Extensive pelagic habitat use by adult Yellowtail Kingfish ( Seriola lalandi ) in the Tasman Sea
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Identification of habitat of pelagic species is key to determining the drivers of distribution, and possible limitations on suitable habitats. Yellowtail Kingfish ( Seriola lalandi) are a large, pelagic species of high recreational and commercial value, yet considerable knowledge gaps exist for their horizontal, vertical, and thermal habitat preferences. We used satellite telemetry to quantify the use of continental shelf (on-shelf) and offshore (off-shelf) habitats by kingfish off south-eastern Australia and New Zealand. Fifty adult kingfish were tracked for 3159 days (median ± sd. = 34 ± 81.8), travelling up to 4101 km (351 ± 790). Kingfish exhibited connectivity between waters on and off continental shelf, with 1832 days in off-shelf waters. Vertical distributions were largely restricted to the upper 100 m, but kingfish tagged near offshore islands tended to inhabit deeper waters. Multiple kingfish dove beyond 200 m ( n = 6), including a maximum depth of 475 m. Thermal habitats were highly variable, spanning 16 °C (11.0–27.0 °C), albeit an affinity for 17.4–20.8 °C. The diversity of movements, including offshore and cross-jurisdictional, highlight the complexities of kingfish behaviour and population dynamics which should be considered by fisheries management.
Institutions: University of Tasmania, Sydney Institute of Marine Science, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, Macquarie University, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, UNSW Sydney, NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Deakin University, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Flinders University, Government of Victoria
Language: English
Subfield: Global and Planetary Change
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
SDG: Life below water
Open Access status: hybrid
Funder: Victorian Fisheries Authority
OpenAlex ID: W7160908321