© 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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TETRAODONTIDAE: PUFFERFISHES and TOADFISHES

© Mark Maddern

The Tetraodontidae family has a global distribution, mainly in tropical and subtropical areas of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific. A number of species have been assigned to new genera in recent years; currently, 29 genera and at least 187 named species are recognised (Froese and Pauly, 2008). Most species in the Tetraodontidae are found in marine waters, but a number occur in brackish and fresh water.  Members of the family are characterised by smooth, scale-less skin, or skin with embedded spines / prickles; teeth of each jaw that are fused into a solid beak, with a median suture in each jaw; and the ability to greatly inflate the body, assuming an almost spherical shape (Hardy, in Gomon et al., 1994; Nelson, 1994, cited in Froese and Pauly, 2007).  Some species in the Tetraodontidae family eat a very large variety of food types, whereas others have preferences for certain invertebrates or algae. Demersal eggs are laid in a nest and presumably defended (Nelson, 1994, cited in Froese and Pauly, 2008). Most species contain a potentially lethal toxin (tetrodotoxin), in the viscera / internal organs and/or skin, and sometimes in the gonads, during spawning season (Hardy, in Gomon et al., 1994; Nelson, 1994).

Commercial and Recreational Fishing

A number of the species occurring in southern Australia are more common in deeper waters than shallow, and are caught by trawlers, as part of the bycatch. Examples include Ringed Toadfish Omegophora armilla, for which the Great Australian Bight (GAB) is the type locality. It is noted that this species is also widespread in shallow waters, in macroalgae and sand habitats near reefs, including natural and artificial reefs in the gulfs region of South Australia. Pufferfish are sometimes caught in large quantities (e.g. 7t and 10t per annum) in the GAB Trawl Fishery, as shown in Table 10. Catches are variable, and in some years, no pufferfish have been recorded as bycatch in this fishery.

Table 10 By-Catch of Pufferfish Species in the GAB Trawl Fishery, 1990 – 2002
Year	Catch (kg) (Source A)	Catch (kg) (Source B)
1990	4,500	-
1991	0	-
1992	0	-
1993	10,000	-
1994	0	-
1995	0	-
1996	0	7,000
1997	200	-
1998 - 2002	0	0
AFMA (2001c); Lynch and Garvey (2003)

Bycatch sampling in the GAB Trawl Fishery in 2000 and 2001 (Brown and Knuckey, 2002) showed that the Ringed Toadfish Omegophora armilla was caught in approximately half of the trawl shots (i.e. 104 of 209 trawl shots) during the survey period, with an average of 4.6kg per trawl shot discarded.
Toadfishes are also part of the discarded bycatch in the South East Trawl Fishery (SETF). For example, in the otter trawl sub-fishery of the SETF, an Integrated Scientific Monitoring Program (ISMP) reported that in 34 trawl shots, about 465kg of unspecified species in the Tetraodontidae were discarded (Wayte et al., 2004), an average of 13kg per trawl shot. In the Danish seine sub-fishery of the SETF, the ISMP reported that in 64 trawl shots, about 727kg of specimens in the Tetraodontidae were discarded (Wayte et al., 2004), an average of 11kg per trawl shot. In the otter trawl sub-fishery of the SETF, an average of 7.4 kg per trawl shot of Balloonfish Sphoeroides pachygaster has also recorded (Wayte et al., 2004). The Balloonfish is also part of the discarded bycatch in the Ocean Prawn Trawl and Ocean Fish Trawl fisheries in New South Wales. In the Ocean Fish Trawl Shelf sector, fishery independent surveys showed that the frequency of occurrence of S. pachygaster across all trawls was approximately 60% (N.S.W. Department of Primary Industries, 2004). The Balloonfish is listed as Vulnerable in the IUCN Red List. However, because this globally distributed species occurs in deeper continental shelf and slope waters, it is not discussed in this report.
Tetraodontids are also caught by recreational fishers; however they are apparently not targeted. Collectively, large numbers of toadfish are caught and released by recreational fishers across southern Australia. For example, a 12-month survey of coastal recreational boat fishing between Augusta and Kalbarri on the west coast of Western Australia during 1996-97 (Sumner and Williamson, 1999), showed that during the survey period, approximately 1000 toadfish (SE = 456) were caught and kept, and 19, 333 toadfish were released. More recently, a National Recreational and Indigenous Fishing Survey (Henry and Lyle, 2003) reported that a total of 143,363 Tetraodontids (i.e. toadfishes, pufferfishes, and blowfishes) were caught across Australia by recreational fishers during the survey period (May 2000 to April 2001), which included 9,846 from N.S.W.; 23,230 from Victoria; 25,705 from South Australia; and 70,767 from Western Australia.
Seven genera in the Tetraodontidae are known from southern Australian waters (Hardy, in Gomon et al., 1994). Some of the characteristics of pufferfishes that make them vulnerable to population impacts, are the benthic mode of reproduction (i.e. demersal eggs are laid), and the aggregative nature of some species in shallow waters. Two species, for which central S.A. is the eastern boundary of a geographically limited south-western Australian distribution, are included below as species of potential conservation concern, these being the shallow-water Blue-spotted Pufferfish Omegophora cyanopunctata and the Orange-barred Pufferfish Polyspina piosae. The deeper waters species Starry Toadfish Arothron firmamentum, the only member of a mainly tropical and sub-tropical genus that occurs in southern Australia waters, is also listed below, due to its rare occurrence in South Australia. A more common species in coastal waters, the Weeping Toado Torquigener pleurogramma is also discussed, due to its estuarine association, limited depth range, and potential for high mortality in areas where it is found.
In addition to the species discussed below, it is noted that the Orange-spotted Pufferfish (Orangespotted Puffer) Torquigener vicinus Whitley, 1930, was until recently known only from Western Australia, between Geographe Bay and Geraldton (Hutchins and Swainston, 1986). However, a specimen from S.A., verified by S.A. Museum (T. Laperousaz, pers. comm. to J. Aldenhoven, 2006) was found in 2006 in the Whyalla area in Spencer Gulf, South Australia. There are very few published records of this species (e.g. Australian Museum records, cited in OZCAM database, 2007). In biogeographic regionalisation, this species is considered to be an indicator for the South Western Province in W.A. (IMCRA Technical Group, 1996). The Orange-spotted Puffer is occasionally found in coastal waters (Hutchins and Swainston, 1986), and rarely caught by trawl, and by recreational fishers (e.g. the Australian Anglers Association, 2005, has a specimen record of 0.428kg, reported to be Torquigener vicinus, taken from Ocean Reef in W.A., in 1995). It is not known for this report whether the specimen from northern Spencer Gulf represents an extension of the known range (with a viable population present), or represents an isolated specimen transported to S.A. by ship or other means. Until further records are found, the species is not included in this report, but it is noted that if a population is present in S.A., then T. vicinus may qualify for status as a Rare species in this State.

Associated taxa

Blue-spotted Pufferfish / Blue-spotted Toadfish / Bluespotted Toadfish	Omegophora cyanopunctata Hardy and Hutchins, 1981
Orange-barred Pufferfish / Orangebarred Pufferfish	Polyspina piosae (Whitley, 1955)
Starry Toadfish / Starry Toado	Arothron firmamentum (Temminck and Schlegel, 1850)
Weeping Toado / Banded Toadfish / Common Blowfish / Blowy	Torquigener pleurogramma (Regan, 1903)