![]() For some reason the larger fish are not often caught over the continental shelf by trolling, but instead are caught regularly as bycatch by anglers chasing swordfish dropping down baits to the seas floor. Big jumbo or barrel sized SBT are generally caught by trolling lures around offshore islands or reef structures. But these days SBT are also found on the west and north coasts of Tasmania. Once again traditionally they were mainly targeted off the east and south coasts of Tasmania, both inside the continental shelf inshore as well as over. In Tasmania, SBT are now almost a year round proposition, however traditionally the season is from March to June. As a result, they may not hold in particular areas for long periods of time. SBT usually use the shelf as more of a highway, and travel with the currents and associated bait abundances. SBT can also be caught over the continental shelf in depths from 150 to 600m. This is usually inshore over deep reef structures from as shallow as 10m to 150m deep. SBT can be found pretty much anywhere oceanic, where their favourite schooling prey items congregate – generally redbait, mackerel, or squid. Juveniles (aged between 1 – 4 years) then migrate south down the west coast of Australia and spend the winter in deeper, cooler oceanic waters. Breeding takes place from September to April. Mature females (over the age of 8) can produce several million eggs in a single spawning season. Their only known breeding area is in the Indian Ocean, south-east of Java, Indonesia. Southern bluefin tuna are found in southern Hemisphere waters, mainly between 30°S and 50°S.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |