mulloway...............................................17

NNorthern pearl perch ..............................4

Northern sand flathead .........................19

Northwest black bream.........................18

OOctopus ................................................27

Oriental bonito ......................................15

Ornate rock lobster ...............................25

PPainted rock lobster..............................25

Painted sweetlips ................................. 11

Pink snapper ..........................................4


Platycephalus speculator .....................19

Port Jackson shark ...............................24

Potato rockcod .......................................7

Purple tuskfish ........................................5

QQueenfish .............................................14

Queensland groper .................................7

RRainbow trout .......................................29

Rankin cod .............................................6

Redclaw ................................................28

Red emperor ..........................................8

Redfin ...................................................29

Redspot emperor ..................................10

Redthroat emperor ...............................10

Robinson’s seabream ...........................10

Roe’s abalone ......................................27

Rosy snapper .........................................9

Rosy threadfin bream ........................... 11

Ruby snapper .........................................3

SSaddletail snapper ..................................8

Sailfish ..................................................22

Samsonfish ...........................................20

Sandbar shark ......................................23

Sawfishes .............................................24

Sawsharks ............................................24

School mackerel ...................................21

Sea mullet ............................................15

Sea sweep ............................................ 11

Sea trumpeter .......................................16

Sergeant baker ..................................... 11

Shark mackerel ....................................21

Sharptooth snapper ................................9

Silver cobbler ........................................28

Silver toadfish ......................................18

Silver trevally ........................................14

Sixspine leatherjacket ..........................18

Skipjack Tuna .......................................21

Smalltooth flounder ..............................19

Snook ...................................................13

Southern bluefin tuna ...........................20

Southern bluespotted flathead .............19

Southern garfish ..................................13

Southern maori wrasse ........................16

Southern rock lobster ...........................25

Southern school whiting .......................12

Spangled emperor ................................10

Spanish mackerel .................................21

Spotted mackerel .................................21

Squid ....................................................27

Striped marlin .......................................22

Stripey snapper ......................................9

Sunburnt pigfish .....................................4

Swallowtail ..............................................4

TTailor .....................................................13

Tarwhine ...............................................19

Index of common names (continued)


Three-by-two garfish ...........................13

Tiger shark ............................................23

Tomato rockcod ......................................6

Tripletail ................................................16

Turrum ..................................................14

WWahoo ..................................................21

Weeping toadfish ..................................18

West Australian dhufish ..........................4

Western Australian salmon (Salmon) ...13

Western blue groper ...............................5

Western butterfish ................................16

Western King wrasse ...........................16

Western rock lobster ............................25

Western school whiting ........................12

Western sooty grunter ..........................28

Western spotted gummy shark ............23

Western striped grunter ........................16

Western trumpeter whiting ...................12

Western yellowfin bream ......................18

Whiskery shark .....................................24

White shark ..........................................24

Whitetip reef shark ...............................23

Wobbegongs ........................................24

YYellowedge coronation trout ...................7

Yelloweye mullet ...................................15

Yelloweye redfish ....................................4

Yellowfin tuna .......................................20

Yellowfin whiting ...................................12

Yellowspotted rockcod ............................6

Yellowtail barracuda .............................13

Yellowtail emperor ................................10

Yellowtail flathead .................................19

Yellowtail kingfish .................................20

Yellowtail scad ......................................12

Before you go fishing, let someone know where you are going and contact them if your plans change. Always let them know when you return.The information in this guide is current at the date of printing, but may change. A separate guide on fishing rules is available.For the most up-to-date information on fishing, visit the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development website or contact us.The latest version of each brochure is available for download in PDF format from the website.

Produced for the Statewide Survey of Recreational Fishing in Western Australia.

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ABN: 18 951 343 745

Important disclaimerThe Chief Executive Officer of the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development and the State of Western Australia accept no liability whatsoever by reason of negligence or otherwise arising from the use or release of this information or any part of it.

Copyright © State of Western Australia (Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development), 2020

Department of Primary Industries and Regional DevelopmentGordon Stephenson House, 140 William Street, Perth WA 6000+61 1300 374 731 | [email protected] | dpird.wa.gov.au

recreational fishing identification guide · 2020. 7. 2. · recreational fiin identification ide 1...

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