Fisheries Long Term Monitoring Program Coral Reef Fin Fish 1999–2004

Abstract

The commercial reef line fishery on the Great Barrier Reef is valued at approximately $30–50 million per year with coral trout (Plectropomus spp.) accounting for around 60% of the demersal catch in 2009 (DEEDI 2011). Coral trout are also one of the top four recreational angling fish in northern Queensland (Roy Morgan Research 1996; Cormack 1997). Four species of coral trout are commonly observed on the Great Barrier Reef (Randall and Hoese 1986). The common coral trout Plectropomus leopardus (Lacepède 1802) is by far the most abundant of these, followed by, in decreasing order of abundance: the bluespotted coral trout or Chinese footballer trout, P. laevis which is more common on northern outer shelf reefs; the barcheek coral trout P. maculatus, common on inshore reefs; and the considerably rarer passionfruit coral trout, P. areolatus (Ayling and Ayling 1986a). P. laevis has two colour morphs (Figure 1) – the pale (white/yellow) black saddled form commonly called the Chinese footballer trout and the dark form sometimes with faint black saddle and distinct blue spots commonly called the bluespotted coral trout. P. leopardus dominate commercial catches (Mapstone et al. 1996), though the commercial fisher logbooks do not record coral trout at a species level.