TY - JOUR
T1 - Trophodynamics of the eastern Great Australian Bight ecosystem: ecological change associated with the growth of Australia's largest fishery
AU - Goldsworthy, Simon
AU - Page, B
AU - Rogers, Paul
AU - Bulman, C
AU - Wiebkin, Annelise
AU - Mcleay, Lachlan
AU - Einoder, L
AU - Baylis, A
AU - Braley, M.
AU - Caines, R
AU - Daly, Kathleen
AU - Huveneers, Charlie
AU - Peters, K
AU - Lowther, A
AU - Ward, T
PY - 2013/4/4
Y1 - 2013/4/4
N2 - We used the Ecopath with Ecosim software to develop a trophic mass-balance model of the eastern Great Australian Bight ecosystem, off southern Australia. Results provide an ecosystem perspective of Australia's largest fishery, the South Australian sardine fishery, by placing its establishment and growth in the context of other dynamic changes in the ecosystem, including: the development of other fisheries; changing abundances of apex predator populations and oceanographic change. We investigated the potential impacts of the sardine fishery on high tropic level predators, particularly land-breeding seals and seabirds which may be suitable ecological performance indicators of ecosystem health. Results indicate that despite the rapid growth of the sardine fishery since 1991, there has likely been a negligible fishery impact on other modelled groups, suggesting that current levels of fishing effort are not impacting negatively on the broader ecosystem structure and function in the eastern Great Australian Bight. Results highlight the importance of small pelagic fish to higher trophic levels, the trophic changes that have resulted from loss and recovery of apex predator populations, and the potential pivotal role of cephalopod biomass in regulating 'bottom-up' trophic processes. The ability to resolve and attribute potential impacts from multiple fisheries, other human impacts and ecological change in this poorly understood region is highlighted by the study, and will be critical to ensure future ecologically sustainable development within the region.
AB - We used the Ecopath with Ecosim software to develop a trophic mass-balance model of the eastern Great Australian Bight ecosystem, off southern Australia. Results provide an ecosystem perspective of Australia's largest fishery, the South Australian sardine fishery, by placing its establishment and growth in the context of other dynamic changes in the ecosystem, including: the development of other fisheries; changing abundances of apex predator populations and oceanographic change. We investigated the potential impacts of the sardine fishery on high tropic level predators, particularly land-breeding seals and seabirds which may be suitable ecological performance indicators of ecosystem health. Results indicate that despite the rapid growth of the sardine fishery since 1991, there has likely been a negligible fishery impact on other modelled groups, suggesting that current levels of fishing effort are not impacting negatively on the broader ecosystem structure and function in the eastern Great Australian Bight. Results highlight the importance of small pelagic fish to higher trophic levels, the trophic changes that have resulted from loss and recovery of apex predator populations, and the potential pivotal role of cephalopod biomass in regulating 'bottom-up' trophic processes. The ability to resolve and attribute potential impacts from multiple fisheries, other human impacts and ecological change in this poorly understood region is highlighted by the study, and will be critical to ensure future ecologically sustainable development within the region.
KW - Eastern Great Australian Bight
KW - Ecopath with Ecosim
KW - Fishing impacts
KW - Food web model
KW - Sardine
KW - Sardinops sagax
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84874518086&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2013.01.006
DO - 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2013.01.006
M3 - Article
VL - 255
SP - 38
EP - 57
JO - Ecological Modelling
JF - Ecological Modelling
SN - 0304-3800
ER -