Seagrass valuation from fish abundance, biomass and recreational catch

The value of critical habitats, such as seagrass, to act a nursery varies spatially and temporally; however, information is essential for the public stakeholders appropriately manage these habitats. We use an existing systematic long-term fisheries dataset in Port Phillip Bay examine variability habitat important commercial recreational species, King George Whiting (Sillaginodes punctatus). represents one most marine assets southern hemisphere surrounded by second-largest city Australia, Melbourne, home 4.5 million people. modelled abundance whiting function environmental variables, using Boosted Regression Trees (BRT). Fish densities ranged from 1,000 30,000 individuals ha?1y?1, equalling adult biomass 110–3,300 kg ha?1y?1. This production supports between 69 2,062 fishing trips year, with estimated seagrass AUD 687–20,625 Based on data, 6662 ha are valued at around 36 annually.