Qld; Tool to find prawn spawning may boost catches

AAP General News (Australia)
01-20-2000
Qld; Tool to find prawn spawning may boost catches

Australia's prawn catches, depleted by excessive fishing in the past, may be set for
an upturn as scientists begin to pinpoint the most productive spawning areas.

CSIRO marine ecologist Dr NEIL LONERAGAN says the Gulf of Carpentaria is the largest
prawn fishery in Australia and a major centre of the $111 million a year Northern Prawn
Fishery.

He says the Gulf supplies around 8,000 tonnes of king, banana, endeavour and tiger
prawns each year, but that's far short of the catches taken in the past.

Dr LONERAGAN says around 6,000 tonnes of …