Changes to fish assemblages visiting estuarine wetlands following the closure of commercial fishing in Botany Bay, Australia

Abstract

Data on commercial landings of fish and crustaceans are available for 52 estuaries in New South Wales. These same estuaries have been mapped with regards to the distribution of fish habitat, including mangrove, saltmarsh, and seagrass, along with a suite of geomorphic units. A multiple regression analysis demonstrated strong relationships between the area of mangrove and the catch of a number of commercially important species, including long-finned eel, and the mud crab Scylla serrata. © 2007 Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science