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Science project you can be part of to identify Australian fish

There’s something fishy going on in the waters off Sydney ... there are species that just shouldn’t be here. Jim O’Rourke reports.

A male one-spot puller guarding a nest of eggs. Picture: Chris Roberts
A male one-spot puller guarding a nest of eggs. Picture: Chris Roberts

EVER wondered what a one-spot puller looks like? How about a horned blenny?

Then there is the common silver biddy, the old wife and the fantastically-named gorgeous shrimpgoby.

They are all types of fish that have been spotted recently on the northern beaches as part of a science project designed to identify species — especially rare ones — and chart their distribution along our coastlines.

An Old Wife at Cabbage Tree Bay Picture: Ian Donato
An Old Wife at Cabbage Tree Bay Picture: Ian Donato

Led by ichthyologists — fish scientists — at the Australian Museum and other scientific organisations, the Australasian Fishes project relies on the public to register online as “identifiers” and supply images and details of where they have spotted Australian and New Zealand fish species.

Since the project began 18 months ago, 2452 fish observations on the northern beaches have been uploaded by 81 enthusiasts, identifying 349 species.

Golden Emperor Aka Soapfish. Photo by Ann Mecklem
Golden Emperor Aka Soapfish. Photo by Ann Mecklem

Many of the uploads are from people simply trying to work out what sort of fish they’ve caught on their rods or spotted while snorkelling or swimming.

Site administrator Mark McGrouther, the Australian Museum Research Institute’s fish collection manager, said the project was a collaboration between the public, industry partners and professional ichthyologists at a number of Australian and New Zealand museums and other fish-related institutions. Mr McGrouther said the site was building an extensive image library that could be used to identify fishes, to map their distribution as well as investigate changes in growth, pattern and shape.

“Since going online 18 months ago more than 27,000 observations have been uploaded to the site,” he said. “There are a lot from the northern beaches.”

Mr McGrouther said one of the more surprising sightings was that of a gorgeous or burgundy shrimpgoby with a snapping shrimp next to their burrow in Cabbage Tree Bay, just off Shelly Beach.

Burgundy Shrimpgoby fish. Picture: Supplied.
Burgundy Shrimpgoby fish. Picture: Supplied.

The pair normally live in northern Queensland. The gobies stand guard while the shrimps play “housekeeper” to their burrow, continually digging out and cleaning the sand. “Seeing them together in Manly is truly bizarre,” he said.

“You can understand some individual tropical fish making their way down here from the tropics on the East Australian Current as juveniles but these two must have been holding hands the whole way.

The Australian Museum's Mark McGrouther with a parrot fish.
The Australian Museum's Mark McGrouther with a parrot fish.

“I have an outcomes file as part of the project and I’ve got well over 150 outcomes filed, like species being found well outside their range, mating and courtship strategies, feeding, fish behaviour, all sorts of things.

“It’s really fantastic.

“And it’s a way for people to make a contribution to scientific research.”

Mr McGrouther said fish scientists were now citing the Australasian Fishes site as part of their research and using it to determine fish populations.

Anglers use the information to try to work out abundant fishing spots in an effort to maximise their catch.

ASargent Baker Cabbage Tree Bay Picture: Ian Donato
ASargent Baker Cabbage Tree Bay Picture: Ian Donato

Divers can use the site to guide them to places were they can see spectacular collections of particular species.

“We encourage anyone with an interest in fishes to become a part of the community,” Mr McGrouther said. “The more images we receive the more powerful it is.

“There are thousands of divers and anglers who take their cameras out, take loads of photos that end up just sitting on some hard drive somewhere.

A goatfish. Picture: Carl Hyland
A goatfish. Picture: Carl Hyland

“This website allows any of its members to upload, comment on and identify fishes from anywhere in Australia and New Zealand.

“If it’s a fish, living or dead, we’re interested in it.”

The website has logged fish observations from Palm Beach to Manly Cove, including banjo sharks, leaping bonitos and orange blotch surgeons.

Eastern pomfret were spotted off Long Reef and river eels were seen in Manly Lagoon.

In the marine reserve at Cabbage Tree Bay, near Shelly Beach, species included coffin rays and sergeant bakers.

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Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/manly-daily/science-project-you-can-be-part-of-to-identify-australian-fish/news-story/84daa4e635e770399f6b6401aa5a8e09