Coastal anglers are being encouraged to record on a website the number of longtail tuna they catch so scientists can monitor the fish population.
Longtail tuna, also named tonggol or tongol, often mistakenly referred to as northern bluefin tuna, is commonly caught by recreational fishermen around Australia's coastline.
Declared a “recreational only†species in December 2006, 70 tons of commercial bycatch is still caught each year.
Longtail tuna may be susceptible to population decline even under modest fishing conditions, the commonwealth's scientific agency CSIRO says.
“We recently discovered that the species is also slow-growing and lives for at least 18 years,†the agency's Dr Shane Griffiths said in a statement.
However, numbers of the tuna have, so far, not been affected.
“We can put the right measures in place now to ensure the population remains healthy for future generations of recreational fishers to enjoy,†he said.
Recreational fishers, unlike commercial fisheries, are not obliged to report their catches, said Recfish Australia chief executive Len Olyott.
“We are sure that recreational fishers who have had the enjoyment of catching this magnificent species will realize the benefits of this project and will help scientists by recording details of their fishing expeditions,†Mr. Olyott said in a statement.
