There is a world‐wide need for information on the ecology and habitat dependencies of important fish species. Recreational fishing surveys represent a potential source of data to increase our knowledge of fish distribution and habitat relationships. Here, a case study is provided on two key recreational species, King George Whiting Sillaginodes punctatus (Cuvier) and Snapper Chrysophrys auratus (Forster). The data came from a recreational fishing survey where 10,978 interviews were conducted from 1998 to 2013 in Western Port, Victoria, Australia. Spatial mapping of catch rate in relation to depth and habitat showed that S. punctatus distribution was related to seagrass cover while C. auratus distribution was related to deeper reef habitat. Juveniles of both species were more abundant in the south‐eastern section of the bay, where water quality is affected by catchment inputs. Overall, the study showed that the inclusion of spatial and habitat information in the design of recreational fishing surveys can significantly increase understanding of the ecology of key species.

中文翻译：

---

休闲渔业调查数据在生态研究中的应用，以澳大利亚西港为例

全世界都需要有关重要鱼类物种的生态和栖息地依赖性的信息。休闲捕鱼调查是一个潜在的数据来源，可以增加我们对鱼类分布和栖息地关系的了解。在这里，提供了关于两种主要休闲物种的案例研究，即 King George Whiting Sillaginodes punctatus (Cuvier) 和 Snapper Chrysophrys auratus (Forster)。数据来自一项休闲钓鱼调查，该调查于 1998 年至 2013 年在澳大利亚维多利亚州西港进行了 10,978 次访谈。捕获率与深度和栖息地相关的空间映射表明，S. punctatus 分布与海草覆盖率有关，而 C. auratus 分布与更深的珊瑚礁栖息地有关。两个物种的幼鱼在海湾的东南部更为丰富，水质受集水区投入影响的地方。总体而言，该研究表明，在休闲渔业调查设计中纳入空间和栖息地信息可以显着增加对关键物种生态的了解。