King George whiting
Sillaginodes punctata
General
What do they look like?
Where are they found?
Life cycle
Feeding habits
Commercial fishing
Recreational fishing
Catch limits & legal lengths
General
The King George whiting is one of South Australia’s most important food fishes, comprising approximately 27 per cent of the total annual commercial catch of inshore fishes. Studies on the recreational fishery also indicate that King George whiting is one of the most important species sought by boat anglers.
The eating quality of King George whiting is renowned throughout Australia. It is a fish with a delicate flavour and texture. One of its prime qualities is that it retains its flavour after being frozen.
What do they look like?
King George whiting has a silvery body, which is dusky yellow above and has irregular oblique rows of small bronze or brown spots on the back and upper sides. It is the largest of all species of whiting.
Where are they found?
The King George whiting is found throughout South Australian coastal waters but is most abundant in the waters of the Gulfs and Investigator Strait, and in the sheltered bays of the west coast of South Australia.
Life cycle
Spawning takes place in April through June in mainly offshore areas. The water currents then carry the fertilised eggs and larvae into sheltered bays of mangrove tidal creeks and seagrass areas. Undersize fish are most numerous in the tidal channels and tagging has shown that their movements are not extensive at this stage of their lifecycle.
During the summer months, when water temperatures are relatively warm, growth is rapid and most fish reach a size of about 28cm, when about two to three years old. Areas where King George whiting is caught at this time include Kangaroo Island, Coffin Bay, West Coast bays and Southern gulf waters.
By the time the fish have reached 35cm (three to four years of age) most have moved out from the bays, progressively moving into deeper offshore waters as adult fish. They can reach a maximum length of 70cm, weigh up to 2.5kg, with a maximum age of fourteen to fifteen years.
Feeding habits
Most King George whiting taken on handlines are caught during the day, indicating that they are visual feeders. Their mouths are relatively small and are adapted to sucking up such bottom organisms as polychaete worms, bivalve molluscs (cockles) and small crustaceans. They will readily accept bait such as cockles, marine worms or strips of squid.
Commercial fishing
The commercial fishery is located in the waters from the Gulf St Vincent to Ceduna. Fish are caught either with nets or handlines. Most of the catch is consumed locally but fish are also sold interstate. The fishery is regulated by limited entry licensing, as well as gear restrictions, area closures and a minimum size limit.
Recreational fishing
The recreational fishery is regulated through size limits, bag and boat limits. The legal minimum length of King George whiting is set so that most fish will have the chance to reach their most productive size. With the protection of size limits, small fish are allowed past the gauntlet of fishers, too spawn in offshore areas. This allows the replenishment of the species, which in turn allows adequate access to the resource for all fishers. Bag limits are also a management measure for protecting and maintaining fish stocks, as this restricts the number of fish taken by fishers.
Aquatic reserves such as those at Barker Inlet, Pelican Lagoon (American River), Yatala Harbour, Blanch Harbour, Whyalla and St. Kilda were established to protect nursery areas of the King George whiting. The taking of King George whiting is prohibited in Pelican Lagoon, Yatala Harbour, Whyalla and St. Kilda.
New rules to protect the King George whiting were introduced in 2004. Scientific evidence indicated that stocks were over-fished, with recreational fishers taking about 58% of the total catch. Consequently, the catch and boat limits were revised.
Catch limits and legal lengths
| All waters east of longitude 136o (runs through Cape Catastrophe just south of Port Lincoln) including all waters of Spencer Gulf and Gulf St Vincent | 
Click map to enlarge | |
| Minimum legal length: | 31 cm measured from tip of snout to tip of tail | |
| Personal daily bag limit: | 12 | |
| Daily boat limit: | 36 | |
| Possession limit: | Six times the bag limit (72 fish) or 10kg of fillets OR Where a person has possession of both fish and fillets – three times the bag limit (36 fish) or 5kg of fillets | |
| All waters west of longitude 136o | ||
| Minimum legal length: | 30 cm measured from tip of snout to tip of tail | |
| Personal daily bag limit: | 12 | |
| Daily boat limit: | 36 | |
| Possession limit: | Six times the bag limit (72 fish) or 10kg of fillets OR Where a person has possession of both fish and fillets – three times the bag limit (36 fish) or 5kg of fillets |
- Page URL: http://www.pir.sa.gov.au/fisheries/recreational_fishing/target_species/king_george_whiting
- Page Last Modified: February 28, 2013