© Baker, J.L. (2009) Marine Species of Conservation Concern in South Australia Full citation Baker, J.L. (2009) Marine Species of Conservation Concern in South Australia: Volume 1 - Bony and Cartilaginous Fishes. Report for the South Australian Working Group for Marine Species of Conservation Concern. J. Baker (consultant); Science and Conservation Division, and Coast and Marine Conservation branches of S.A. Department for Environment and Heritage (DEH); Marine and Coastal Community Network of S.A. (MCCN), and Threatened Species Network (TSN). Web version published by Reef Watch, South Australia.

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Rosy Perch

Family Name:	Callanthiidae (prev. Serranidae)
Scientific Name:	Callanthias allporti Günther, 1876
Recommended Status in S.A:	Data Deficient, possibly Least Concern
Rationale:  Rosy Perch is included here because (i) it is an aggregating species, site-associated with reefs, and both characteristics can increase the vulnerability of populations to localised impacts; (ii) although the species has a broad geographic distribution and broad depth range, it appears to have a limited known distribution within S.A., being recorded mainly in the Great Australian Bight; (iii) the family in which Rosy Perch is placed, is closely related to the Serranidae, a family of fish which generally have vulnerable population characteristics such as strong site association, slow growth, relatively long life span, low natural mortality, relatively low reproductive capacity, and distinct population structure, including protogynous hermaphroditism; (iv) the species is part of the bycatch in a number of fisheries in State and Commonwealth waters, with no limitations on catch; and (v) there is a paucity of information about population sizes, biology, and population dynamics. Despite the forementioned characteristics, Rosy Perch may be classed here as a species of Least Concern because it (i) has a broad depth range; (ii) appears to be currently caught only in small numbers in fisheries across southern Australia (however, misidentifications of C. allporti as C. australis may occur in some fisheries); (iii) may have a low susceptibility to capture over part of the range, due to association of Callanthias species with caves and crevices; (iv) was classified as a low risk species, in a recent assessment of bycatch in the South East Trawl Fishery.

Page Contents

Current Conservation Status

No listings known

Distribution

General

Paxton et al. (1989, cited in Froese and Pauly, 2007), reported Rosy Perch C. allporti to be found across southern Australia (N.S.W. through to W.A., including Tasmania), and the species is also recorded in New Zealand (Paulin et al., 1989; Francis 1996). Eschmeyer (2004) also reported a southern Australian distribution (i.e. South-eastern Indian Ocean and SW Pacific). Records from the Australian Museum and South Australian Museum (cited in OZCAM database, 2007) support this broad distribution. However, there is some discrepancy in the reported distribution. Hutchins and Swainston (2001) reported that Rosy Perch C. allporti is known only from deeper trawling grounds off Tasmania. A checklist of fishes of W.A. (Western Australian Museum, 2003) also excluded this species. It is noted that there are CSIRO Marine Research and Australian Museum records from W.A., reported to be C. allporti.
In New Zealand, Francis (1996) categorised C. allporti as a cool temperate and C. australis as a warm temperate species, with little overlap in the distribution, other than north-west side of the South Island.

South Australia 

Examples of locations in S.A. where Rosy Perch has been recorded include deeper continental shelf waters off the central and western Great Australian Bight, and the S.A. / W.A. border area (Australian Museum records, cited in OZCAM database, 2007; CSIRO Marine Research data, cited in CSIRO, 2007).

Habitat

Rosy Perch is found inshore, near rocky reefs (Paxton et al., 1989 and May and Maxwell, 1986, cited in Froese and Pauly, 2007).  In south-western W.A., Harvey et al. (2004) recorded “Splendid Perch” (reported to be C. australis or C. allporti) on reefs covered with dense macroalgae and medium-dense macroalgae.
The reported depth range of C. allporti is 20m – 100m (Paxton et al., 1989, cited in Froese and Pauly, 2007), but specimens from deeper waters have also been recorded (e.g. 138m, 140m, 150m, 152m, 170m, 176m, 180m, CSIRO Marine Research data from Courageous cruise, 1979, and Soela cruise, 1981, cited in CSIRO, 2007).

Notes on the Biology

Growth

Rosy Perch is reported to grow to 30cm (May and Maxwell, 1986, cited in Froese and Pauly, 2007).

Diet

The related species Splendid Perch C. australis eats small crustaceans in the zooplankton (Anderson Jr, 1999; Edgar, 2000), and it is likely that the diet of C. allporti would be similar.

Reproduction

Like members of the closely related Serranidae family, Callanthias species are reported to “probably” be protogynous hermaphrodites (whereby individuals start life as a female and then change sex to reproduce as a male) (Anderson Jr, 1999).

Fisheries and Trade Information

Southern Australia - Commercial

It is possible that some catches of Rosy Perch C. allporti are identified as Splendid Perch (C. australis). Catch statistics for C. australis are provided in the synopsis for that species.
When taken outside of 3 nautical miles (NM) from the coast, catches of Rosy Perch are managed by the Commonwealth (and when taken inside 3 NM, are managed by the States) (AFMA, 2002a). Outside of 3NM, fishers who have a concession to use methods other than trawl (i.e. gillnet, fish hook, shark hook), are permitted to catch C. allporti, with no restrictions on catch (AFMA, 2004e).
Rosy Perch is recorded as a very minor bycatch in the South East Trawl fishery (SETF). In the otter trawl sub-fishery of the SETF, an Integrated Scientific Monitoring Program (ISMP) reported that in 1 trawl shots, 1 kg of C. allporti was discarded (Wayte et al., 2004).
Rosy Perch C. allporti is reported to be part of the bycatch in deep water trawling grounds off Tasmania (Hutchins and Swainston, 2001).
C. allporti has been recorded as part of the bycatch in the prawn trawl fisheries in New South Wales (e.g. off Botany Bay and Port Jackson) (Liggins et al., 1996; New South Wales Fisheries, 2002). 

Southern Australia - Recreational

Rosy Perch are taken by recreational fishers in some areas, including Tasmania (Lyle and Campbell, 1999).
There are no recreational fishing statistics available for this report. It is noted that the National Recreational and Indigenous Fishing Survey (Henry and Lyle, 2003) reported that about 20,000 “perch – (marine) unspecified” specimens were caught and kept by recreational fishers during the survey time period (May 2000 to April 2001), and it is possible that a small proportion of the catch included Callanthias.

New Zealand - Commercial

Callanthias allporti is one of the listed species permitted to be taken by High Seas Fishing around New Zealand (New Zealand Ministry of Fisheries web site, 2004).

Vulnerable Characteristics of the Species, and Threatening Processes

Rosy Perch is an aggregating species which is site-associated with reefs, and both characteristics can increase the vulnerability of such species to site-specific impacts.
Although the species has a broad geographic distribution and broad depth range, it appears to have a limited known distribution within S.A., being recorded mainly in the Great Australian Bight.
The Callanthiidae family, in which Callanthias is now placed, is related to the Serranidae, a family of fish which generally have vulnerable population characteristics such as strong site association, slow growth, relatively long life span, low natural mortality, relatively low reproductive capacity, and distinct population structure, including protogynous hermaphroditism.

Research and Management Requirements

C. allporti is a separate species, distinguishable from C. australis (W. Anderson Jr, Grice Marine Biological Laboratory, pers. comm., 2006). The distribution limits of C. allporti across southern Australia should be ascertained, as should depth range, and maximum length and weight of the species. There is considerable discrepancy in the literature regarding all of these figures.
The common names “Splendid Perch” and “Rosy Perch” have been used interchangeably in the literature on the two species C. australis and C. allporti, and standardisation is required.
More information is required on the biology (including growth and age, and reproduction), population dynamics and habitat of C. allporti.
The presence of this species in fisheries bycatch should be recorded over space and time in southern Australia.

Management Requirements

Given the potential vulnerability of this species (due to its life history characteristics), limitations in commercial and recreational are required. Currently, there are no catch restrictions in any State, and there are concessions in Commonwealth waters to permit the catch of this species with no restrictions on yield.
Marine protected areas are beneficial for conserving populations of large, site-associated species, and due consideration should be given to the formal protection of some reef areas in which this species occurs.

Other Information

In a draft ecological risk assessment of the South East Trawl and Danish Seine Fishery (Wayte et al., 2004), 3 “productivity attributes” and 6 “attributes of susceptibility” for Rosy Perch were used to categorise it as a “low risk” species, in terms of susceptibility to population impacts from trawling.
Rosy Perch C. allporti is found in a number of protected areas and proposed protected areas in New Zealand, the latter including the Te Paepae Aotea (Volkner Rocks) Marine Reserve (Department of Conservation, New Zealand, undated).